Sarah Jo Layland was sure of her priorities after graduation — she wanted a stable career that would give her space to build a family. She didn’t expect that career path would lead to preparing the next generation of nurses.
A Judy Genshaft Honors College alumna, Layland earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2013 and her master’s in nursing with a focus on Adult-Gerontology Primary Care in 2021, both from the University of South Florida. From working as an emergency room nurse to conducting virtual telehealth appointments during the pandemic, Layland now draws on her diverse experience to prepare aspiring nurses at Lake-Sumter State College for careers in healthcare.
When you began your undergraduate journey, you knew you wanted to become a nurse. What first inspired you to pursue a career in nursing?
To be perfectly honest, I come from a working-class background, and I knew that I needed to choose a degree program that was career-focused and would allow me to get a good-paying job. In high school, I trained as a Red Cross lifeguard and an EMT, which inspired me to pursue a career in healthcare. I loved learning about the human body and learning how to help people in distress. I also wanted a career that would allow me to be a present mother for my children.
After working in the nursing profession, you made the transition into teaching. What inspired that career shift, and what made educating future nurses a meaningful calling for you?
It's important to understand that teaching is an integral component of the nursing profession. Truly, all nurses are educators at heart. When I was a bedside nurse, educating patients and other nurses was always the highlight of my day. From the beginning of my career, I dreamed of eventually working in nursing education. After I finished my MSN, I had my third child, and I chose to pause my career for a short period to focus on my family. During that time, my husband and I became licensed foster parents, and we were able to help care for seven children over a two-year period. During that time, I wanted to remain active in my field, so I started working as an adjunct instructor at my local state college. I loved it so much that I recently transitioned to being a full-time faculty member in January.
I love teaching my students because I know that everything they are learning will make their lives better and give them the skills they need to have a phenomenal career. Nursing is an incredible field full of opportunities. For many people, becoming a nurse will lift them and their family out of poverty. When someone becomes a nurse, it changes their whole family because that person now becomes a health resource for their entire family.
When someone becomes a nurse, it changes their whole family because that person now becomes a health resource for their entire family. - Sarah Jo Layland
It's truly hard to emphasize just how much good can come to a person, their family, and their community just from completing nursing school.
How did your time at the Judy Genshaft Honors College influence your academic or professional journey?
When I told my pre-nursing academic advisor that I was in the Honors College, she strongly encouraged me to drop out of the Honors College because she was concerned that I wouldn't be able to maintain the required GPA to get into the nursing program. I remember being a little offended that she didn't think I was capable of both. I made up my mind that I would never let someone else tell me what I could or couldn't do. That mindset has stuck with me ever since then because I have never let someone else's idea of what I'm capable of influence me.
The classes I took as an Honors student developed my intellectual curiosity and love of learning. I participated in three Honors trips abroad, and I have continued to make community service an integral part of my life. I also lived in the Honors Living Learning Community for my first two years of college, and I am still friends with many of the people I met living there.
How did your Honors experience influence the way you approach nursing and education? Are there any lessons or experiences from Honors that have stayed with you throughout your career?
As an Honors student, I was deeply influenced by the emphasis placed on service. I graduated with a strong desire to make an impact on my community and to use my education to improve the lives of the people around me. Throughout my career, I have been given so many different opportunities to serve my community, and I am profoundly grateful for each of those opportunities. I now try to pass this love for service on to my students, so they can see how their work as a nurse is so much more than just a way to pay the bills; it’s improving our world, one small act of service at a time.
I now try to pass this love for service on to my students, so they can see how their work as a nurse is so much more than just a way to pay the bills; it’s improving our world, one small act of service at a time. - Sarah Jo Layland
As you look ahead, what are some of the goals you're working toward now?
Professionally, I am currently working toward becoming an assistant professor of nursing at Lake-Sumter State College, and I am in the process of applying to start a PhD program. Personally, I have three children who are nine, seven, and three, so for the next 15 years, my primary focus will be raising them to be productive, kind, and happy people who make the world a better place. They are my whole world and the reason I do what I do. I am also on my local masters rowing and swimming team, and I have several fitness goals I am pursuing.
Finally, do you have any advice for current Honors students or recent graduates that you would like to share?
Remember that graduating college is just the beginning of your adult life. Don't be afraid to prioritize building a family or investing in your community over pursuing the most linear career path. A full life will have many starts and stops — and a lot of side quests. Try every single thing you can and say yes to all the opportunities you can, because you never know where something will lead. You don't have to be good at something to enjoy it. Prioritize your physical health because the work you put into your health in your 20s and 30s will pay dividends as you age. Choose your relationships carefully; you are the average of the people you spend the most time around.