'Through grief, I unexpectedly found purpose'

 

Kate Heneghan, BSN '25, was the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing's student speaker at its May 2025 Commencement ceremony. Below is the text of her speech, in which she recounts how her parents' deaths early in her college career shaped her time in school and her approach to nursing. 

Today, we gather to celebrate not just academic success, but the resilience and determination that brought us here. Each of us has a story. Mine, unfortunately, began with unimaginable loss. 

The day after I moved into college as a freshman, my mother passed away suddenly. Then, nine months later, my dad passed away unexpectedly. In less than a year, I lost my two greatest supporters—my north stars. 

Navigating nursing school without them felt impossible. But through grief, I unexpectedly found purpose. In every patient I care for, I see my parents. In the newborns I’ve helped deliver, I see hope. In the hands I’ve held during difficult moments, I feel their love. Nursing became more than a career— it’s become a way to honor their memory and carry their light forward. 

This lesson is something we can all carry with us: Our patients will teach us as much as we teach them. Every interaction is an opportunity to make a lasting impact. No matter the situation, we have the privilege of stepping into people’s lives during their most vulnerable moments. 

Class of 2025, we’ve faced challenges that tested our resolve—from literally having the ceiling of Mundelein fall on us in Anatomy, to navigating clinicals after a global pandemic, countless hours of simulation, and the stress of Med Surg 2 exams. Yet here we are, ready to enter the world as nurses who lead with compassion, resilience, and a deep commitment to care. 

To my parents, who I wish could be here—and to all those who have supported us—thank you.  

And to my fellow graduates: may we continue to bring light to others, even in their darkest moments.