Dr. Susan Browder Perry (Carter)

My husband and I were living in Miami, Florida, and I was a marketing director. The more I worked with patients on corporate accounts, the more I realized that I wasn't happy with the way patients were taken care of. I decided to go back to school and get my nursing degree to have a hands-on impact. I had two great aunts who were nurses during World War II. Nursing felt like a personal calling. I had a good job in corporate sales, but I wasn't fulfilled. At FIU Nursing, I got involved in student government. I worked with the dean on putting together an alumni event. I was a class officer and was heavily involved in the Nursing Program. I was an older student, and I had high grades. I made a B in my research class and had a professor who pushed me. By the time I graduated, I felt I was called to be a nurse in the military. I started a master's program to become a nurse anesthesiologist. By the time I finished that program, the Air Force had encouraged me to go into research. I continued my education and got my PhD. I was one of the few people in my class at FIU who spoke English as a first language, so I learned about different cultures. I gained a stronger understanding of Hispanic culture. While attending FIU Nursing, I had to do community nursing, so I went into homes and worked with people in the community. FIU Nursing truly impacted me by allowing me to address the health disparities in homes. I learned that those health disparities led to chronic disease in hospitals. I appreciated FIU Nursing's approach to diversity, inclusion, and health promotion.