East Aurora Advertiser

EA Resident, Iroquois Grad Speaks at Trocaire Commencement


Nora Durham, an East Aurora resident and 2015 graduate of Iroquois High School, was chosen as one of two student speakers for Trocaire College’s December 2018 Commencement.

Nora Durham was a student speaker for Trocaire College’s December 2018 Commencement.

Durham graduated at the Dec. 17 ceremony with her Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree. While at Trocaire, she served as co-president of the Student Nursing Association and volunteered to participate at annual on-campus photo shoots for the Marketing Department.

“The best thing about my experience at Trocaire is watching the school grow, along with myself as a student,” she said in a press release from the school. “From the time I started at Trocaire up until now when I’m about to graduate, I’ve watched the school develop and transform tremendously. I have also watched myself grow as a student from coming in as a freshman being nervous, intimidated and scared to now where I feel confident and eager to start my career as a nurse.”

During her time at Trocaire, Nora worked as a nursing assistant and held two private home care positions. She completed clinical placements at hospitals all over Buffalo, and found her most recent—the oncology head and neck floor at Sisters of Charity Hospital—the most memorable.

Learn more about Nora below:

What made you want to be a nurse?

I chose nursing as my career path simply because of how rewarding the job itself really is. I have the ability to make a difference in someone’s life during what may be their most crucial moments. I have seen firsthand just how stressful a day in the life of a nurse really is—I’ve gone back and forth and debated, “Will I be able to handle it?” The answer I kept telling myself was “Yes. Of course you can do it.” I’ve always felt like I’ve had this instinct to want to care for people, and to be there for someone in their time of need.

Why did you pick Trocaire College?

I picked Trocaire because of the intimate setting of the school, along with the class sizes. I graduated from a small high school, and I wanted my college experience to be the same.

What are your plans after graduation?

After graduation I plan on studying for my boards, taking my licensing exam as soon as I feel ready and hopefully accepting a job as a nurse in the Buffalo area. I would like to complete at least a year of Telemetry nursing, and then become certified as a Wound Care nurse.

What are your ultimate career goals?

My ultimate goal as a nurse is to learn anything and everything I possibly can in my field. I would like to become a traveling nurse, and down the road, I have also thought about becoming a clinical instructor. What better way to pass along the knowledge that I will have learned as nurse to nursing students?

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