March 19, 2025

For sophomore undergraduate nursing major Treyonni Brown ‘28, diversifying your career is crucial to success.

"A lot of people may not know, nursing was actually my plan B," Brown recounted. Her sights were initially set on attending college as a basketball recruit, where she dreamt of playing professionally.

"I played basketball growing up; however, I didn’t feel like basketball was my calling. In a way, I fell out of love with the sport [regarding playing professionally], but I did enjoy playing for fun,” Brown said.

Brown found her passion for nursing after completing a senior project based on disparities in health care outcomes within marginalized communities. Upon finishing the project, she completed an internship at Einstein Hospital. It was then she realized that the health care environment was the place for her.

“As I was doing my research, it opened a whole new world for me. When I began applying for college, nursing was constantly on my mind. I couldn’t just walk away from it. I decided to go for it and start my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at Drexel,” Brown explained.

Despite the challenges of being a nursing student, Brown learned to adapt to Drexel's rigorous system.

"It was very humbling," she admitted. "As I progressed [through the required courses], I truly enjoyed learning more about the diverse career paths in nursing and more about how the body operates. I enjoy every bit of it. Every day we learn something new," she said.

Still, Brown emphasized the importance of pivoting and always having a backup plan. The Philly native decided to minor in real estate at the Gerry C. Lebow College of Business at Drexel.

"Real estate just crossed my mind for some reason. I think it's something I want to try out. My mom is really into interior design, so maybe that [the interest] stemmed from her," Brown noted.

Although her educational pursuits seem non-stop, Brown emphasizes the importance of taking mental health breaks, and often encourages others to do the same.

"I had to learn to take [mental health] breaks and ask for help. Using your resources on campus is super important. I always tell incoming students to take advantage of them [the resources]," she said.

Brown also emphasized the importance of having a creative or physical outlet to de-stress.

"I love to roller skate. I go at least three times a week--usually when I have time off during the week, or on weekends. Skating is so therapeutic; it helps me unwind and clear my mind," she shared.

For now, the she has been enjoying her co-op at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) as a level-one nursing intern. Level-one interns at CHOP typically handle the necessary administrative tasks for patient care, such as preparing pre-operative and discharge instructions and providing critical updates for families in surgical wards. Despite the tedious work, Brown takes great pride in the work and care she provides for others.

“Working at CHOP gave me a different understanding of the health care field. Especially working in the waiting area—you get to see all the different emotions that a family experiences while waiting for their loved one in surgery,” she said.

Brown also reflected on many of the major differences in the public perception of nursing and emphasized the differences between learned theory and clinical practice.

“I used to watch a lot of Grey’s Anatomy, and I always thought the hospital environment would be similar, but it’s a totally different world,” she said. “When you walk into the hospital, it may be nothing like what you learned in nursing school or what you saw on TV. It’s a different ball game. Stepping into the hospital as a new nurse can definitely be an adjustment."

Brown hopes to secure her second co-op experience in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) to gain more experience in a fast-paced environment. This will, she said, contribute to her larger goal of becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) in the ICU.

By Myleah Herbert; Marketing '25