Bridget Clawson, 2012 SHS Foundation Scholarship Recipient Pursues Her Dreams
Bridget with her friend’s new baby in Nov. “I take care of babies all night at work but still nothing beats this.”
What has Bridget Clawson been up to? Since receiving the Springfield High School (SHS) Casey Feldman Memorial Foundation Scholarship in 2012 to attend Temple University for nursing… the answer is, well, a lot! After graduating from Temple with her B.S. in nursing and passing her NCLEX exams in May, she told us that as “the year 2016 has been my busiest year-to-date for sure!” We all know how much time and energy nurses put into caring for their patients and Bridget is no exception. But she’s been keeping herself busy in a variety of different ways, too, in addition to her day (and sometimes night) job.
Working in the healthcare field has always been a passion of Bridget’s – she’s wanted to be a nurse since she was in 5th grade, specifically in the maternity and pediatric fields. “All of this happening now is just the culmination of a dream I’ve had forever” she said. She officially began working at the Lankenau Medical Center this July after putting in time as an extern for over a year. But it’s not only the babies she’s passionate about – she also said that helping the mothers “during probably the newest, most exciting part of their journeys gives me so much joy.”
As demanding as being a maternity nurse can be, Bridget has far greater ambitions. Her passions for yoga and meditation go back to her time in high school, but have especially helped to center herself during the stressful transition from college to the professional working world. She hopes in the future to continue working with children and parents alike by sharing what she has learned during her yoga training. “I firmly believe that bringing mindfulness to the community is so important. It makes us better people,” she told us. Bridget will finish her 200-hour Svadhyaya Yoga Teacher Training course at Priya Hot Yoga in January 2017 which culminates when she teaches her first community class.
Bridget in a yoga pose. All proceeds from the 1st community yoga class that Bridget will teach in Jan. will benefit New Hope Ministries and the India/Nepal One Red Bead Initiative
In the near future, Bridget has a trip to Iceland planned and hopes to continue traveling abroad at least once a year for as long as she can, whether it be for service or just the thrill of experiencing new cultures. She recently completed a course in photography that will help her document her travels and her yoga practices. She also loves to write and plans on starting up a blog to document her experiences.
As for the not-so-near future? “Going to school for an advanced nursing degree is always in the back of my mind,” she told us, in addition to continuing her yoga training in meditation, reiki, and other holistic health practices. Most importantly, “having Casey in the back of my mind to this day still drives me to make a difference in the world.”
We’re so proud of you Bridget, for your hard-earned successes and your desire to continue striving for the betterment of yourself and your community!
