Madison McCredie is a student in Rush University’s Generalist Entry Master’s in Nursing program. She is currently in term three of her program and also serves as the wellness chair on Rush University Student Senate.
Why did you choose Rush for your nursing education?
I chose to come to Rush for a plethora of reasons: 1) I have many family ties to Chicago and have been coming to the city since I was a baby; 2) as an Austin, TX native and graduate of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and have new experiences; and 3) Rush University College of Nursing is one of the best programs – I cannot believe I have been here for almost a year.
What does wellness mean to you?
Growing up, I played soccer, and I had plans to play at the collegiate level. However, I experienced so many injuries and broken bones that I was often sidelined. When I eventually healed physically, I still didn’t feel “okay.” I had become depressed. It wasn’t until high school that I learned more about and better understood my mental health. Since then, my wellness versus just my physical health is important to me.
To me, wellness exceeds your physical health; it doesn’t mean that you are necessarily free of anxiety or depression, but that you have the skills to cope, resources and professionals to help you, people who support you on the hard days and the self-love to persist despite your mental health challenges.
Why is it important to have a wellness chair in Student Senate?
After a pandemic, continued social injustice and many other “unprecedented” events, mental health and wellness has become quite the hot topic. Rush has been striving to support students through it all but recognized a need to better understand and support its students. By having a wellness chair, students now have an advocate who can directly enact change to promote student wellness in partnership with the Center for Clinical Wellness.
What do you hope to accomplish this year in your role?
This year, I hope to develop relationships with students across the colleges so that I can help provide the support and services students need, recognizing that these needs are unique to their experience at Rush. In addition, I hope to improve the relationship between students and professors so that students feel safe reaching out for help.