A light in their darkness
Megan (Levering) Dahlheimer ’08 has only – ever – wanted to work with children. Even more specifically, she knew she wanted to work at Akron Children’s Hospital before she even attended college.
“It was a goal of mine, and I was dedicated to achieving it,” said Dahlheimer. “Obtaining a position at Children’s is known to be difficult, but I feel that having Malone as my educational background helped to get me in the doors. I have been very happy with my employment. The atmosphere at Children's is very different than most hospitals. You feel like you are part of something bigger. Children's offers their employees many opportunities to advance their career, which is something I took advantage of and am very happy that I have made that decision.”
Since graduating from Malone, Dahlheimer earned an MSN from Kent State University in 2013 and now works as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in the CARE Center, a department dedicated to children who have suffered neglect or abuse, where she is able to offer holistic treatment.
“One of the most meaningful things about my work is talking with adolescents,” she said. “Most of the kids I see are dealing with some sort of stress in their life, so I try to help them deal with their stress and develop healthy coping skills. I try to be a light in their darkness, to make their experience as positive as I can, no matter how hard that may be.”
Dahlheimer met her husband, Joshua ’08, in Malone’s nursing program. He, too, began his career at Akron Children’s Hospital, but is now a certified nurse practitioner with Stark County Emergency Physicians. Joshua also earned his MSN from Malone in 2013. The couple has three children.