5 minutes with Selena Sampson, SWCC nursing student

AGE: 20

FAMILY: My mom, Barbara Sampson, and my son, Calvin Hudson

HOMETOWN: Creston

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO COLLEGE FOR CURRENTLY? My RN

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM? I like the fact that it's a ladder program, so you get your LPN one year and you actually get your certification through the Board of Nursing, and then you can come back the next year and get your RN. I think that's extremely helpful because a lot of the programs have gone away from the ladder, and you get your LPN hidden in there.

WHAT ASPECT OF ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY IS YOUR FAVORITE TO LEARN ABOUT? I like the endocrine system. It's a really weird one, but I think it's really cool how our body and our metabolism's all tied into everything.

HOW MANY YEARS DO YOU HAVE LEFT UNTIL YOU PLAN TO BE COMPLETELY DONE? 6 and a half, because I want to get my DNP through the University of Iowa.

WHERE DO YOU WORK? I work at Greater Regional Medical Center on the med/surg floor as an LPN.

HOBBIES AND EXTRACURRICULARS: President of Phi Theta Kappa (honor society) on campus, president of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) on campus, Creston volunteer firefighter, superintendent of small animal committee for Union County 4-H, breeding and showing dogs, fishing and riding horses

WHAT'S THE MOST INTERESTING THING YOU'VE EVER LEARNED IN YOUR NURSING PROGRAM? The coolest thing that I've learned is IV medications and what they can do, like, with your cells, and how anatomy works with hydrating someone.

WHEN DID SCHOOL START FOR YOU? Monday

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE CLASS YOU'RE CURRENTLY TAKING? Med/Surg with Brooke Owens

IF YOUR HOUSE WAS ON FIRE, WHAT WOULD BE THE FIRST THREE THINGS YOU'D GRAB? My kid, let's call him No. 1. Probably, I've got a tote, so my family photo albums. Those are extremely important to me. I guess my dog, that's another good life to save.

WHAT'S THE LONGEST YOU'VE GONE WITHOUT SLEEP? 48 hours

WHAT'S ONE THING MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU? I'm scared of needles. I'd rather poke someone than be poked.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE CANDLE SCENT? Anything with pumpkin or fall, like cinnamon, apple, pumpkin spice. Or anything food. Cookie's a good scent. But then they make me hungry.

WHAT'S YOUR DREAM VACATION? I want to go to Africa, South Africa. Or the Amazon.