Kennedy Englund

Student

For years, Rock native Kennedy Englund has been intrigued by both basketball and nursing. As a Bay College student, she has had a chance to pursue both interests – and is gearing up for a career in the latter field.

In 2020, Kennedy graduated from high school at Mid Peninsula School in her hometown of Rock. Shortly after her high school graduation, she headed to Bay College. There, she spent the next two years playing on the Bay College Norse women’s basketball team and taking prerequisites for the college’s nursing program.

“It was mostly because of the nursing and basketball programs, but it was also close to home and I really enjoyed the campus,” she said of her decision to study at Bay.

According to Kennedy, she has been interested in basketball for most of her life. Her fascination with basketball began when she was just four years old.

“I loved the sport – I loved the competitiveness of it. I grew up watching NBA games, and I knew I wanted to play when I was older,” she said.

With that in mind, joining the Norse women’s basketball team was a dream come true for her.

“I really enjoyed being a part of the team here at Bay. There was a lot of good energy, and I made lifelong friends with my teammates,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy has also thought about working in the nursing field for quite a while.

“I’ve always been a people-pleaser, and I love to help people. I feel like I can make a real difference as a nurse,” she said.

As of the winter 2023 semester, Kennedy has completed her prerequisites and is officially enrolled in the nursing program at Bay. She studied pharmacology during her first semester in the program and is set to learn about the foundations of nursing this semester.

While she is no longer a player on the Norse women’s basketball team, Kennedy is still closely connected to the program. Currently, she works as a student assistant coach for the team. In this role, she participates in drills and assists the team’s coach on the sidelines.

“I really love basketball, so it’s nice to be able to continue my involvement,” she said.

She also noted that this has brought her closer to another basketball-related goal of hers –coaching a team.

Kennedy said she is on track to graduate with her associate degree in nursing in the fall of 2024.

“I hope to work in a hospital or clinic, either in routine labor delivery or a family clinic,” she said of her plans after graduation.

Though she does not have a specific medical facility in mind, she aims to stay in the Upper Peninsula and work somewhere between Escanaba and Marquette. And no matter what happens, Kennedy said Bay has been an excellent place to work on her college education.

“I definitely think it’ll help me prepare for my future career,” she said.