The Fellowship That Fueled a Nursing Career

Kentucky Alpha Brooke Shields is a shining example of how the financial support of our Foundation can empower members to achieve their career aspirations.  

After receiving her Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Louisville with the help of a Pi Beta Phi Foundation undergraduate scholarship, Brooke was awarded the Past Grand Presidents Memorial Graduate Fellowship to pursue her Master of Science in nursing education. Now an assistant nurse manager, she coordinates service lines for multiple surgeons, ensuring patient care runs smoothly. Her ultimate goal is to become a nurse educator. Below, Brooke shares her experience working in healthcare and how support from our Foundation helped her achieve her academic goals. 

Why was receiving a Graduate Fellowship particularly meaningful to you, and what opportunities has it enabled you to pursue?  
Receiving the Past Grand Presidents Memorial Graduate Fellowship was incredibly meaningful to me because it’s not as common to find graduate scholarships compared to my undergraduate years. I knew I wanted to become an educator in the nursing field and this degree was the next step toward that goal—it allowed me to enroll in advanced courses within my master’s program that are essential for my future career. Without financial support, I might not have been able to afford these classes or would have had to delay my education until I saved enough for tuition. 

What is the most rewarding part of your job?   
The most rewarding thing is teaching and mentoring our new employees. Surgery is a very specialized type of nursing that’s not often mentioned in nursing school, so a lot goes into on-the-job training for nurses in my department. I love connecting with our new staff members and sharing my knowledge with them. Nurses should support and uplift each other because we’re all a team trying our best to take care of patients.  

How has your Pi Phi experience influenced your approach to leadership in healthcare?   
During my time as a collegian, I served on my chapter’s Policy and Standards Board (now known as the Member Conduct Committee), as Vice President Housing (now known as Director Housing) and as Chapter President. Holding leadership positions helped develop my organizational and time management skills, taught me how to delegate appropriately and sharpened my problem solving and conflict resolution skills. Things in healthcare don’t always go to plan, so you must be very adaptable as a nurse and think critically about other possible solutions.   

What is a meaningful moment in your career so far that stands out?    
I stepped in to teach a few nurses who wanted extra practice with surgical prepping since we currently don’t have a surgical services educator. We used the OR simulation lab to review different preparations and techniques for various body parts, then returned to our department to review unfamiliar equipment. By the end of the day, they felt more confident in their skills, and I truly enjoyed taking part in that—it made me feel like I was meant to be an educator. 

Brooke’s story is a reminder of the doors a Foundation scholarship can help open and the opportunities that come from investing in one’s education and future. Pi Beta Phi offers more than 100 undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships and Alumnae Continuing Education scholarships for collegians and alumnae every year. Learn more and start your application at pibetaphi.org/scholarships. Scholarship applications are due February 15.

You can help support members like Brooke in pursuing their dreams by contributing to our Undergraduate Scholarship, Graduate Fellowship and Alumnae Continuing Education Scholarship funds. Visit pibetaphi.org/donate to make a difference today! 

Published January 10, 2025