Kaylee Anderson '25
Kaylee Anderson ’25 came to Illinois College determined to pursue nursing, but she leaves with a vision even greater: to become a labor and delivery nurse, return for her master’s, earn a doctorate, and one day open her own clinic and teach the next generation.
“The IC nursing program was intense, but it shaped me,” Anderson says. “I’m a first-generation college student, and it felt like a whole new world. But I found my people here.”
One of her defining moments came early on: a C-section observation with her classmates. That experience sparked her passion for labor and delivery and solidified her career path.
Anderson describes herself as an academic perfectionist, pouring herself into the rigorous nursing curriculum. She didn’t join many clubs, but her focus and drive were unwavering. Professors like Mallory DeMuzio ’16, Amy Hrynewych and Tracy Kreipe brought real-world experience into the classroom and prepared her for the NCLEX with advanced, next-gen testing techniques.
“They didn’t just teach us nursing. They shared their stories and made it real,” she says. “That’s what made the difference.”
After graduation, Anderson is headed to Deaconess Illinois Medical Center, where she’s hoping to work in OB.
“IC didn’t just prepare me for a job. It gave me the confidence to lead, to grow, and to dream bigger than I ever thought possible,” she says. “Now I know: I can do this.”