May 12, 2025

Danielle Ruffin sat in her dorm room at the University of Hartford as she watched the 2008 WNBA draft on her computer. All of a sudden, her heart started to race. She started to panic and just couldn’t absorb what happened. In the third round of the draft, she heard her name get called out. The Atlanta Dream selected the then-21-year-old as the overall 32nd pick in the 2008 WNBA draft, making her dream of becoming a professional basketball player come true.

Everything started in the rural and quiet Westchester, New York, where Ruffin grew up together with her parents and brother.

“My mom was a flight attendant when I was younger, and my dad worked for the UN. We went everywhere, to the Philippines and Amsterdam; I saw so many places. It was just a really good childhood,” said Ruffin.

In addition to her world travels, Ruffin spent her childhood playing sports. Sports have always been something she was good at, but her talent for basketball was special. From a very early age, Ruffin realized her potential and started spending endless hours playing basketball with her coach and mentor, Jerome Harris.

“We would be outside all the time. If it snowed, I would have to shovel the snow first and then play basketball. It was intense, it was no joke,” said Ruffin. “He really played a big role in my going farther than most.”

The hard work paid off. In 2004, Ruffin got a call from Jennifer Rizzotti, the University of Hartford’s former women’s basketball head coach, who offered her a spot on the roster and a full ride.

The following four years were like a dream for her. Her team made it to March Madness three out of her four collegiate seasons while breaking multiple school records.

In 2008, an even bigger dream came true for Ruffin when the Atlanta Dream selected her, and a few moments later, her phone rang. It was former WNBA All-Star player Teresa Weatherspoon, her idol.

“Don’t ask me how she got my number. She was like my Kobe Bryant when I was younger. I was through the roof when she called to congratulate me. It was the best feeling ever,” said Ruffin.

As quickly as her dream of playing in the WNBA started, it was over again. After two months, Atlanta decided to end their contract, leaving Ruffin open to sign with CAB Madeira, a EURO League team in Portugal.

Ruffin made lifelong memories in Madeira. Through basketball, she traveled extensively, visiting countries like Greece, Spain and Italy. Unfortunately, injuries stopped her from a big career.

“I played a season there and that was kind of it for me with basketball. I said to myself, I’m done, I want to start a family, which is hard to do overseas,” she said.

Today, Ruffin is 38 years old, married, has two children and is currently enrolled in Drexel’s Accelerated Career Entry (ACE) BSN program to follow her new dream of becoming a nurse.

“Seeing my grandparents age, seeing them pass away, going through that process, really helped me to get into health care,” she said.

Once her children were old enough, Ruffin realized that it was the perfect moment to go back to school for a second degree in nursing.

Drexel’s ACE program allows students who already have a bachelor’s degree to get another bachelor’s in nursing in 11 months. For Ruffin, who graduated with a communication degree from the University of Hartford, Drexel was the perfect fit for where she was in her life.

“Time was the biggest issue for me,” said Ruffin. “Being able to finish your degree in 11 months is just unique, and my experience at Drexel has been great so far.”

Ruffin is currently in her third of four quarters at Drexel, and she has felt an immediate change when continuing her education after a 16-year break.

“I think that coming back to school now, it works! I’m focused, I’m paying for this, I’m not on a full ride, but I feel like I’m getting my money’s worth. I do! Drexel was the best decision I could have made,” Ruffin volunteered.

While maintaining a full-time class schedule, Ruffin is gaining valuable clinical experience, something she was looking for when applying to schools.

“It is great to have so many different types of clinical sites, like cancer centers, or working in pediatrics, or with the older populations,” said Ruffin, who feels prepared when going on her 12-hour clinical shifts thanks to Drexel’s hands-on classes.

“No matter what the scenario is — working with manikins or patient actors — I think the simulation labs are a very valuable resource for me because I take that feedback, positive or negative, and apply it in the real world,” she shared.

Even though Ruffin’s professional basketball career was 16 years ago, she still applies the mindset Coach Jerome Harris instilled in her long ago. Just like she remembers tirelessly shooting hoops in the Bronx, she is now using that discipline to work on her new dream of becoming a nurse. And for that dream, Ruffin is working just as hard. She is attending multiple classes, doing homework and studying for quizzes and midterms, working 12-hour shifts at clinical sites three times a week and caring for her family. “I don’t really know where I want to land in the future, I just know that I’m used to working hard, so I’m looking forward to doing it with this type of purpose, helping people,” Ruffin concluded.

Written by Raphael Bartell, communications '27