BSN student finds purpose in public health

Henrietta Doe, a 2024 graduate of the bachelor’s in nursing program, will speak to her classmates at Commencement on May 10.

Originally from Owensgrove, Liberia, Doe migrated to America at age 12 after civil war broke out in her country. Her mother, a nurse, had come to the U.S. ahead of her husband and children, making a place for them to join three years later.

Doe went to high school in Champlin Park, Minn., got married, had a son and went with her husband to his job in Malaysia. She returned to the U.S. to give birth to her second son and shortly after, COVID started.

When travel was restricted due to the pandemic, Doe needed a reliable field of work. She looked to her mother’s nursing career and felt called to similar vital work.

“I decided to make the best of what was happening, to find work that was essential.”

BS in Nursing

Inspired by her mother’s caring profession and the welcoming community at MSUM, Doe decided to pursue her BSN with a focused interest in health services administration.

“In the beginning, I focused more on bedside nursing, but after getting into the Fargo-Moorhead community, I saw how nurses can be a bridge in the many gaps of public health.”

Doe had clinical experiences with Essentia Health, Sanford Health, Eventide nursing home, and various early childhood support and special education services. She especially enjoyed working with Fargo Cass Public Health.

“My clinical experiences gave me an idea of where I want to be in life, and my time at MSUM taught me how to work with different people. I began to see how to leverage my education to make an impact.”

Henrietta feels that education creates a bridge to success, both in one’s own life and in one’s surrounding community.

Getting that education can be daunting but she insists that, “It doesn’t matter how old you are or what your circumstances are. There are resources and people that are willing to help you.”

Henrietta will speak about her courageous path to education and to a vocation that matters. She emphasizes that “when you are passionate about what you’re doing, your education makes sense.”