BSN Senior Serves as ROTC Platoon Leader, Plans Army Nursing Career

January 13, 2020 – Katherine Keady (NHS’20) is a senior nursing major at the School of Nursing & Health Studies. She is a cadet in the Georgetown University Army Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) Program, where she currently serves as platoon leader, and plans to use her nursing degree for a career with the United States Army. 

Question: Where did you grow up, and how did you learn about Georgetown?

Keady: I grew up in New York. I first visited Georgetown in middle school, when my brother was doing his college tours. The Army ROTC Program brought me back to Georgetown later on in high school. I became interested in joining the Army in early high school, and when researching programs, Georgetown stuck out to me. It is a nationally ranked university and ROTC program, and it is in the nation’s capital.

Question: Tell us about your participation in ROTC and work with Georgetown’s student nurses association.

Keady: I was awarded a four-year national ROTC scholarship in high school and started ROTC at Georgetown on day one. Since joining, I have done two months of training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and a month-long Army nursing internship at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) in San Antonio. Last semester, I was our battalion’s medical officer, managing medical absences from physical training, classroom training, and field training. This semester, I am the platoon leader. I help coordinate the physical and classroom training for all the cadets in Georgetown’s platoon.

I have enjoyed being president of SNAG, the Student Nurses’ Association at Georgetown. Our main initiatives this year have been providing opportunities for nursing students to learn more about their future career (professional development events) and facilitating relationships between nursing students (bagel breakfast and study breaks). Last year, I had the opportunity to represent Georgetown at the National Student Nurses’ Association conference in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Question: How are you enjoying the nursing major?

I have loved my experience as a nursing student at Georgetown. I have appreciated the small class sizes and numerous clinical hours and opportunities we have had since our first year. The program facilitates strong relationships with faculty members and offers immense support.  

The nursing major also offered me the opportunity to partake in a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France. This was the kind of opportunity I came to Georgetown hoping to have. It was a unique and invaluable experience, where I was able to deepen my faith and practice spiritual mindfulness that I can translate to my nursing practice.  

Question: What inspired you to want to become a nurse?

Keady: I always had interest in the health care field, but was not sure in which capacity. I appreciated the structure of Army ROTC and how it offers specific nursing opportunities, like the internship at BAMC. Through Army ROTC, I’m able to both be a health care professional and serve in the military. 

Question: What are you planning to do after graduation?

Keady: After I graduate, I go back to San Antonio for three months of medical services-specific training with the Army. After that, I will be working in an Army hospital.