By: Paige Griffee

Some people know from the day they are born what they were destined to do in life. Senior, Kaley Dittemore, is one of those people.

Dittemore said she’s always known she wanted to be a nurse. This could be due to the fact that both of her parents, aunts and uncles are all nurses and when she was younger, she would draw pictures of herself in nursing apparel.

It’s safe to say her family has a long history with Western. Not only did her grandfather graduate in 1959 from the nursing program, but her mom graduated in 1989 in the first BS nursing program.

“My grandpa was super involved in the medical field. My sister and I are in school to become nurses; it’s like a family gig,” Dittemore said.

Dittemore is grateful for the well-known nursing program at Western and all the experience she has gained from it.

“We have a wonderful nursing program,” Dittemore said. “I feel like I’m very prepared for my future career, and I’m going to have my dream job.”

Dittemore is the definition of an outgoing and involved student. Not only is she a nursing major, she is also co-captain of the cheer team and a member of the sorority Tri Sigma.

She describes her cheer experience as unforgettable, incredible, and life-changing. She has made many memories due to dedicating all of her college career to cheering. Friendships, new opportunities and life skills are a few things that Dittemore feels have changed her life over the past four years.

Dittemore has had many memorable experiences whether it was at games where her team would rush to the court after a win, getting the chance to ring the bell or finishing her career with the first bowl game since 2012.

Through all of her involvement and experiences, she said Western has truly been like a home for her.