Meet Nicole Reading, RN, MSN
South University has played a big part in Nicole Reading’s life. In 2023, Nicole earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at South University, West Palm Beach, equipping her with the skills and knowledge to start her nursing career. Then in 2025, she finished her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a Nurse Administrator specialization through South University’s online programs, helping her take the next step in the field. Now, she’s come full circle as a faculty member at South University, teaching the nursing students who follow in her footsteps.A South University Nursing Student
Like many others in the field, Nicole chose her profession after being inspired by a nurse in her life. Nicole saw her best friend’s mother care for others with compassion, confidence, and professionalism, and she decided she wanted to do the same. For her bachelor’s degree, Nicole found South University through friends who had attended.
“Seeing them succeed gave me confidence that South would provide the education and support I was looking for as I began my nursing journey,” she says. “What started as a recommendation from friends quickly became one of the best decisions of my career.”
As a student, Nicole was involved in the National Student Nurses' Association and inducted into Sigma Nursing Honor Society. Across her BSN and MSN programs, Nicole built strong relationships with members of the South University community.
“The faculty and staff at South University genuinely invested in my success,” she says. “Many of the professors from my BSN program continued to follow my journey as I pursued my MSN, checking in on my progress and celebrating my accomplishments along the way.”
A Women's Health Care Provider
After graduating with her BSN, Nicole started working as a bedside RN caring for mothers and newborns in labor and delivery, antepartum, and postpartum settings. “Those experiences strengthened my clinical skills while reinforcing the importance of compassionate, evidence-based care during some of life's most meaningful moments,” she says.The work also inspired Nicole to grow her impact and education, leading her to the MSN Nurse Administrator online program at South University. Her MSN studies helped Nicole to grow in her clinical leadership, critical thinking, and healthcare management skills, including roles such as Co-Chair of Women's Services Shared Governance at her hospital. Nicole is also active in the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), helping her stay current with advancements in maternal-newborn care.
A Community Volunteer
To further help her community, Nicole volunteers with QHSC (Quality Healthcare Solutions & Consulting), a nonprofit founded by former South University professor Dr. Harrieth Gabone. QHSC is dedicated to improving health through education, community outreach, and global service. The organization brings together healthcare professionals passionate about making a difference locally and globally. Nicole regularly joins QHSC and CROS Ministries in Palm Beach County to pack and distribute food to people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity.“These outreach events remind me that caring for others extends far beyond the clinical setting and that even small acts of service can have a lasting impact on our community,” she says. “The organization's work to improve access to healthcare, strengthen clinical knowledge, and serve vulnerable populations reflects the values that inspired me to become a nurse and educator.”
A Professor at South University
Today, Nicole is a professor at South University, West Palm Beach. She models the professors she had here as she passes on the lessons and knowledge she gained as a student – along with what she's learned in the field.
“Returning to the university where I earned both my BSN and MSN truly feels like coming home,” she says. “It is incredibly rewarding to mentor students who are beginning the same journey that shaped my own career. Having once sat where my students now sit gives me a unique perspective and a deep appreciation for the lasting impact educators can have on the lives of future nurses.”
For students in her classes and around the university, she advises them to embrace every opportunity to learn and never be afraid to ask for help. “Build relationships with your classmates and faculty; they truly want to see you succeed and can become lifelong mentors,” she says. “Stay curious, be resilient, and remember that every challenge is preparing you for the nurse and professional you are becoming. Most importantly, believe in yourself.”
As for her own future, Nicole isn’t sure whether she’ll pursue a nursing doctoral degree one day, but if she does, it will be at South University. “Being part of the South University community as both an alumna and a faculty member has been an incredible privilege, and I look forward to growing alongside the institution that has helped me become the nurse, educator, and leader I am today.”
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Graduates are required to pass the national certification exam and obtain a state license in order to work in the field. (Exam names vary by program.) Please refer to the State Professional Licensure Determination and National Certification/Licensure section of the University catalog for additional information. South University cannot guarantee each graduate will pass the required licensure examinations. South University does not promise or guarantee licensure, employment, or salary amounts.
Programs, including all Clinical/Medical programs, have a required in-person, practicum, or externship. We cannot guarantee flexibility in these components of the program.
Testimonials have been provided by students/alumni in their own words and without coercion. This spotlight is based on information shared in 2026.
