Editor's note: This story is part of a series profiling exceptional members of Penn State Schuylkill’s graduating class. For more stories like Menjivar's, visit Schuylkill Speaks!
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. — For Alexa Menjivar, a fourth-year nursing student in the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing at Penn State Schuylkill, a lifelong passion for caregiving has grown into a clear path toward a career in critical care.
A native of Shenandoah, Menjivar said she always knew nursing was her calling.
“I knew I wanted to be a nurse since I was in kindergarten,” she said. “I have always been a natural nurturer and caregiver, so nursing was always the path I knew I would take.”
Menjivar chose Penn State Schuylkill after an immediate connection to campus.
“It felt like home right away when I did my visit,” she said. “I had three more college visits after my Penn State visit, but I canceled them because I knew right away this is where I belonged.”
She said the campus’ small, close-knit environment made the transition to college easier and more personal.
“Coming from a small high school, I was overwhelmed with the idea of a large college,” she said. “All my professors know me by name and feel like family because of the small class sizes.”
Throughout her time on campus, Menjivar balanced the demands of a rigorous nursing program with hands-on experience in the field. She worked part time at Providence Place in Pottsville as a caregiver and medication technician, where she expanded her clinical knowledge and developed a strong connection to working with older adults.
“Working this job while in school was a challenge but worth it,” she said. “It made me a better nurse and gave me amazing memories working with my favorite population — older adults.”
Her academic experience also included multiple research projects, often focused on older adult populations and critical care — two areas that shaped her professional interests.
Menjivar’s passion for critical care led her to pursue a competitive summer externship at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville. As a critical care float pool extern, she gained experience across a range of high-intensity settings, including cardiac, neuroscience, surgical trauma and medical-surgical intensive care units, as well as emergency departments across several locations.
“I always had an interest in working in critical care, but I knew it was a very selective specialty for new grads,” she said. “I wanted to find a way to get more experience.”
Her efforts paid off. After completing the externship, Menjivar secured a position as a registered nurse in the critical care float pool program following graduation — one of only two new graduates selected.
“I learned so much over the summer and cared for a wide variety of patients,” she said. “I am so thankful for the externship because it helped me secure the nursing position of my dreams.”
Beyond academics and clinical work, Menjivar credits her success to the support system she built on campus, including close friendships with classmates Faith Wolff and Caitlyn Drum.
“We clicked on day one and have been inseparable ever since,” she said. “We lean on each other for everything. Support is the key to success in nursing.”
She also highlighted the impact of faculty members who guided her throughout the program.
“All the nursing faculty have gone above and beyond to ensure our success,” she said. “Specifically, Jaclyn Sims and Justyne Passarelli helped guide me to my future career, and Kim Quinn always provided advice and emotional support.”
Outside of the classroom, Menjivar said one of the most important lessons she learned was the importance of self-care.
“You must take care of yourself to take care of others,” she said. “The workload can consume your life, so it’s important to take breaks and make time for things that fuel your soul.”
As graduation approaches, Menjivar said she will miss the nursing faculty most.
“They truly changed my life,” she said. “They believed in me from day one and gave me the tools to reach my dream career.”
After graduation, Menjivar will begin her role as a critical care float pool nurse at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville. Looking ahead, she also hopes to one day return to the classroom as a nursing instructor.
For incoming students, she emphasized the value of building relationships.
“Develop bonds with your faculty and instructors,” she said. “Networking with professors can help you succeed in the classroom and guide you to a career after graduation.”