Jazlynn McFadden is pursuing her BSN as the first recipient of the Ilene and Stephen Novack Scholarship. The scholarship is named for alums and supporters Ilene and Stephen Novack, who both graduated from UMSL in 1968. (Photo courtesy of Jazlynn McFadden)
By Kala Dunn, University Advancement
Jazlynn McFadden’s interest in the nursing profession began at an early age when one unexpected rebound on a trampoline went terribly wrong.
“I was in second grade when I broke both my arms at the same time, and that’s what started it,” McFadden said. “At the time, I liked how the nurses were really friendly and gave me popsicles. When I got older, I knew I liked health care and thought I wanted to be a pediatrician, but I ended up deciding on nursing based on my interactions with those nurses.”
McFadden, who graduated from Bourbon High School in southeastern Missouri, chose the University of Missouri–St. Louis after a tour in the College of Nursing Simulation Lab. While she admits that UMSL wasn’t on her radar before the tour, it certainly was afterward. She recalls being impressed by the training mannequins that allow students to gain hands-on experience before working with human patients.
“During my tour at UMSL, I actually got to touch the mannequins and pick one up to see how heavy it was,” she said. “And I felt welcome here in a way that I didn’t at other schools on my list. It was very inviting.”
Another determining factor for McFadden was a life-changing scholarship. Established in 2025, the Ilene and Stephen Novack Scholarship benefits students in the College of Nursing who demonstrate a strong work ethic and an academic record of success. McFadden, who is also a student in the Pierre Laclede Honors College, expressed gratitude for the award and said she was deeply honored to be the first recipient.
“During my senior year, I was applying for scholarships probably every week if not every day,” she said. “To get a nursing scholarship was really exciting, and then to be told I was the only person ever to get it – that was amazing. My family’s income is lower, so financially, this scholarship means I don’t have to worry about loans. It also plays a major part in my wanting to succeed. I feel like they picked me for a reason, so I want to live up to that expectation and succeed for them, too.”
McFadden has certainly spent her first year at UMSL putting herself on a path for success. Since she entered college with several academic credits already under her belt, she has been taking more advanced classes than her first-year peers and is already preparing to start clinicals next year. McFadden admitted that college has pushed her to work hard, but she noted that choosing a subject for which she had a genuine passion has helped the work seem easier.
“In high school, I didn’t really have to study much to succeed, and here I do have to study,” McFadden said. “My nursing classes are difficult, but it’s intriguing because it’s what I want to do. I’m more interested in those classes than in the basics, so even though it is more work, it has been nice to have them this semester.”
McFadden credited a positive attitude with being crucial to success, and she offered words of encouragement to her fellow students as the semester draws to a close.
“Don’t give up,” she said. “You might fail at one thing, but that doesn’t make you as a person. That isn’t who you are. You will have rough times, but you’ve got this. Not giving up is one of the hardest things, but with a positive mindset, you’ll be fine.”
