Alumni share lessons in resilience

School of Nursing alumni Sheryl Ramstad, DNP ’17, MN ’13, and Veronica Callaghan, DNP ’22, know firsthand the realities of setbacks—and the grit it takes to rise above them.

Introducing this year's All School Reunion speakers

Ramstad’s path led her into law and public service, serving 14 years as a judge and later as commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Corrections. Behind the titles, she faced profound challenges—family illness, devastating losses, and a catastrophic accident that ultimately inspired her to pursue nursing. Her ability to meet hardship with faith and a forward-looking spirit drives her story, which she shares in her memoir, Living Life Full Throttle.

Callaghan launched her career as a licensed practical nurse after high school and steadily advanced—from earning her bachelor’s degree at Purdue University to completing her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in health innovation and leadership at the University of Minnesota. Today, she leads as reusable medical device program manager at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, serves on the School of Nursing Alumni Society Board and Foundation Board, and continues to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Can you describe a particularly stressful work or life situation that made you realize the importance of resilience?
Ramstad: What began as a harrowing survival story unfolded into a tale of resilience, hope and rebirth. At the age of 29, I went from the thrill of my first solo flight to the horrors of the burn unit where I fought for my life. While flying over the Mississippi River, State Capitol, and downtown St. Paul, the plane’s engine suddenly quit. As the plane went down, a power line tore off one wing, causing the gas tank to explode and engulfing the cockpit in flames. I was burned over 37% of my body, had several major surgeries, and was given less than a 1% chance of survival.

Over two years of excruciating rehabilitation tested me mentally, emotionally and physically. From the depths of despair, I discovered strength that I didn’t know I had. Determined to reclaim my life, I embarked on a journey not just to recover but determined to fill each day with a new adventure. By embracing challenges that once seemed impossible, I reinvented myself, pivoting to a new career, starting a family, returning to school, changing professions, running marathons, and climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Callaghan: When my best friend and husband took his life in October 2020, I was only a year into my doctoral nursing program. Quite frankly, I did not think I could make it. The grief was so profound it felt unimaginable. I had lost someone to whom I finally felt connected—someone I depended upon completely—and suddenly he was gone. The trauma that comes with sudden death is awful, but the trauma that comes with suicide is unspeakable.

I knew I had a higher power. He is known by many names. But even He could not heal my brokenness at that time. I was at my pinnacle, working toward achieving a personal and professional goal, and suddenly I fell and did not think I had the strength to get back up.

But I am here to tell you that He—The Creator, God, Jesus, Jehovah, Lord and Savior, whatever name you know Him by—rescued me. Not only did He rescue me spiritually, but He also blessed me with family, friends, and professors at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing Doctor of Nursing Practice program, who not only figuratively but literally held me up during my time of brokenness. I am thankful, grateful, and humbled by such profound empathy. A special acknowledgment to those professors at the University of Minnesota.

The Japanese have a concept for repairing broken pottery called Kintsugi, which involves mending breaks with gold, making the repaired object more beautiful than the original by highlighting rather than hiding the damage. I was the broken pottery. Today, I am highlighting my breaks and breakthroughs through the spirit of resilience.

What’s something fun that you do when you want to focus on your wellbeing?

Ramstad: I focus on my wellbeing by traveling, spending time at the lake, seeing my family and friends, attending concerts and plays, reading, going for walks, and exercising.

Callaghan: Recently, I have taken an interest in fishing. There is something profound about gazing at the clear blue sky and observing the waters, whether they are still or turbulent, reminds me of life’s vastness and beauty. But then I realize that the marine life below—the fish, crabs, shrimp, sea lions and seals—are experiencing their forms of stress too. It makes me wonder: who am I to think my struggles are unique?

What’s the last book/TV show/movie that you enjoyed?

Ramstad: The Penguin Lessons is a movie about an English teacher who rescues a penguin and brings it to his school during the 1976 coup in Argentina. It’s a charming and heart-warming film with humor, emotional depth and excellent acting.

Callaghan: The last two movies I enjoyed watching were Hidden Figures and The Six Triple Eight. These two films highlight resilience in its purest form, depicting the unique challenges faced by women—particularly women of color—with unflinching honesty. What struck me most was not just their ability to overcome barriers, but how they flourished and thrived while maintaining their authentic selves throughout the struggle. That combination of triumph and self-preservation was truly awe-inspiring.

Do you have any tips on fostering relationships, which can help get you through challenging times?

Ramstad: To have a friend, you must be a friend. This means cultivating relationships in the good times so that there are people to turn to when the times get tough.

Callaghan: As part of the nursing community and having grown up as the middle child in a traditional family of seven, I have learned essential skills for fostering relationships through challenging times. I had to navigate finding my place, my space, and my voice within complex family dynamics. I discovered when to speak up for myself and when to stay quiet because speaking up might not have been wise. I learned when to move forward and, equally important, when to stand still. I also learned how to lead and, more importantly, how to follow. The navigation and engagement of these mental, physical, and emotional dimensions require enormous physical and emotional awareness—it is a choreographic challenge.

What advice do you have for people seeking to find balance and improve their overall wellbeing?

Ramstad: Finding balance is a lifelong process. It requires constantly monitoring oneself to ensure that you’re taking care of yourself—spiritually, physically, and emotionally. For me, this includes Bible study, prayer, and fellowship with other believers. It also requires that I eat properly, sleep enough, get daily exercise by walking, weightlifting and stretching. I also make certain that I stay in close contact with other family members and friends. And I enjoy the arts—music, theater and literature.

Callaghan: This is a crucial question, and I will be candid with you—I am still working to find the right balance myself. But I can offer this essential first step: permit yourself to love yourself. In certain circumstances, it is appropriate to prioritize your own needs.

True wellbeing requires what I call “whole health”—caring for every dimension of yourself: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social. You cannot compartmentalize these areas because they are all interconnected. When one suffers, the others feel the impact.

I used to wrestle with the airline industry’s instruction to ‘secure your oxygen mask before helping others.’ My thinking was I might be able to save at least one child or older adult before securing my own. I grew up in nursing when self-care wasn’t a priority. The “best” nurses were those who stayed at work all day, missed breaks and lunches, and took full patient loads, neglecting their physical health, missing doctor’s appointments, eating poorly, and sacrificing family time and emotional wellbeing.

Fortunately, this practice is beginning to change. I’m not saying these were not great nurses who should not have been recognized for giving exceptional care. But we should have changed the messaging to emphasize that taking care of their own health, home, and family responsibilities were equally urgent parts of whole health—not competing priorities, but essential components of being able to serve others sustainably.

What’s your favorite strategy to cope with or relieve stress?

Ramstad: I listen to music, work out, and call a friend or family member.

Callaghan: I find two approaches especially effective: I like to discuss what is stressing me with someone who is both analytical and empathetic, or calling my dad or someone with his gift to make me laugh. The healing power of laughter is transformative for me.

Connect with Ramstad and Callaghan at this year's All School Reunion
Ramstad, Callaghan and more School of Nursing alumni will be gathering on October 9th for the 2025 All School Reunion.