Isabella Kessinger has experienced first-hand the healing power of human touch and connection.
Through more than 900 hours of volunteering and working in various health care settings — from holding the hands of someone in hospice care to comforting an orphaned child after surgery — Kessinger spent much of her college years nurturing deep wells of empathy and compassion. Now, she aims to take those attributes and her passion for helping others into a career in medicine.
Kessinger will take one of many steps toward that goal when she graduates Dec. 21 with a Bachelor of Science in nutrition and health sciences from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and begins a transition to medical school.
Her volunteer work, as well as her own experiences within the health care system, informed her intentions as a future practicing physician, she said.
“I have celiac (disease) so going to the doctor from a young age was a regular part of my routine,” Kessinger said. “I’ve seen numerous doctors — both good and not so good — and the good ones really stuck out to me because of their ability to work with patients. They have a high level of education, training and intelligence, but they were also unique in the way they made active changes in patients’ lives.”
Growing up, Kessinger said her mom, who was a nutrition researcher for many years, instilled in her how choices regarding food, rest and exercise all impact overall health. Kessinger hopes to help impart that knowledge to her patients, which is why she suspects she will become a pediatrician or family physician, though neurology is also an interest.
“I would like to have that kind of longitudinal care, getting to know my patients and working with them, and building relationships,” she said. “I think that’s very important and probably not something you’d get in a hospital setting.”
While the many volunteer hours she worked gave her a competitive edge for medical school applications, each experience has fulfilled her personally and offered an opportunity to gain new perspectives.
“I’ve been fortunate to have experiences that I am passionate about,” Kessinger said. “With my hospice patients, we talk about death and how they feel about it, and that has been very eye opening for me because as a 21-year-old college student, that’s not a world I live in. I’ve gained great empathy and compassion from those experiences, and I’ve stepped out of my perspective completely to meet them where they’re at.”
Kessinger has also worked extremely hard in class. The Regents Scholar and Honors student will graduate as a Chancellor’s Scholar with highest distinction, a member of the Black Masque Chapter of Mortar Board, and a member of Gamma Sigma Delta, an agricultural honor society, which recognized her for her work with Nebraska youth through the 4-H program.
Kessinger is graduating a semester early, which is affording her an opportunity to fulfill another long-time goal: living abroad. In January, she will depart for Spain for three months, where she will be an au pair for a family and a volunteer in local schools teaching English. Kessinger had wanted to study abroad for a semester, but was only able to spend a January winter session in Costa Rica.
“I have always wanted to spend some time in Europe,” she said. “I’ve always known that if I had any appreciable amount of time off, I wanted to go there. I definitely would have studied a semester abroad, if my coursework had allowed it, but being pre-med, it didn’t really work.”
Kessinger is actively interviewing with several medical schools and is expecting to hear from more in the coming months. With undergraduate commencement, she closes a chapter, and is looking forward to a short, but needed, break, before embarking on her med school journey in the fall.
“I’m used to doing as much as I can all the time, but I think it’s going to be nice,” Kessinger said. “It’s been a lot the last three years, so I am looking forward to having a break. I’m going to be working, but I’ll prioritize time with family and friends.”
