A family tradition continues at UC College of Nursing
When Ashley Enginger walks across the stage at her Bachelor of Science in Nursing commencement ceremony, she will leave behind a UC College of Nursing that her family is far from finished with. Her sister Sarah is already two years in, and their youngest sister Lauren is set to arrive in the fall. For a household that already includes their mother — a nursing veteran of more than 20 years who is now completing her own bachelor’s degree — it might seem like a lot of nursing. But to the Enginger sisters, it makes perfect sense.
Ashley, who is finishing her co-op in the PICU at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where she has already accepted a full-time position after graduation, traces her path back to the Women Lead Medicine program at her all-girls high school in Cincinnati. “I was able to explore every corner of healthcare before landing on nursing,” she says.
Sarah, Ashley and Lauren at Ashley's high school graduation
After participating in the same Women Lead Medicine honors program, Sarah, now a sophomore, came to a similar conclusion through a different lens: possibility.
“I wanted to go far and do something big,” she recalls. “Nursing is so flexible and compatible with the other things I want in life. You can always go back to school; you can always do more with it.” She currently works as a PCA at Children’s Hospital and has her eye on adult emergency nursing.
Lauren, preparing to graduate high school, already sounds certain of her path. “I’m really into math and science. Anatomy is my favorite class,” she says. Like both her sisters before her, she participated in her school’s honors program and chose nursing immediately.
Even with their familiarity with the profession, the sisters have encountered surprises along the way. One of the most striking has been the level of authority and advocacy nurses carry. “I was really impressed with how much they advocate for their patients,” Sarah explains. “Doctors pop in once a day; your nurses are there the whole time.”
Ashley agrees. For her, the biggest revelation has been how much learning happens beyond the classroom. “There’s leadership, there’s clinical experiences — so many opportunities here. When they say you can find something for anyone, it’s true.”
The Enginger sisters: Sarah, Ashley and Lauren
Both sisters also point to the sense of community within the UC College of Nursing. “Freshman year, you’re part of the main campus vibe, it feels so big,” Sarah remembers. But as students move deeper into the program, something shifts. “You get into the nursing world, and it becomes more tight knit. The advisors, the professors… everyone starts to know you. They care about you.”
Ashley has spent four years watching that community form around her — and around her sister. She describes it simply: the opportunities are enormous, but the support system is intimate. Her own experience reflects that balance, from her PICU co-op to her roles as a student ambassador and senior class officer. For Lauren, that sense of connection is something she is eager to find. “At first it’s going to be scary,” she admits, “but building those relationships is going to be really important.”
For now, Ashley is holding two emotions at once. “I’m sad,” she says of leaving, “but also looking forward to it.” She knows she is not really saying goodbye, just passing something on. As one Enginger steps forward, another is already finding her place, and a third is just beginning — each continuing a shared calling that, in this family, is only growing stronger.
Featured image: The Enginger sisters wearing their softball uniforms / Photo provided
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