Molly PavlovichKelly Anderson, a rising junior nursing major at Messiah University and Messiah Lifeways’ inaugural Students-in-Residence Fellow, has always described herself as an old soul.
“I always tell people that I was born at age 80. So, I’m probably like 100 right now,” Kelly joked. “But really, I have always felt like I connected better with those who are older than me.”
When she learned of the Students-in-Residence Fellowship opportunity that Messiah Lifeways is piloting—to live on the Messiah Village campus in a resident’s cottage, work in one of our nursing neighborhoods, and fully immerse herself in the life of a retirement community, she was eager to apply. She’s excited to spend her summer in a way that few, if any, college students can say the same.
Learn more about Kelly in the brief Q&A below.
Where’s your hometown?
“Home for me is Cherry Hill, New Jersey.”
How do you enjoy spending your free time?
“As a nursing major, my free time is often limited, but when I do have a moment of free time, you can probably find me reading. I love the classics, and if I had to pick a favorite—although, it’s difficult for me to think of just one—I’d say ‘Count of Monte Cristo’ by Alexandre Dumas. When I’m not reading, I like spending time outside and going for long walks.”
What is your dream job?
“I’m really hoping to be a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). I’d start as a critical care nurse for four or five years and then hopefully apply to CRNA programs.”
Can you share a fun fact about yourself?
“I love working. I’ve actually worked 12 jobs in my life–at a pizza shop, a skating rink, a gym, a swim club, and a hospital, and I’ve worked as a maid and a few others that I can’t remember off the top of my head. A lot of people, when they get to work they’re thinking ‘I can’t wait to go home,’ but when I go home after work, I’m genuinely thinking ‘I can’t wait to go back to work.'”
Do you have a favorite spot on the Messiah Village campus?
“I enjoy sitting in the grass and reading by the frisbee golf course and pond.”
What do you hope to take away from this experience as a Fellow?
“I want to look at life from a different perspective. It’s interesting to experience this different lifestyle during the stage of life I’m in. It’s so similar to college in some ways, but most residents’ time is filled with hobbies and leisure. Most people my age are so focused on finishing college and finding a career that we don’t think about what life looks like down the road. But it’ll be cool to see and take part in that in such an immersive way.”
