![\"Abigail](\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Abby-Griffiths-240x300.jpeg\")
Abigail (Abby) Griffiths<\/strong><\/p>\n From Northeast Ohio, Abigail Griffiths \u201929 (NURS) wants nothing more than to be a pediatric oncology nurse. Her experience with friends and family having cancer is what motivates her to be that helping hand when times get tough.<\/p>\n When Griffiths was younger, her grandmother passed away from cancer, leaving a lasting impact on Griffiths\u2019 life. She also witnessed the effects cancer had on one of her friends from her high school tennis team. Griffiths saw the mental and physical struggles her teammate and grandmother were dealing with and knew how hard that battle had been.<\/p>\n \u201cTo be able to be someone who can help people who are going through similar situations is really important to me,\u201d said Griffiths. \u201cSo being able to hopefully make a difference in someone’s life or even being able to make someone smile when they are sick or having a rough time makes me happy and is something I strive to do.\u201d<\/p>\n The research opportunities that the School of Nursing offers, and UConn\u2019s community and environment is what stood out to Griffiths when choosing where to continue her education.<\/p>\n Griffiths referred to UConn as \u201cone big family,\u201d and while she\u2019s excited to further her education in nursing, she is also ready to discover herself. During her time as a Husky, she plans on continuing her swimming career by joining UConn Club Swimming. She\u2019s also looking forward to UConn basketball games and meeting new people within her School of Nursing class.<\/p>\n As she gets ready to become a Husky this fall semester, she\u2019s taking a special piece of advice from her swimming coach with her: \u201cYou are just as worthy and capable of everything in life just as much as everyone else – I deserve to be here and I am capable of doing very well in nursing school and even through hard times I can still do great things,\u201d Griffiths said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Katherine (Katie) Wojtas<\/strong><\/p>\n Katherine Wojtas \u201929 (NURS), from upstate New York, is no stranger when it comes to traveling. Wojtas has been to the Dominican Republic three times to assist in community development and sustainability projects and doesn\u2019t plan on stopping there.<\/p>\n While in the Dominican Republic she helped communities in the sugar cane fields. With her fellow students, she laid cement floors in houses, built a running water system, and built latrines. Wojtas plans to continue doing community service abroad as a Husky, where she can hopefully travel with the School of Nursing.<\/p>\n \u201cThe opportunities for local and global service were one of the main reasons why I chose UConn,\u201d she said. \u201cI hope to travel to Ireland or Rwanda with the School of Nursing since it is a meaningful way to learn and make an impact at the same time!\u201d<\/p>\n Wojtas is entering her first year with experience in the healthcare field. During her senior year of high school, she participated in a medical career program at her local nursing home. She received hands-on experience in various healthcare roles and got to shadow nurses.<\/p>\n \u201cIt helped me confirm my passion for nursing by allowing me to shadow professionals and learn basic clinical skills. It also opened my eyes to the impact nurses have on patient care,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n She’s excited to start clinicals and learn from the School of Nursing faculty where she hopes to become a nurse practitioner in the future. Apart from her own academics and studying abroad, she wants to join the Women\u2019s Club Flag Football team and healthcare affiliated clubs to connect with others who have similar interests.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope to grow personally and professionally, maintain strong grades, and gain the confidence and skills necessary to become an RN,\u201d said Wojtas.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"Katherine](\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/KatieSeniorSession-LaurenBranaganPhotography-63-200x300.jpeg\")