Published on Oct. 1, 2025

Updated on Sep. 29, 2025

By Kampbell Hemeyer

Abigail Schaben, a nursing student from Columbia, Mo., never thought staying close to home would open so many doors. What started out as a financial decision has evolved into a journey exceeding her expectations.  
 
Schaben viewed the university’s proximity to home as a selling point. Her family would only be a short drive away, making their support easily accessible, and she admired the sense of community and culture Columbia holds.  
 
“Most of my family lives in Columbia,” Schaben said. “I’m really close to my mom. We’re best friends and don’t go very long without seeing each other.” 
 
Staying close to home, getting an exceptional education at an excellent value and having countless opportunities for campus involvement made Mizzou the ideal choice. Ultimately, Schaben chose Mizzou and its acclaimed Sinclair School of Nursing.  
 
Schaben’s Mizzou experience has been largely defined by her involvement in the pre-nursing program. She has served as a teaching assistant, spent time in hands-on clinicals and worked as a nursing assistant at the Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital. She attributes part of her academic success to the use of campus resources such as the Honors College, Disability Center, Learning Center, Tiger Tutors and Writing Center, which were instrumental when applying to nursing school. 
 
Today, Schaben is preparing to travel to South Korea where she will analyze the differences in healthcare across cultures. She plans to graduate from Mizzou with RN licensure and a Bachelor of Science in nursing, with the goal of pursuing her dream career as a nurse in the Community Living Center unit at Truman VA.  
 
“Being here, it’s honestly kind of magical,” Schaben said, adding “You can have a full-fledged college experience, even if you decide to stay close to home.”