Jennifer Rothenheber: Making a Difference...
Nursing and Service at Gwynedd-Mercy College
As a transfer student and former education major, Jennifer Rothenheber did some careful homework before
she entered into Gwynedd-Mercy’s nursing program.
It wasn’t just the small size of the school that appealed to her or even the location of the suburban
college. “I also liked the fact that I could get into the city whenever I wanted,” says Jennifer,
“and I loved the student-teacher ratio!”
After some more research, Jennifer also learned about GMC’s longstanding reputation for training the
highest caliber of compassionate and skilled nurses since 1959—and that’s when she applied.
“I felt as though I had finally found the right place and vocation. I was in awe of the new facilities
in the Health and Sciences building. Of course, I was as nervous as everyone else but happy that I had made
it there,” recalls Jennifer about her orientation program.
Above all, Jennifer appreciated how quickly she gained on-the-ground nursing experience. “We did our
clinicals the second month I was here, my very first semester. You basically have all the responsibilities
of a nurse but obviously you are supervised. I was encouraged to administer medication, give shots and do
wound care,” says Jennifer.
A sophomore, Jennifer has already had the opportunity to do her clinicals at Fox Chase Cancer Center and work as a
nurse’s aide at the Doylestown Hospital (where, as an added bonus, she landed another job as a technician).
“They encourage us to jump right in at Gwynedd-Mercy.
I love that.”
— Jennifer Rothenheber, Nursing Major
Another first for Jennifer? She gained on-the-ground experience in community service. “At Gwynedd-Mercy College, service is
front and center. I never realized how easy and fulfilling it was to get involved. It’s an incredible feeling
to see that you are making a difference in people’s lives.”
Jennifer serves as a Mercy Works Scholar in Service (which requires 300 hours of service a year) and she focuses
on hunger and homelessness projects. For instance, she organizes meals for Manna on Main Street, a local soup kitchen
and food cupboard serving those in need.
“I’ve loved all my classes, but it was really the service that changed me,” says Jennifer with
a confident gleam in her eye. “I’ve gotten to know myself here.”
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