Student Spotlight: Joseph McDonough
Class of 2025
Mother Butler Award Recipient
Degree:
Where are you from and what brought you to Marymount?
My family moved around a lot for my Dad’s job, so I’ve spent half my life living in Europe in different countries like Germany, England, Poland and Romania. A few years ago, my family settled in the States and I decided to pursue higher education here. I wanted to study nursing and my family wanted me to stay in the Northern Virginia area so I would have a built-in support system. I wanted to attend a Catholic university to study ethics in health care and learn how to treat patients from a holistic perspective. I spent two years taking classes at Northern Virginia Community College and then transferred into Marymount’s Nursing program.
Why did you choose to study nursing?
I was drawn to nursing because I want to help people and relieve suffering in whatever way I can. During the COVID pandemic, there was a huge shortage of nurses and lots of health care workers were getting overwhelmed and burned out because hospitals were overrun. Those doctors and nurses were hurting, and it made me want to do my part in the health care system. In the long term, I’d like to pursue humanitarian work abroad, possibly in Africa or Europe. Therefore, I thought that obtaining a nursing degree and learning about community health care initiatives would help me achieve that goal someday.
How has Marymount’s program helped you grow and develop as a health care professional?
As nursing students, we are required to complete a certain number of clinical hours in local hospitals and health care centers. Through these experiences, I have had the opportunity to enhance my patient care and become a more holistic provider. Often, you work with patients who are not feeling their best, and it can be challenging to communicate with people who are in pain or frustrated. During these rotations, I learned that being a good nurse isn’t just about giving out the right medication or completing a checklist. It’s about taking time to be with the patients and helping them feel heard and seen on a personal level.
The biggest thing was that I discovered my area of interest within nursing. Coming in, I decided to work as a hospice nurse in end-of-life care. But during one of my rotations, I got the chance to work in a community clinic that serves the area’s homeless population. I was exposed to people from diverse backgrounds and countries, and learned how to best provide holistic, long-term care to underprivileged members of the community. I enjoyed the community aspect of the work, and it felt like the sort of humanitarian work I’d like to do in the future. So, that helped me get a better idea of what I would like to focus on within health care.
You recently received the Mother Butler Award, which honors a student who upholds Marymount’s values of service, faith and ethics. What does it mean to you to receive this award?
I was very surprised to hear that I won this award. There are a lot of people who are great candidates for this, so it’s very humbling. This isn’t something that I set out to do or something I was working toward—I just try to help people in whatever way that I can, and I guess my professors noticed that. I’m going to try my best to live out these ideals and bring them into my work as a nurse to be of service to those who are suffering.
What is your favorite thing about Marymount?
I have enjoyed the large international community on campus. As someone who grew up in many different countries, interacting with people from diverse backgrounds feels very familiar to me. I’ve also loved the nursing program—everyone is very supportive and the environment is very encouraging. We celebrate each other’s wins and support each other in whatever way we can. I didn’t have a car on campus, so my peers drove me to my clinicals, which was very kind of them. I have enjoyed being a part of a community where we all work together to help the group succeed.
