There are far less difficult and emotionally taxing nursing capstone experience assignments than the pediatric ICU at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. That didn’t deter Viterbo University student Lyza Hoscheit, who was more than up to challenge.

“Lyza has been an exceptional student in all aspects of the profession, and I saw how she was able to take everything she had learned and put it into practice at the bedside of critically ill patients,” said Viterbo nursing faculty member and capstone advisor Jennifer Schmaltz. “I have no doubt she will be remembered by those patients and their families for how much she touched their lives at a most difficult time.”

Hoscheit, a native of Caledonia, Minn., will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at Viterbo’s Winter Commencement ceremony Saturday, Dec. 14. She hopes to return to the field of pediatrics after graduation.

“I’ve always felt drawn to children and how positive and resilient they are, even in the most difficult circumstances,” Hoscheit said. “Those kids taught me more than I could ever give back to them. They are so inspiring. I learned a ton of new things, and the staff was amazing. They are all so selfless and put the needs of the patient first. It was an incredibly rewarding experience.”

Very early in her capstone, a nurse offered Hoscheit an important piece of advice about excelling in the profession—“get a hobby and take care of yourself, because it’s impossible to fill other people’s cups when yours is empty.” That emphasis on mental health and self-care is also prevalent in the Viterbo nursing program. Hoscheit said she and her fellow students are often asked how they’re doing by nursing faculty.

“Professors are always willing to meet with you any time of the day,” she said. “They answer your email on the weekends, and have an open door policy I really appreciate because I know their lives are as busy as mine. That support system has really set me up for success. I’ve learned so much, and I feel beyond prepared to be a nurse.”

Hoscheit has wanted to be a nurse for as long as she can remember. Her father lost both arms to a farming accident at the age of 13, and from a young age Hoscheit went out of her way to help and make things a little easier for him.

“Nursing always seemed like the natural career for me,” she said.

An academically gifted and well-prepared student, Hoscheit was able to complete her education in just three-and-half years thanks to the courses she took for college credit in high school and a good deal of hard work and dedication. She did this while employed as a patient care assistant at Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse.

“Earning a nursing degree is challenging,” said Hoscheit, who chose to attend Viterbo because of the university’s “great reputation in the medical community” and her love of La Crosse. “It takes some long nights and saying no to activities with friends and family occasionally. But it is super rewarding. I have met a lot of great people along the way. I’m ready to take my skills as a Viterbo nurse and make the university proud.”

Viterbo nursing faculty member Mary Burke has no doubt she will. Hoscheit was a member of Burke’s nursing leadership class.

“The role of a registered nurse continues to evolve in our complex health care system, and Lyza is ready to move forward and make a positive impact with her exceptional ability, strong work ethic, and positive relationship skills,” Burke said. “She has a genuine commitment to high standards and leading by example. It was a gift to teach her.”

While looking forward to a career as an RN, eventually becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist or a nursing professor are also possibilities. She is also engaged to be married next year.

“I am very excited for my future,” she said.