(BALTIMORE, Md.) – Sherry Nindow '22 found her purpose at Notre Dame of Maryland University: to become a pediatric nurse and eventually a nurse administrator.
A first-generation college student, Nindow moved to Maryland from Ghana when she was 11 years old. She chose NDMU for its close-knit community in the Women’s College. Her NDMU experience has prepared Nindow for her next step after graduation on May 22: accepting a $30,000 Care Bravely Scholarship from Sinai Hospital in Baltimore to work there as a nurse for the next three years.
“NDMU, and especially the Nursing School, really helped me to grow as an individual and become who I am today to prepare me for the future that awaits me,” Nindow said. “After graduation, I want to go to grad school to further my education and possibly become a nurse administrator.”
She connected her passion for community service with her desire to become a nurse. A dedicated volunteer since high school, she discovered NDMU’s Bonner Leader program, a scholarship program for students dedicated to community service. She also volunteered with students in the NDMU Nursing School with Meals on Wheels, an organization that delivers nutritious meals to homebound seniors.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Nindow volunteered with St. Joseph’s Hospital in the labor and delivery unit, as well as the neonatal intensive care unit. Since the pandemic, she has dedicated her Saturdays to volunteer with Happy Helpers for the Homeless, preparing food baskets and delivering them to homeless individuals and families.
She was inspired to go to nursing school because of the care she received from nurses as a child. The unwavering support from her mother, who is a healthcare worker, also helped Nindow realize that she wanted to pursue a career in nursing.
“Growing up, I really had a lot of medical conditions, which I have grown out of. My mom has told me that I used to go in and out of hospitals, and sometimes she wouldn’t know when we would leave. I just loved how the nurses cared for me back home in Ghana. I really wanted to care for children just like me,” she said. “My mom has always been my backbone. She is looking forward to commencement even more than me.”
Her community involvement has prepared her to be a compassionate nurse who cares for her patients beyond their medical needs.
“I am doing a practicum at Johns Hopkins, and a patient recently was concerned about how she was going to eat healthy, and I was telling her about Meals on Wheels,” she said. “My community service gives me a broad perspective about resources in the community to recommend to my patients.”
Looking forward to what’s ahead, Nindow knows that the Women’s College gave her foundation for lifelong success.
“NDMU really gave me a lot of opportunities to grow and build my leadership skills,” she said. “Connecting with different women here and learning from them has really empowered me.”
Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best "Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report.
