Nursing graduate receives Board of Trustees Award for 4.0 GPA

Megan Lebbie, BSN ’23, is a recipient of the Board of Trustees Award, which was bestowed during the fall 2023 graduation ceremony. This award is given to MSU students who maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA through their academic program.

Lebbie never intended to keep a 4.0 through nursing school. She took each class and challenge small pieces at a time. Lebbie pushed herself to do her best in every class, especially later on in her program.

Clinical courses in her junior year almost ruined the streak. Nevertheless, Lebbie continued to perform at her best. Her dedication paid off when she received a 4.0 for her Nursing 5 courses. She knew she could keep her 4.0 through graduation after that semester.

Lebbie found a community with her fall cohort. While her graduating class was smaller than a traditional spring class, the students became close friends as they neared December. Lebbie got to know every person in her cohort before her final semester.

“When we were officially done, we all went to one of our classmate’s houses, and we all spent time together. We celebrated the end of nursing school, and it was really fun,” said Lebbie.

Lebbie secured a residency in women’s health at Novant Health. The North Carolina facility will prepare her for roles in postpartum health, labor and delivery, and high risk pregnancies. Lebbie will select a priority out of these concentrations to guide her graduate school selection. She plans on pursuing a certified nurse midwife degree.

Lebbie recommends creating a balanced schedule to succeed academically. She followed strict boundaries between her free time and studying time to stay mentally well.

“You have to have specific time where you’re not even going to think about school or studying to decompress,” said Lebbie. “That’s important for your mental health and physical health as well.”

Although Lebbie is ready to take on her nursing career, she is grateful for the balance of the College of Nursing.

“Every single professor has been helpful in teaching in a way that makes us understand," she said. "Thank you, MSU.”