Jacob Meyer ’24, Willmar, Minnesota
Major: Nursing (B.S.N.)

Please tell us about yourself.

My name is Jacob Meyer and I’m a sophomore studying nursing at Concordia. In high school, I started working as a nursing assistant in long-term care. Having the opportunity to directly work with residents during the COVID-19 pandemic spurred my passion to pursue a career in the medical field. Outside of my career interests, I enjoy playing piano, singing, swimming, and skiing.

Why did you choose Concordia?

As a smaller liberal arts college, I knew Concordia would provide me with many unique and individualized opportunities to help me toward my career goal in a healthcare profession. Outside of academics, I fell in love with Concordia’s choral program. Working with Dr. Knutson and Dr. Culloton to perform incredible choral repertoire has been a highlight of my college experience.

How did you decide on your major?

When I first came to Concordia, I intended to follow the pre-physician assistant (PA) track as a biology major. I’ve always known that I would make the largest impact on others by working in the medical field. At the end of my first year at Concordia, I worked closely with my pre-PA advisor, Dr. Julie Rutherford, to find unique medical work experiences in the Fargo-Moorhead community. After submitting many applications, I accepted a position as a patient care technician in Sanford’s Critical Care Unit. In this position, I worked closely alongside registered nurses to help provide nursing care to critically acute patients. Until this experience, I never truly understood the scope of a nurse’s practice. Inspired by the multiple dimensions of the nursing role, I switched my major to nursing and I couldn’t be happier.

What activities are you involved in?

I am a member of many different musical ensembles on campus. Currently, I sing as a baritone in Chapel Choir and I play piano in a jazz trio. I’ve also played piano in the pit orchestra for Concordia’s musical productions. Outside of music, I work in the admission office as a student ambassador and I work in Res Life as the Livedalen Director’s Assistant.

What is your favorite part of being involved with the Concordia Chapel Choir?

I enjoy being able to show up to rehearsals every day with my closest friends. We always meet up in the lobby of our dorm before walking over to rehearsals together. The community that is present has been a huge component of my social life on campus.

How has music played a role in your life?

When I was 7 years old, my older sister started taking piano lessons. Curious about what she was doing, I decided I was going to take lessons too. The next thing I know, music took over my life. In high school, I joined band and choir, acted in plays and musicals, and organized my own student ensembles. Through those experiences, I met my closest friends and greatest influential mentors.

How has Concordia prepared you for success?

With Concordia’s small class sizes, I have been able to work very closely with my professors to receive individualized feedback. This has been essential to the development of my personal, professional, and clinical skills. Furthermore, my professors work tirelessly to ensure that my classmates and I are utilizing our class material in real-world settings.

Have you had a PEAK (Pivotal Experience in Applied Knowledge) opportunity and, if so, what did you learn?

I have not had a PEAK experience yet, but I am looking forward to taking them in the future. As a nursing student, PEAKs are integrated into the course curriculum and clinical experience. The PEAK courses for the nursing program are Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing and Transition to Professional Nursing.

Have you had a favorite professor or class and why?

Dr. Askvig has by far been my favorite professor at Concordia. He is my current professor for Biology 306, Human Anatomy and Physiology. Dr. Askvig can present the material in a way that somehow makes it stick. I’ve taken previous anatomy courses, but I always struggled to understand certain concepts until this course. During lectures, Dr. Askvig works to meet with students individually to ensure they don’t have any questions about the assigned dissections.

What is your favorite Concordia tradition and why?

Hands down, the Cobber Corn Feeds. It’s always great to be surrounded by close friends and faculty before jumping into the start of the fall semester. I love seeing the community of current Cobbers and alumni come together to celebrate the impact that Concordia makes.

What has been the best part of your Concordia experience?

That’s easy. Performing at the Concordia Christmas Concert for the first time with my grandparents in the audience. With COVID, they were unable to see a live performance for almost two years.

What advice would you give to a student considering Concordia?

Reach out to your potential future faculty. They are an invaluable resource during your college search. I will forever remember talking with Dr. Culloton and Dr. Julie Rutherford before deciding to attend Concordia. They were able to help me navigate what my future would be as a choral member and STEM student.

What are your plans for after graduation?

After graduation, I plan to gain experience by working at the bedside as a registered nurse in the inpatient setting. I have not chosen a specific specialty yet, but I hope my clinical experience will help me decide in the coming semesters. After gathering clinical experience, I will enroll in graduate school to work toward a master’s degree in nursing or health administration.

Published April 2022