Emily Goff '18, Eagan, Minn.
Majors: Nursing and Spanish

What surprised you most about the Fargo-Moorhead area?

There is so much more to do in Fargo-Moorhead than you might think. It’s the new hot spot for recent grads so it does have a lot of neat attractions, fun shops and things to do. New activities and events are always popping up. It is a great environment for young entrepreneurs and independent small businesses. I love the Twin Cities, but I have loved being able to experience another community for four years. There’s less traffic here, and the people are super friendly and supportive!

Where are some of your favorite places in Fargo-Moorhead?

Broadway, the street that runs through downtown Fargo. I love going to the Red River Market and grabbing from Babb’s. I also LOVE the new Prairie Roots Food Co-op – their oat milk chai tea is amazing. For a more low-key night, I enjoy snowy afternoons where you can cuddle up on the couch with a couple friends and binge watch Netflix.

What activities and internships have you been involved in?

Love Your Melon, Student Athletic Advisory Committee, Colleges Against Cancer, Student Nurses’ Association and the National Student Nurses’ Association. I am on the Concordia women’s hockey team and am also both a hockey and study abroad ambassador. I’ve had nursing internships at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo and Fairview Hospital in Burnsville, and I also had the opportunity to study abroad twice during my time at Concordia.

Why did you choose to double major in both nursing and Spanish?

I think it is important to be bilingual in a globalizing world, and I like that fact that I will be able to use Spanish in nursing or in my travels.

What do you love most about the nursing program at Concordia?

The nursing program at Concordia has a great reputation and there are so many different directions I can take my career with my degree. The close network of Cobber nurses who have already started their careers can help you land you a job before you graduate.

Where did you study abroad?

During the spring of my freshman year, I went to Greece and Turkey for five weeks. I met so many new faces from Concordia while in a beautiful country. There wasn’t a bad moment on that trip. In my sophomore year, I studied in Alicante, Spain, for a semester to finish requirements for my Spanish major. I think I went on an adventure almost every weekend while I was there. I was able to check out the small fishing villages and even hopped on a train to Madrid for a weekend trip.

How will your travels abroad help you in your nursing career?

Studying abroad has helped me understand and respect different cultures. It helped me learn to “go with the flow” and learn different ways of communicating with a lot of different people when there is a language barrier.

What were your internship experiences like?

One of my internships was part of my Issues and Roles class, and I was in the oncology unit at Sanford. I followed a "buddy nurse" who was there to help you transition from student to nurse. I performed all the day-to-day tasks that the nurse did. As long as a nurse was with me, I could do everything they could do, like giving medications or coordinating care.

My other internship was at Fairview Hospital, where I worked alongside a registered nurse. I worked with medical staff to direct care for the patient during their stay. The staff there were amazing and so helpful. I learned a lot about time management, planning care for patients, and communicating with staff and families.

What is the best part about playing hockey for the Cobbers?

Our team vibe. Some of my favorite memories are from the hockey team. We do so much together: practice, lifting, games, going to movies, shopping, team dinners, dances. All of the girls are truly incredible people to experience college with, and Coach Jason is a very approachable guy. He makes it easy to work around all the busy student schedules our team has and does not penalize you for putting your role as a student above hockey.

What are your plans after graduation?

I’m starting a job at the Fairview Hospital as a B.A.N., R.N. They offered me the chance to apply for the job right after I finished my summer internship.

Editor’s Note: Emily is Concordia’s first recipient of the MIAC Sheila Brown Award, which is named after the longtime St. Catherine University athletic director. The award is presented to a senior women’s hockey student-athlete who has made a long-term contribution to her team’s success and has consistently competed in good sportsmanship.

Published March 2018