March 27, 2026

On any given day, Patrick Kelly walks into a jam-packed arena. He double checks his gear, laces his shoes and prepares to step on the wrestling mat. On others, he packs his scrubs, stethoscope and school supplies to prepare for a full day of classes.

Kelly, a first-year nursing major and member of the wrestling team, is learning how to balance a rigorous academic program with his athletic passions.

And that balancing act hasn’t slowed him down on the mat. In his debut season, Kelly has appeared in 14 matches, garnering four career wins under his belt, leading Drexel to a 13-7 overall record.

Being a successful student athlete is no easy feat. It demands a lot from a student—the constant balance between academic and professional excellence, managing rigorous training schedules, traveling, and intense competition. If successful, Kelly would be the first person from the wrestling team to graduate from the nursing program—marking a pivotal moment for the athletic department.

“As an athlete, it has been a little challenging with nursing classes this year and I'm sure it may get a little more challenging in the coming years, especially since there has not been a member of the wrestling team to graduate from the program before,” he said. “The faculty has been especially helpful with creating plans for clinicals, courses, etc. I helped myself a lot by reaching out to my clinical advisors to try and get a sense of what my schedule would be like in the coming years, and it has been very efficient.”

According to Mary Yost, PhD, chair of BSN Co-op and RN to BSN programs, CNHP currently has 1,220 undergraduate students, of which 57 compete for various Drexel teams.

“While balancing Division 1 athletics with the demands of a nursing program is challenging, our student-athletes consistently rise to the occasion,” said Yost. “They demonstrate resilience, discipline and leadership — and many of them are among our top-performing students. Their success is a point of pride for both the College and the University.”

For athletes at CNHP, pursuing rigorous work is made possible with the help of strong academic and personal support network. Drexel prides itself on providing academic advising, tutoring and learning labs to assist student-athletes with the tools and resources they need to be successful.

CNHP offers student‐centered academic advising services by building relationships, collaborating and providing students with the tools and resources they need to be successful. Drexel Athletics also provides student athletes with a comprehensive support program for all current Division I Varsity Student-Athletes which includes academic development, leadership development, personal development, career development, and civic engagement opportunities through the ACHIEVE Center.

Why nursing?

Kelly’s motivation for pursuing a career in nursing partially stems from a strong familial tie. Kelly’s older sister, Ryan is a labor and delivery nurse at a local Philadelphia-area hospital and serves as a guiding anchor for his interest in nursing. “I’m really inspired by her perseverance and how hard she worked to get where she is today. I have looked up to her my whole life,” he said. Kelly emphasizes that he decided on nursing because of his desire to help others and the endless career possibilities that come with the job.

“I chose nursing because I want to help as many people as possible. I just think it's such a great community to be a part of and there is so much you can do in the nursing world,” Kelly explained.

The Doylestown native plans to continue his journey to becoming a registered nurse working in either pediatrics or emergency medicine.

“As of right now, the specialty I want to pursue is pediatrics or emergency medicine. I think pediatrics would be a special thing to be a part of. But I may want to pursue the emergency room because I like to always be doing something on my feet in a fast-paced environment. I'm interested in seeing which I will choose in the future,” he said.

For now, the freshman looks forward to completing his foundational nursing courses, beginning his clinical rotations, and starting his co-op sequence.

Written by Myleah Herbert '25