All About Ava Stephens 

My name is Ava Stephens, and I am currently a sophomore at the University of South Carolina Lancaster. I have decided to stay at home where I live with my mother and father while attending college. Growing up in a home with both working parents has shown me true dedication and a great work ethic, especially from my mother. Since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to follow in her footsteps by taking care of people. She was a Labor and Delivery Nurse for twelve years and worked as a school nurse for eight years. She has always inspired me to put everyone’s needs above your own.  

 During my first year of college, I was far from an extravert, but now I am the complete opposite. Working on campus and taking advantage of the opportunities that unfolded during my second year has helped me grow tremendously as a person. Saying that, I am pursuing the Graduation with Leadership Distinction in Professional and Civic Engagement. In May of 2025, I will graduate from the University of South Carolina Lancaster (USCL) with my Associate in Science.  I can thank my mother for my dedication to helping others. My mother is a nurse and through that I have learned from a young age to put others before yourself. Saying that, my interest lies in the field of Obstetrics. I want to pursue a career in Women’s Health. Following my mother’s footsteps is very important to me. I have been very fortunate to live and hear her stories for almost nineteen years. I want to do anything I can to give back to my community.  

Since May of 2024, I have worked in the Dean’s Office at USCL. My area is the switchboard where I answer phone calls, run the campus’ mail, and run errands for the Dean and the Administrator Coordinator, Michelle. I am beyond grateful for this opportunity to bring so many new people into my life, especially my supervisor. She has shown me how to lead individuals with a smile and a compliment. Having worked for someone in the past who was constantly negative and had something bad to say about everyone and everything, made me fearful of future supervisors. Michelle is the manager everyone dreams of having. I can come to her about anything, and she will help me in any way she can. I feel very comfortable and confident in my position because of the training I had. Luckily, I knew from the beginning that Michelle was a one-of-a-kind person and an even better supervisor. I am truly grateful to work for and to call my supervisor a friend.  

Being in my second year of college has allowed me to take numerous courses. Two courses that have stuck with me are PSYC 101: Introduction to Psychology and PSYC 420: Survey of Developmental Psych. I took both these courses with Mrs. Domila-Mcavoy. These were both online courses, but I believe I learned more information than I would have in person. While taking in person classes, you have no way of pausing the professor to write down everything she or he says. But with online lectures, I can slow down the video to ensure I write every word down. Two concepts that mean a lot to me are positive thinking and contact comfort. Positive thinking happens when you engage in habits that allow you to become more adaptable, leverage your strengths, face obstacles with optimism, and maintain a strong sense of self. This is much harder said than done. I can say with complete confidence that Michelle has taught me the proper way to have positive thinking in the workplace. Instead of getting stuck on a question and starting to shift your way of thinking, she allows a creative and positive thinking place to solve the problem together. Another concept that I use daily at work is finding contact comfort in routines and stability. This concept is from the psychologist Harry Harlow and refers to the sense of physical and emotional security and well-being that an infant or young animal experiences when it is in close physical contact with a caregiver or attachment figure. Contact comfort is an example of how humans are born into the state of need to be in a reliable relationship throughout their lifetimes. Biologically this is something we need on and off work. Working at the Switchboard, I have a closing and opening routine that includes turning on the computer and phone system, making sure the printers have paper and ink, and making sure the postage machine has sealing liquid. Having a daily routine allows me to feel confident and stable at my job. 

While participating in this course, I have learned a deeper side of myself. For example, my first insight is finding a connection between positivity and productivity. A positive mindset and a supportive environment can make a world of difference. When the environment is uplifting, productivity naturally follows. Secondly, I believe you build emotional and physical stability through routines. Having a sense of confidence in your work environment allows for an improved performance. Having a routine creates this sense of stability and confidence everyone stives to have in their everyday lives. Using these two insights has allowed me to think beyond the classroom to create a nursing student mental health organization. The nursing students will all be close during their time in college, so this organization gives them a chance to really be open and honest about their struggles on or off campus.   

Overall, my theme for my portfolio is acting passionately while valuing both mental health and productivity. Being someone, whose life goal is to take care of people, these topics came easily to me. I am strong in my faith and am someone who believes making a positive impact is a lifelong journey.