Alumni Spotlight: Sam Forsberg

Name: Sam Forsberg

Title and company: Crisis relief critical care nurse at UMASS Medical Center in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Years attended Seminole State College: 2013 - 2015

Degrees earned while at Seminole State: 
I received my ASN-RN from Seminole State (spring of 2015) and BSN from UCF.

What position did you play on the Seminole State softball team?
I was a utility player and pinch hitter from the fall of 2013 through spring of 2015.

Any favorite memory of your time, team or Coach Courtney Miller? 
The team I played with was so special. It was such an incredible group of strong, smart, independent and (sometimes) wonderfully stubborn women that I am so thankful I can call family. As a team we broke records, the energy with this group was simply electric. There were some serious injuries during my two years at Seminole State, a few of us lost a couple of rounds to a ball to the face! But a weird silver lining was helping direct our lives towards the medical profession and knowing our teammates always had our backs through thick and thin.

How did your experience as a student-athlete help with your life or current situation?
I learned the value of teamwork as a student-athlete, I learned how to handle stress of different varieties. I learned how to adapt to different situations and how to adapt to different mindsets and people. I learned accountability as well as humility. Most importantly, I learned how to stay on my toes, perform under high stress and remain level-headed (I may not have always done this perfectly as a student-athlete, but I definitely was able to learn from experience!).  This has especially helped me as I left where I typically work in Florida to come up to the Northeast to UMASS Medical Center in Worcester, Massachusetts as a crisis relief critical care nurse in the COVID ICU.

Can you share an uplifting story about your work that you have experienced over the last few weeks?
The teamwork has been nothing short of incredible. I came into a new environment where the policies, charting, etc. is completely different and was welcomed with open arms and friendly faces. In a global pandemic everyone is out of their comfort zone and everyone is learning together as a whole. No one entered into the medical field thinking they would one day dive head on into a historical pandemic, but it has been so inspiring looking at everyone around me buckling up and doing what needs to be done not only for the patients and community, but for each other as well.

Anything else you want to add? 
I want to thank the Seminole State athletic department and specifically my coaches Courtney Miller, Bill Fields and Jack Bitzer for providing me with the tools to be where I am today. Through softball I was gifted great opportunities for growth and learning. My teammates and I were developed into well rounded successful people. I owe a lot of my growth to them as well. This virus is serious and though it's really scary, we will get through this. It's just a matter of how and when. I try to live everyday with intention and one quote I strive to live by from Mahatma Ghandi is "Be the change you wish to see in the world." It may appear to be a small act such as staying at home, but to some that's their entire world.

Learn more about Seminole State's softball program at seminolestateraiders.com/sports/softball!