Graduating early, debt-free and employed. Meet Lauren, one of Bowling Green’s newest nursing grads

Lauren Balser is set to join Toledo Hospital’s pediatric intensive-care unit, exemplifying the program’s near-perfect employment rate at graduation

Lauren Balser has always admired nurses for their seemingly superhuman abilities to provide care and comfort to people in their most vulnerable moments, and now, it’s a title she will soon hold herself.

The Bowling Green State University senior is among nearly three dozen nursing students graduating on Dec. 13 from the University’s School of Nursing, representing the first cohort to graduate in the Spring. 

Spring enrollment was added to accommodate continuous growth in the BGSU nursing program, which remains one of the largest in northwestern Ohio.

After passing her national licensure exam, Balser, originally from Pioneer, Ohio, will join the pediatric intensive-care unit at Toledo Hospital, a role she says she is fully prepared to begin.

“The BGSU nursing program does a phenomenal job in preparing us to become nurses,” she said. “Our professors put so much love and care into educating us, and they are always willing to go above and beyond to help their students be successful.

“They’re such a good example of what it means to be a nurse. They’ve truly inspired me.”

Balser secured her full-time job offer more than a month before graduation, which is a common milestone for most students in the University’s highly regarded nursing program.

The School of Nursing boasts a nearly 100% employment rate at graduation. 

“Our nursing students continue to be highly sought after, which is the greatest measure of our success as a program,” said Dr. Lisa Jacobs, director of the School of Nursing. “Healthcare organizations know that BGSU nurses enter the profession ready to make an immediate impact.

“Lauren exemplifies the dedication, compassion and resilience we see in our students every day. Watching them step confidently into their careers reminds us why we do this work.”

Balser’s list of accomplishments also includes graduating debt-free in three and a half years.

By completing College Credit Plus courses in high school, Balser set herself on a path to graduate early. She also received the Thompson Working Families Scholarship, which covers about 75% of tuition while ensuring students maintain a financial investment in their degree.

“Graduating debt-free is incredibly freeing,” Balser said. “Seeing all of my hard work from high school until now pay off means so much to me. It allows me to immediately start saving for bigger things in life, like buying a house or going to graduate school to become a nurse practitioner.”