URI sophomore Genesis Santos is an orientation leader, a URI 101 mentor, a peer educator at the Women’s Center, and an employee at Roosevelt Hall. But there’s no doubt about her most important role.

She loves being a student.

The nursing major and psychology minor lives and breathes academics and takes learning very seriously. She believes that if you’re not learning, you’re not growing. “College is all about the growing process, and in the end it is so satisfying when you know what you want to do post-graduation,” she said.

Genesis knows she is following the right career when she has those “ah-ha” moments during her nursing classes. Her goal is to become a nurse practitioner, although she’s not yet sure if she wants to pursue family health or psychiatric mental health. What she does know is that she wants to save lives. And with such an impressive resume and list of extracurricular activities already in her pocket, her future is looking bright.

“A good thing to remember is that stress can be a good and a bad thing,” she said. “If you are not afraid of what is ahead, you are not paying attention. If you are not terrified of what’s to come, then you are not passionate about your future. You must takes things one step at a time and do things at your own pace. No matter how long it will take you, you can succeed at everything you do.”