Where are you from, Mark?
I live in Irvington, New York, but I grew up in Elmsford, New York.

Tell us something about your family?
Well, I’ve been married for nine months and my wife works as an assistant director of recreation therapy at a nursing home in Manhattan.

Before enrolling at CNR where did you study?
Oh, all over. I got my undergraduate degree from Syracuse University and then earned pre-requisites for this nursing program as Westchester Community College and the College of Mt. Saint Vincent.

Why did you decide to return to school?
I’m working now as an Emergency Medical Technician and decided I wanted to become a nurse.

And that’s when you decided to enroll at CNR?
That’s right. I know a few nurses who graduated from CNR and they loved the programs. When I attended the College’s Open House I realized the Accelerated Program here at CNR was the right program from me. All the faculty and staff have been just great from day one.

Tell us about the special nursing program that you are taking.
I am in the Accelerated Second-Degree Program. Because I already have my undergraduate degree in political science, I’m able to enroll in the nursing program and get a second B.A. -- all in 18 months!

If you want to become a nurse in the accelerated program what do you need to have studied before applying?
Students need to have completed all the courses demanded by their undergraduate (or graduate) degree programs, except for nursing courses, which they do here. The courses that needed to be completed prior to admissions to the College are chemistry, general psych, anatomy and physiology 1 & 2, developmental psych, nutrition, microbiology, statistics, intro to sociology, computer applications, business or economics or political science, college math and college writing.

What has surprised you the most about CNR?
Nothing really, it has all been really smooth so far.