For incoming freshman Eliza Goers, college was always a part of her plan as far back as childhood. From an early age she wanted to be a teacher. But that all changed when she visited the hospital to meet her new relatives.
“I remember the nurses when my cousins were born and how they helped my family,” she said. “They helped everyone calm down and made sure we knew that everything was OK. They were very nice.”
That lasting memory influenced her direction, changing her career ambitions from the classroom setting to a hospital setting in a very specific way.
“I want to go into pediatrics,” Goers said.
A native of Woodstock, Goers, 18, will enter Mennonite College of Nursing (MCN) ready to take on the demands of an important course of study. Her interest in nursing school was further sparked by taking nursing classes at her local community college, McHenry County College.
She was a well-rounded student at Woodstock North High School, where she was a member of the National Honor Society. She also received academic awards from the science department and for her participation in choir. In addition, she was in a few clubs, joined musical theater as part of the backstage crew, and competed on the varsity tennis team.
“I remember the nurses when my cousins were born and how they helped my family. They helped everyone calm down and made sure we knew that everything was OK. They were very nice.”
Eliza Goers
When she gets to campus, she’ll be living in Watterson Towers in a triple, with her friend from high school, Kimberly Cunningham, and another roommate neither has met yet. She plans to continue singing, possibly in a choir, and will probably join a sorority eventually. She’ll also look for work on campus to earn some spending money. In her free time, she likes to hang out with friends, still enjoys tennis, and likes to be outside playing other sports, especially beach volleyball.
Academically, Goers was awarded the Redbird Scholarship, which will renew annually as long as she keeps her grades up. She’s looking forward to getting her college life started.
“I’m excited to be on my own and for this new way of life and to meet new people,” she said. “I really like the campus, and it seems like a nice college community.”
At home, Goers is the youngest of three girls born to Don and Becky Goers. She’s had a lot of support to get her to this point, especially from her parents.
“They’ve helped me all through school,” she said. “And anytime I needed to do something to help me get to ISU, they were there.”
She also had the support of a couple of influential teachers back in Woodstock in Jillian Barry and Bart Zadlo.
“My high school science teacher, Mrs. Barry, helped me through human biology class and helped me get prepared for nursing school,” Goers said. “She’s a very nice person.”
Zadlo taught her lessons in the classroom and in athletics.
“He was my coach and teacher,” she said. “He coached me in tennis and taught me in math class. He helped me through some tough times on the court and taught me that I could come back stronger. And he helped me with math, which was not my favorite subject.”
So far, she’s not too anxious about leaving home for the first time as Illinois State has become pretty familiar to her in recent months.
“I came on a few visits with my parents,” she said. “I also attended Preview, and the tour guides were great. It was a great opportunity to get to know more people and to schedule all my classes. Soon I’ll be nervous about getting organized with my classes and making sure I do good in them.”
Goers knows that a lot of hard work awaits her and her nursing classmates, but she has a positive attitude.
“I’m excited for the experience of clinicals and to get to know people in my field,” she said.
Read about all of the students featured in our “Newest Redbirds” series at News.IllinoisState.edu.
