Charting a Career: Meet 2025 PNW graduate Grace Mumaugh
Grace Mumaugh, ’25, always knew she wanted a career in healthcare, one where she could make a difference. This desire led her to earn a bachelor of science degree in Nursing from the College of Nursing and a minor in Psychology from the College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences (CHESS) at Purdue University Northwest (PNW).
From the start of her academic pursuits at PNW, Mumaugh was looking for a hands-on career in healthcare that allowed for a personal touch. She felt nursing checked those boxes and would allow her to spend more time getting to know her patients and their families. “I love helping people,” says Mumaugh. “I think that it’s pretty awesome that I can do that as a career.”
While at PNW, Mumaugh participated in a number of research projects. Her research included comparing the Covid-19 pandemic to the 1918 influenza outbreak; exploring the effects of nursing burnout; analyzing dissociative identity disorder; examining the rise of travel nursing; and most recently, a study on lead exposure prevention in preschool children. Over the last four years, the Crown Point native presented each of her research projects at PNW’s Days of Discovery.
A member of the Honors College, Mumaugh was awarded the Honors College Academic Excellence Award.
After graduation, Mumaugh hopes to begin her career as a pediatric nurse and gain hands on experience for a few years before pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. Her long-term goal is to become a pediatric or family nurse practitioner.
[The Nursing faculty] goes out of their way to help us be successful, providing opportunities and experiences that we need to grow in the field.
How do you think your involvement in campus organizations and activities helped define your success at PNW?
“First, it helped me refine my time management skills so I could stay on top of everything and make sure things were done on time and to the best of my abilities. Second, my research projects have helped me practice evidence-based nursing. This is a really important aspect of nursing, since the field is always evolving and growing, it’s a lifelong commitment to learning. It also gave me quite a bit of confidence in my research skills and being able to find answers to questions.”
What did you like most about the Nursing program at PNW?
“The faculty is committed to helping us learn and become the best nurses we can be. They go out of their way to help us be successful, providing opportunities and experiences that we need to grow in the field. It’s an excellent program.”
Did you have a pivotal experience while attending PNW?
“There have been quite a few moments where I’ve felt that this is the right career path for me. One was during my obstetrics clinical. The instructor was great and I really enjoyed working with the mothers and the babies – it was a really good experience.”
What words of advice would you share with prospective students looking to attend PNW?
“Come out and visit the campus and get a feel for the place – the layout, the atmosphere, everything. Everyone’s looking for something different so it’s important to see it for yourself, especially during Preview PNW. Also, talk to current students, they can give you insight into what it’s like to attend PNW and share advice from their own experiences. It’s different than other colleges and I loved it. It was the perfect fit for me.”
Was there anyone at PNW who inspired or encouraged you along the way?
Kelly Kallas
Clinical assistant professor of nursing
“It’s hard to pick just one because all my professors have made an impact, but Professor Kelly Kallas has been a huge part of my experience here at PNW. She was my clinical instructor during my very first foundations course and now she’s teaching my Adult Health III course – she’s seen me grow in the program. Even when I wasn’t in her class, she’d check in, ask how I was doing and offer help if I needed it. She was just so kind and caring.”
Meet the Spring 2025 Graduates
Discover what drives our remarkable Spring 2025 graduates. From late-night study sessions to campus milestones, see how they’re Powering Onward.