A life devoted to compassion: Nursing graduate Aria Neely is committed to helping others

When Aria Neely moved to North Carolina from Northern California five and a half years ago, she did so with the intention of going to college in the Tar Heel State. Originally, she thought about pursuing medical school, but ultimately chose the Accelerated Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program at Central Piedmont. 

“I heard a lot of really positive things about Central Piedmont in the community,” Aria said of her decision to attend the college. “People kept saying that Central Piedmont graduates always seem so prepared to transition into the workforce.”

Aria was working as a certified nursing assistant at Atrium Health when she applied to Central Piedmont, and before that had been involved with clinical research, medical assisting and phlebotomy.

She began her program in May 2025 and finished the following June. The workload was intense, with exams nearly every week, along with two days of clinicals providing additional real-world experience. However, Aria found that she and other members of her cohort used the program’s pace to stay focused and organized.

“It was definitely nice to feel that kind of fuel to push through,” she said.

Along with her peer group, Aria received steady support from the instructors who taught her each day.

“I felt they were invested in each individual student, supported us academically and helped us make professional connections,” Aria said. “They really went out of their way to make themselves available to us and help us be successful. They wanted to see us succeed.”

Aria, the mother of a young son, was part of the federal Nurse Corps Scholarship Program, administered by the Health Resources & Services Administration. The program paid for Aria's tuition, provided a monthly stipend, and covered additional costs like uniforms and books. While raising a child and completing an accelerated program, Aria couldn't work full-time, so the scholarship helped offset costs. 

As a component of the scholarship, recipients work in a facility where there is a shortage of healthcare professionals. Aria is fulfilling her service commitment with Novant Health at Presbyterian Medical Center, where she is in the neonatal ICU. Someday she’d like to continue her education in healthcare, but in the immediate future, she plans to stay at the bedside in her hospital to gain experience and learn as much as possible. 

Her experience has already earned her impressive accolades. During her program’s pinning ceremony, she was recognized with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students. She received the award for showing outstanding compassion, empathy and excellence while caring for a patient in a challenging setting during her clinical experience at Central Piedmont.

“It was a really cool surprise and just so special and such an honor to find out that I had been nominated, and that nomination had been chosen,” she said. 

Aria encourages students to take advantage of every opportunity and make connections with faculty members and peers, emphasizing that education can come from anywhere.

“When you're in clinical, it's the same thing," she said. "Just always go into it with an open mind and an open heart and say, ’What can I learn today?’”