I first met Mrs. Cavallo as a student in the accelerated BSN program in the fall of 2014 in her skills lab. Her skills lab quickly became a favorite of many. She has this unique ability to meet people exactly where they are and see them for who they are. As an adult learner, this was incredibly important. I always felt Mrs. Cavallo remembered what it was like to be a student nurse and how it felt in this stressful environment. She worked to break down barriers to ensure we were learning and retaining information. Sometimes this came in the form of a story of a previous nursing or nursing school experience that was always perfectly relevant and poignant.

Initially, everyone was anxious about the simulations, but quickly that would subside, often because Mrs. Cavallo knew how to diffuse a situation with an appropriately timed cough or comment from the simulation manikin. This icebreaker allowed us to relax and be more in the moment.

Mrs. Cavallo demonstrates a love for the profession of nursing every day. Without a doubt, she loves what she does. I feel comfortable speaking for my cohorts, saying that we knew Mrs. Cavallo genuinely cared for us as students and people. She would invest herself in our success. Even when our technique had to be corrected, it was never punitive; it was about learning and serving our patients. She instilled in us the importance of performing our skills properly. Equally important, she gave us a safe environment to make errors.

There is a moment that sticks out vividly in my mind about Mrs. Cavallo. She was discussing how to care for a deceased patient. I was blindsided by a trauma response from being at my mother’s bedside when she passed two years prior. Mrs. Cavallo recognized the change in me and immediately came over to me and said it was ok if I take a moment and just watch until I was ready. I had not said anything to her or anyone, but she saw and provided me with the reassurance and comfort I needed. Because of that, I was able to move forward with the rest of the class.

Each milestone of my nursing career has been championed and celebrated by Mrs. Cavallo. She has maintained contact with many of her previous students and often inquires about them. During the pandemic, she often used her social media to offer support to all facing hardship. She will often share things that inspire and offer support through prayer, kind antidotes, and funny stories. Since becoming a staff member with the college of nursing, Mrs. Cavallo has implored me to call her Christie since we are colleagues, but it is out of respect and admiration that I still call her Mrs. Cavallo.