"When researching colleges, I knew I wanted a true college town. I had toured several schools before Iowa, but nothing compared to the experience I had here. On my tour, when we stopped at the Old Capitol and looked out over downtown, I just had this gut feeling that I belonged here."
When Rishika first started thinking about her career path, she wasn’t exactly sure what she wanted to do. What drew her to nursing is its versatility and the fact that it combines science (a subject that she enjoyed in high school) with human connection. Additionally, with newer technology and AI, several careers are changing into things that weren't necessarily interesting to her. Nursing stood out to her as a field where empathy, critical thinking, and personal care cannot be replaced with such innovations. "That’s what makes it both meaningful and exciting to me."
Rishika loves the school spirit and calls it "unmatched." There’s nothing like a Hawkeye gameday in the fall for her. The Wave to the kids and families at the Stead Family Children’s Hospital at the end of the first quarter is such a wholesome, special experience that really shows the heart of our community.
Her advice would be to try everything! She knows it can feel hard, but putting yourself out there makes it so much easier to make new friends and discover things you never expected to enjoy. College is the perfect time to see if you like parasailing, bass fishing, or even formula racing (yes, those are all real student organizations at Iowa!).
