The IU Indianapolis Top 100 list celebrates students who are making a lasting impact on campus through leadership, service, and academic excellence. Get to know IU School of Nursing honoree, BSN student Aaron Marco, as he shares his story and what this honor represents in his journey.
What does being named a Top 100 student mean to you?
Marco: Being named a Top 100 student means a lot to me, but it also feels like a reflection of my family as much as my own efforts. My parents worked incredibly hard to give my siblings and me opportunities they didn’t always have growing up, and seeing their dedication has always motivated me to take those opportunities seriously. Because of that, being recognized as a Top 100 student feels like a way to honor everything they’ve done for our family. It’s something I’m grateful for, and it encourages me to keep working toward something meaningful with the opportunities they helped create.
How have your extracurricular activities or leadership roles shaped your experience as a student?
Getting involved outside the classroom has been a big part of my experience at IU Indianapolis. Through organizations like the Student Nurses Association, the Indiana Association of Nursing Students, and Minorities in Nursing, I’ve had the chance to connect with other nursing students and support those who are earlier in their journey toward the program.
Serving as a Resident Assistant has probably shaped me the most. It has taught me how to listen to people, help them navigate challenges, and create a sense of community where students feel supported. I’ve also been involved in the IU Indianapolis Chess Club, which has been a fun way to connect with people outside of healthcare. Those experiences have helped me grow in ways that go beyond clinical skills and have shaped how I approach both leadership and nursing.
Who has had the greatest influence on your nursing journey?
My parents have had the greatest influence on my journey. Growing up, I watched how hard they worked to support our family and create opportunities for my siblings and me. That example shaped the way I think about responsibility and the importance of making the most of the opportunities you’re given.
They never pressured me into a specific path, but they always encouraged me to work hard and pursue something meaningful. That mindset has stayed with me throughout nursing school and continues to motivate me to push myself, especially during the more challenging moments.
What are your goals after graduation and how do hope to make a difference as a nurse?
After graduation, I hope to begin my career in a cardiovascular or cardiac medical critical care unit. The heart has always fascinated me because there is so much to learn about it. One realization that stuck with me while studying physiology is that every heartbeat depends on a sequence of electrical signals that have to occur in just the right order and within fractions of a second of each other. When that coordination works perfectly, the entire circulatory system functions smoothly. When it doesn’t, even briefly, the consequences can be immediate.
Thinking about how much precision is required for something we experience with every heartbeat made me appreciate how delicate and complex the system really is. That realization is part of what draws me to critical care. I’m interested in environments where paying attention to those small changes and understanding what they mean can make a real difference for patients.
Is there anything else about your experience at IU School of Nursing you’d like to add?
One thing that has stood out to me about my experience is how it changed the way I think about responsibility. At some point you realize that the things you learn in class will eventually influence decisions that affect real people. That realization changes how you approach studying, clinical experiences, and even the way you think about the profession.
Over time I started to see nursing less as something you memorize and more as something you grow into. It requires curiosity, humility, and a willingness to keep learning even when you think you understand something. That mindset is probably the most important thing I will take with me from my time at IU as I move forward in my career.
