Gwen Maggard is a student in UMSL’s BSN program and a midfielder on the women’s soccer team. (Photo courtesy of UMSL Athletics)
Whether on the field or on the hospital floor, Gwen Maggard thrives in a fast-paced environment.
And a fast pace has become the norm for the University of Missouri–St. Louis junior, who is pursuing her BSN and a certificate from the Pierre Laclede Honors College while also playing as a midfielder for the women’s soccer team.
Maggard’s love for nursing grew from a longstanding interest in medicine – both her parents work in the medical field – and a passion for helping others. Soccer, too, has been central to her life. Growing up just outside of Kansas City, she played all four years of high school for the Blue Springs South Jaguars. She was a two-time Class 4 First Team All-State selection and, as a senior, helped lead her team to a fourth-place finish at the 2024 MSHSAA Soccer Championships and was also named Conference Player of the Year.
When it came time to decide where to go to college, Maggard was excited that UMSL encouraged her to pursue both of her passions. And while life as a student-athlete has certainly been busy, it has also been incredibly fulfilling.
“It’s been great,” Maggard said. “It’s definitely crazy busy, but not anything that I wouldn’t have expected. I definitely knew going into it that I was going to be crazy busy. But I like nursing and soccer, and I don’t want to give up either, so for me, the balance isn’t too bad.”
Maggard has enjoyed her coursework in the College of Nursing as well as the discussion-based courses in the Pierre Laclede Honors College. A communication course taught by Assistant Teaching Professor Paula Linden was particularly impactful, as Linden often drew on her own experience working in a hospital, providing real-life examples from which to learn.
“Gwen consistently came to class prepared, eager to participate and willing to engage in the topics we explored,” Linden said. “I especially appreciated her ability to listen thoughtfully to the perspectives of others while also feeling comfortable sharing her own insights and ideas. She consistently demonstrated a positive attitude, maturity and strong interpersonal communication skills. Her classmates appeared to enjoy working with her and she contributed to a welcoming and collaborative learning environment.”
As Maggard has started completing more clinical work in the College of Nursing – including rotations at Mercy Hospital St. Louis and SSM Health DePaul Hospital – conflicts with her demanding soccer schedule have increased, but she said that faculty in the College of Nursing have been incredibly supportive. That support proved critical this spring, when Maggard tore her ACL during a game and had to figure out how to finish her exams and other end-of-semester coursework.
Maggard is currently out due to an ACL injury, but last season, she scored five goals, ranked second on the team in points and received second-team all-conference honors. (Photo courtesy of UMSL Athletics)
While Maggard is out this season due to her ACL, she’s been able to experience some memorable moments with the women’s soccer team, which is currently ranked first in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Last season, she scored five goals, ranked second on the team in points and received second-team all-conference honors. She was also part of the team that won the women’s soccer conference regular-season title and advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals last year.
As she looks to the future, Maggard is keeping her options open, considering further schooling after graduation and debating whether she wants to stay in the St. Louis area or move back home to Kansas City. Wherever she ends up, she knows she wants to work as a nurse in the ICU, as she’s drawn to the fast-paced environment and intensive patient care. As she moves further along in her nursing career, she values both learning challenging material and caring for patients.
“I really love learning these hard things and I love taking care of people – helping people is such a good feeling,” Maggard said. “Being in clinical and seeing why these patients are here and what’s going on in their body and what their treatment is – it’s just so interesting. I do love just helping people.”
As Maggard balances the demands of nursing school and athletics, she has found a broad network of support from coaches, professors, academic advisors and clinical instructors at UMSL. Linden, for her part, looks forward to seeing what Maggard accomplishes in her career.
“I have shared with Gwen that I believe she will be a fantastic nurse upon completing her education at UMSL,” Linden said. “Her thoughtfulness, insight and genuine caring nature are qualities that will serve her well in the nursing profession. I am confident that she will bring compassion, professionalism and a strong commitment to patient-centered care to her future practice.”
