James Nevel

James Nevel

An Interview with James Nevel

James Nevel is a volunteer EMT/firefighter who is a December 2013 graduate of the Surgical Technology program at Herzing University-Toledo. James was hired at the prestigious University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital where he did his externship. He was also asked to join the child trauma team. 

Q: How does it feel to get hired?
A: Amazing. Simply amazing to finally be done and have somebody want to hire me.

Q: Why did you get the job?
A: I did my clinical rotation there, and they were so impressed with what I knew and how I was able to perform. While I was still in my clinical, the hospital made plans to hire me right after I graduated.  But it was still a nerve-wracking process to go through all of those interviews and answer all of the questions they asked. Some very tough questions I had to answer were about diversity, supervisors, co-workers, knowledge-based questions, etc. I had to be thorough and accurate with my answers in order to go on to the next interview.

Q: What was the differentiator in that preparation?
A: Herzing University. The knowledge we were taught, compared with other schools, is head-and-shoulders better.

Q: Did the P.R.I.C.E. of Success play a role in you finding a job?
A: Yes, absolutely. As students, we showed up every day with a high responsibility for learning our materials. We were also regularly showing integrity and care in all our work, and it showed through in my clinicals.

Q: What did Herzing do that you didn't expect in all of this?
A: As untraditional as it sounds, I used Herzing University as a professional reference. My employer actually called the school to talk to my instructors. They asked my professors about my performance, my grades, what kind of attitude I had and what sort of methods I set forward to achieve goals. They all went above and beyond in recommending me for the job.

Q: Do you anticipate being in the operating room?
A: Yes, and I can't wait! If I'm able to prove myself well enough, they want to add me to their pediatric trauma team. If pediatric emergencies happen, I'm the one they call to help with the surgery.

Q: You've been to other schools in the past, so now that you're at the end of your academic journey, what makes you glad and what makes you sad?
A: I'm sad that I didn't come to Herzing to begin with. The small classrooms, the one-on-one with the instructors - it made a huge impact on my education. If you needed extra help, they were always there. You're not just sitting in a classroom with 300 people, a professor with their back to you with a mouse just clicking on a projector screen. If at any time we had problems, we worked together as a group and figured out how to solve that problem.

Q: What do you value the most about going to school here at Herzing University? 
A: The friends I've made along the way. We've spent hours studying. I came in as the last person in the group. They welcomed me with open arms. We talk and hang out outside of school. It feels as if they are all my extended family now.