Called to care for others

Rawan Froukh, '26, is a caregiver at home and in the workplace. Her nursing degree from La Salle University helped prepare her for both.

Following graduation, Rawan Froukh, '26, is focused on preparing for her NCLEX exam. After passing that exam, she is set to take on a role at The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in the cardiology department.

Growing up, Rawan Froukh, '26, supported her mom through hospital visits and doctors' appointments.

With every diagnosis and treatment, Froukh, whose family moved to the U.S. from the Middle East when she was just two years old, served as caregiver and translator as her family navigated the American healthcare system. Finding the help and treatment her mom needed for her diabetes was something Froukh quickly became passionate about.

Through her family's experiences, she found her calling-nursing.

"Ever since I started nursing school, I've helped my mom with her health. Her blood pressure became under control. She now takes her meds on time for her diabetes. She gets better. Same thing with my dad's health, and that was just the whole, full circle moment. Yeah, it's just very special to me," she said.

Froukh is the youngest of six siblings. As she grew up, she saw her brothers and sisters graduate from high school and enter the workforce immediately. With the support of her siblings, it was decided her story would be different. She would be the first in her family to earn a college degree.

La Salle quickly came into the picture as the place where that could happen. With its proximity to her home in Northeast Philadelphia and tightknit community, Froukh felt she could be an integral part of student life and not get lost in the crowd.

She's done just that. Not only is Froukh an active participant in the classroom, but she's also the President of the Muslim Student Association (MSA), an e-board member of Tri Alpha Honor Society, a member of the University's Student Nurses Association of PA (SNAP) chapter, and a part of the student-led social club On the Quad.

She said no matter what your interests are, it feels like there's a way to find yourself at La Salle.

"To me, La Salle is about inclusivity," she explained. "You're always connected somehow. You can always connect with each other."

Even as a commuter who now lives a bit further from campus than when she first enrolled, Froukh found it important to build relationships and friendships at 20^th and Olney. She said having ties to her fellow Explorers has made her time here even more memorable.

"I learned, if you don't put yourself out there, take the risk, or just really, try or reach out, you're going to stay in the same places as you started," she said. "I'm going to take that with me and if I have questions, or if I'm curious or just feel out of place, to just, you know, reach out for help, or go and get involved or join a club," she said.

In her studies, Froukh worked hard to become the best nurse she could be. She said La Salle's faculty are always supportive while pushing you to do your best. Through the hands-on learning approach in the simulation labs and clinicals, students are giving real world experiences that equip them with the career readiness they need.

Froukh has been able to apply her education through internship experience, including a particularly memorable pediatric rotation at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. She remembers meeting a parent who did not speak English, but who spoke Arabic. Froukh was able to help translate for the mother, giving her a better understanding of what was going on with her children.

"In the next week, I was just there. I wasn't translating medical terms, of course, but I was there providing comfort for the patient. And I feel like that's a whole other side of nursing," she said.

Following graduation, Froukh is focused on preparing for her NCLEX exam; the test required nationally to become a licensed registered nurse. After passing that exam, she is set to take on a role at The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in the cardiology department.

While she is excited for her next chapter, she'll never forget the kind, welcoming community she's found at La Salle. She remembers being lost on her first day of classes and finding guidance from Gaby St. Léger, Ph.D., vice president of Student Development & Campus Life, who helped her find her classroom (even if, it turned out, the class had transitioned to Zoom for the day). That moment created a strong bond between the two, and Léger comments every once and a while on how Froukh is now an expert on where anything is on campus.

As for guidance Froukh would pass on to the incoming freshmen class?

"I would say, always trust your intuition and to never be afraid to reach out. And believe in yourself. Never doubt yourself. Just keep going. If something was planted into you as a passion, it's there for a reason. Follow through," she added.

- Meg Ryan, M.A. '24