Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University (APSU) student Meagan Larson will bring her passion for mental health advocacy to one of the nation’s leading hospitals this summer after being selected for a highly competitive externship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Larson, a junior nursing major from Dyersburg, Tennessee, will spend eight weeks working on the pediatrics floor at Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital to help children being treated for mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
“Being in a psychiatric hospital, you’re there to help these kids have a better outlook on life,” Larson said. “Our job is to be that family for them, and what I look forward to most is giving children who feel like they have nobody a person they can rely on for support.”
The Vanderbilt Nurse Externship (NEXT) runs from May 19 to mid-July and provides a pathway to full-time employment within three years. For Larson, that represents a childhood dream come true.
“My grandparents and I would take trips to Nashville and drive by the hospital on our way, and I would always mention how I wanted to work there,” she said. “I wanted to be part of something in a big city, and Vanderbilt is the way to do that in Tennessee.”
Larson’s path to nursing is also deeply personal. Her experiences navigating anxiety caused by childhood bullying and the pressure of extremely high self-expectations fueled a desire to support others during their most vulnerable moments.
“Growing up, I refused to see a doctor, and it wasn’t until I came to college and got into nursing that I realized it was OK to ask for help,” she said. “I wasn’t sure where to go or what to do, and I felt ashamed even talking to somebody. I don’t want the patients I’m going to be working with to feel that way.”
Larson’s selection builds on her previous clinical rotation at Vanderbilt’s psychiatric hospital in Fall 2024, where she gained experience taking vital signs and working directly with the children being treated there.
“The diversity of clinical experiences has been most important in getting me this internship,” she said. “Getting experience on different floors – rehabilitation, psychiatric, medical, surgical – that’s been extremely helpful.”
Beyond her nursing studies, Larson has taken on several leadership roles with campus organizations. She works at the Career Success Center (CSC), serves as a tutor with the Center for Academic Support & Enrichment (CASE), and is a member of the President’s Emerging Leaders Program and the Honors Program.
“The biggest benefit I’ve gained from APSU is the people I’ve met,” she said. “Working in career services and as a tutor, I’ve met so many people who have supported me and helped me along in this journey.”
Larson said the CSC’s staff provided crucial guidance for her externship application. Edgar Maldonado, a former career advising specialist for the CSC, worked closely with her throughout the process.
“I am incredibly proud of Meagan,” said Maldonado, who is now the military outreach and communication specialist for APSU’s Military and Veterans Affairs Division. “Working with her on her resume and cover letter was a rewarding experience, and it’s heartening to see her dedication and efforts pay off … watching her grow and excel on her journey highlights the importance of career success at APSU, and I can’t wait to see where this internship takes her.”
“Meagan’s selection for the Vanderbilt summer internship program highlights her exceptional didactic and clinical nursing acumen,” Soares said. “[It also] stands as a testament to her readiness to make meaningful contributions to the field we hold so dear at the APSU School of Nursing.”
Larson attributes much of her preparation to the resources and faculty within the School of Nursing and looks forward to applying her skills at Vanderbilt.
“The professors are wonderful, and they’re always there for you,” she said. “Austin Peay State University gives us the opportunity to do simulations, provides the resources we need, and helps us practice whatever we need to become the best nurses possible.”
