Peyton Heagy

Nursing Major

Peyton Heagy is a proud Sycamore who loves how Indiana State University supports her academic endeavors and her passion for swimming. A junior nursing major from Peru, Illinois, Heagy is a member of Indiana State’s Swim & Dive team, which placed second in the Missouri Valley Conference championships at the conclusion of the 2023-24 season.

Also a member of the University’s Honors College, Heagy enjoys being part of her close-knit learning and athletics communities, and she appreciates the support she receives from her peers and professors. Through her educational opportunities, Heagy looks forward to a career helping others as a nurse practitioner. Because caring nurses wear BLUE!

What led to your decision to attend Indiana State? How did you know the University was the right school for you? 

I felt that Indiana State had a great balance of both academics and athletics where I could grow and excel in both areas. After getting a message from Josh Christensen, the swimming and diving head coach, I began to consider Indiana State and look more into the nursing program and clubs/organizations that I could be involved in during my time as a Sycamore.

What do you enjoy about Indiana State’s nursing program? 

What I enjoy most is how close everyone is within the nursing program. We all have the same end goal, so we work together and help each other to get through any obstacle. I also enjoy how accommodating my professors are. They want the best for their students, and they make sure we understand and get help with anything we need. For me, personally, I’ve enjoyed how accommodating they are when I have had to miss class or labs for my sport, and they have made it easy to make up any tests or work that I may have missed because of a swim meet.

Let’s talk more about your professors. How have they mentored you? 

My professors have mentored me through all of the ways they have been there for me in answering any question or giving further explanations to class material. They have always been willing to set time outside of their class time to meet with me for tutoring or help reviewing homework or tests. My nursing professors do well at giving visual explanations for nursing skills that have helped me, as I am a visual learner.

What have been some of your favorite classes so far? 

As challenging as my first semester of nursing was, they were also my favorite classes I have taken. These included classes on nursing essentials, adult assessment, and pharmacotherapeutics. I enjoyed how hands-on these classes were and how they taught me all the skills I need to graduate and become a nurse. They were so interesting and I loved learning in them!

Outside of the nursing program, I really liked my microbiology class because of all of the cultures we got to grow, as well as a developmental psychology class because I learned about the development of humans and the stages of life. We were able to take our own experiences and see how they fit into the expected development.

What are your future career goals? How is Indiana State preparing you for your future career in nursing?

I want to become a registered nurse and continue school to become a nurse practitioner. Indiana State is preparing me with all of the great nursing classes and professors, as well as all of the helpful technology and materials that the program offers to help us learn. Indiana State also has a nurse practitioner program to help me advance and reach my goals even further.

What are you passionate about in regards to your nursing major? 

One thing I am passionate about in my nursing major is being able to help my classmates improve their skills, as well as using other classmates’ and professors’ experiences to benefit my learning and understanding. I am also very passionate about learning as much as I can to be the best nurse that I can to provide care for those who need it.

You are also a member of Indiana State’s Honors College. Why were you interested in the Honors College? 

Something that stuck out to me about the Honors College was the structure of the Honors classes that would help with my communication skills and improving my leadership and open discussion abilities. I knew I would meet so many people through the Honors College who have similar goals and aspirations as I do who can help push me outside my comfort zone throughout my four years at Indiana State.

How has the Honors College benefitted your college experience? Have you taken interesting Honors classes, studied abroad, participated in alternative trips, etc.? 

Something that I have coming up next summer is a faculty-led trip to Greece through the Honors College. This will definitely enhance my college experience through traveling somewhere I have never been and researching interesting places and artifacts. I will also meet so many new people and experience a new culture!

You’re a member of the women’s swimming and diving team, competing as a freestyle swimmer. What do you enjoy about the team? 

I really enjoying having a close group of girls who have my back and help push me every day to accomplish the goals I have in the sport. I love traveling with the team and making so many memories together!

Have there been memorable swim meets and personal achievements? 

Every college swim meet I have competed at has been memorable to me in some way, whether it’s because of a personal best time in a race, spending time with my team, or having a really good meal on the way back to campus. The girls on the team and my coaches make meets memorable through how much we cheer for each other and celebrate each other’s accomplishments.

Personally, I have taken pride in the accomplishments I have achieved so far, such as breaking team records on the relays I have been a part of, achieving best times, medaling at conferences in relays, and overall, pushing myself to points that I didn’t think I could reach and being reliable to show up to practice and do my best.

Are you involved in any other campus/student organizations at Indiana State? 

I am also involved in Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and Student Government Association (SGA) on the Senate as a liaison representing Students for Sustainability. I have recently become treasurer of Students for Sustainability.

Lastly, if you were talking to a prospective student about Indiana State (the academics, Honors College, athletics, campus life, etc.), what would you tell them?

I would tell them about all of my great experiences in all areas on campus and how much I have grown throughout it all. I would share about the amazing people I have met, the generous professors I have had, and how rewarding a sport at Indiana State can be. People at Indiana State are there to help you and there are also so many resources available. I would also tell them how I love the campus and all there is to do on campus throughout the year, as well as all the clubs and organizations to join.