ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Kathleen Theisen and Carly Wenzel

CINCINNATI - To celebrate Nurses Week, GoXavier.com is highlighting a pair of Xavier women's soccer alumni who are now working in the nursing field, Kathleen Theisen ('13) and Carly Wenzel ('11).

Theisen

Kathleen Theisen was a goalkeeper for the Musketeers, graduating from Xavier with a Bachelor's in Psychology in 2013 and a Master's of Science in Nursing in 2015. Theisen now works in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.

Theisen, who is originally from Indianapolis, is the daughter of a Xavier season ticket holder, and would travel back and forth from Cincinnati to Indianapolis for basketball games. After deciding on playing college soccer, Theisen played in a showcase at Xavier, thinking it would be the only time she'd get a chance to play on Xavier's field. But she earned an opportunity to play at Xavier and described it as a dream come true.

"We all live and breathe for the Musketeers. Getting to play for Xavier and being part of that community was definitely inspiration (for getting through the challenging parts of being a student-athlete). The lifelong connections I made, and the community that surrounds you – You'll never find another place like Xavier."

When Theisen entered her professional role with a class of 60 nurses, she used her experiences as Musketeer to help distinguish herself among her peers.

"It's easy to get lost in the day-to-day of your job, but I think being a student-athlete at Xavier taught me to get involved and extend myself beyond just what is just in front of you. The leadership I learned by being involved in athletics is something I've taken into my career. I've put myself out there (by joining committees and seeking leadership roles) because I want to set an example."

Working in the NICU, Theisen deals with the smallest of patients, but draws inspiration from their incredible strength.

"There's so many that you don't think will ever go home (with their families). And after so many of them are there for months and months, it's the best feeling in the world to send them home with their families. They're the strongest, toughest fighters you'll ever meet and it's so incredible to watch."

Carly Wenzel, a forward for the Musketeers from 2007-10, earned her degree in Nursing from Xavier in 2011 and now works in the Emergency Department at IU Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.

Wenzel is the daughter of two UC graduates who grew up in the Indianapolis area. She ended up at Xavier after taking a visit to her parents' alma mater and making a side trip across town. On the suggestion of her father, they visited Xavier's campus and as a potential soccer student-athlete, an encounter with the women's soccer coach and the assurance that she could pursue nursing while playing soccer sealed the deal.

"I knew that day I wanted to go to Xavier," said Wenzel. "Some universities didn't allow student-athletes to be nursing majors because it's so intensive, but Xavier made sure I never had to choose one or the other. They're passionate about you as a person and making sure you don't get lost in the shuffle.

"Being a student at Xavier, what always stood out to me was how passionate my professors were, they made sure to guide me on the right path and were always invested in me as a person."

Xavier's nursing program's holistic approach to teaching, focusing not just on the body, but the mind and the spirit as well, is something that Wenzel has carried into her professional career.

"The most rewarding part of my job is knowing they you are helping patients and can be there for them during a challenging time – That you can be there emotionally supporting them on top of the medical support that you provide."

Working in the emergency department, Wenzel said COVID-19 has made the holistic approach to treating patients all that more important as patients are frequently isolated from their loved ones.

"Working on the front lines, the biggest thing I've noticed is how much we took for granted, like having family around during an emergency. There's been a number of occasions where we've had to call loved ones of patients (who were unable to be there in person). And not just things we took for granted as a health care professional but in everyday life, things like being able to gather with loved ones or getting everyday things like supplies. But seeing the community come together (to support each other) has been fascinating."

Schedule

Upcoming Events