First Impressions and Fresh Starts

If all you do is go to class and study, you’re just “scraping the bottom of the barrel of what you can accomplish at Regis.” Michael Robicheau ’19 practices what he preaches; and he is most certainly not “scraping the bottom of the barrel.” A nursing major, Robicheau is not only building his clinical skills, but developing his bedside manner: Various leadership roles and service trips have helped him become a good communicator, adept at open and honest communication.

“If something needs to be worked out, I’ve become much more willing to share ideas about what needs to be done,” he says of his role as resident assistant in Angela Hall. “As an orientation leader I get the chance to work with diverse groups of new students, getting them motivated and comfortable at Regis. I think of myself as their first impression.”

And first impressions matter, particularly when it comes to nurse-patient relationships. Robicheau says that some of the same skills he is learning—breaking down barriers, answering questions, and being a resource and point person—will serve his future patients. It’s something he knows all too well. In 2012, he was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, a chronic inflammatory disease of the digestive tract.

“I went through series of treatments and procedures, and the care I got at the Boston hospitals was amazing,” Robicheau says. “I want to reciprocate that level of care to other patients.”

Turning a challenging experience into a positive one is something that seems to follow Robicheau. Through Regis service immersion trips he was able to provide help, but more importantly, he learned from the people he served. At the Cheyenne River [Sioux] Reservation in South Dakota, students helped build houses and run youth summer camps. At Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles, he worked with formerly gang-involved and previously incarcerated men and women who are working on rebuilding their lives and developing their careers. “I was helping these people, but I also built relationships and became immersed in their culture.”

It’s no surprise that Robicheau is a natural fit for clinicals, which he started spring semester 2017 at a Boston-area hospital. “It’s awesome to get in to a real-world situation. I look forward to meeting new patients and growing as a nurse.”

Back on campus, Robicheau is all about friends and activities (in addition to academics). “The Regis community always provides opportunities to make a fresh start, living with and meeting new people. I’m surrounded by students who work so hard and are excited to earn a degree. It’s inspiring.”