Triton Central Co-Valedictorian to study Nursing at Purdue with goal of returning to serve her community

triton-central-co-valedictorian-to-study-nursing-at-purdue-with-goal-of-returning-to-serve-her-community

Hallie Schweitzer went back and forth with her college decision.

The Triton Central Class of 2023 Co-Valedictorian could re-create her small school environment and attend Marian University in Indianapolis or she could open herself up to new adventures at Purdue University.

“I went on some visits to Purdue and I decided I wanted to go big,” said Schweitzer late Wednesday afternoon while taking a break from her duties as the Shelby County Fair Queen. “I want to have the full college experience. I felt like if I went to Marian, it would be like going to Triton Central, part II.”

Schweitzer will major in Nursing with the goal of becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner.

“I knew I wanted to go into the medical or science field but I went back and forth a lot during high school trying to decide,” she said. “I had no idea where I was going to go to college. It ended up coming down to Purdue and Marian, which are almost opposites. One is really small and one is really big.”

As a multi-sport athlete that has battled health issues over the years, Schweitzer has spent plenty of time in medical settings. As it turns out, that helped shape her future.

“I feel like I have been in doctors’ offices a lot with sports injuries, allergies and asthma and other illnesses,” she explained. “I know a lot of kids don’t like going to doctors but I always liked going to the doctor. That may be funny, but you go in and something is wrong and it’s a nice, safe place. I know what it is like to go through health struggles a lot so I think that sounds like what I want to do.”

The youngest of Alan and Suzie Schweitzer’s five children, Hallie believes the draw of home and family will lure her back in the future.

“I can’t imagine myself moving away from here or my family,” she said. “I thought about being a travel nurse for a little bit after I graduate but I know I will end up here. It would be nice to give back to the community that has done so much for me.”

Before Schweitzer can do that, she wants to immerse herself in the larger educational setting in West Lafayette.

“I am going to miss the closeness of everybody,” said Schweitzer of her TC experience. “It’s going to be so weird to go to Purdue. There is going to be so many more people. This past spring as a senior was super fun just being with everybody. It is nice getting to know everyone and feel so close and comfortable with all these people. And now I am off to a place where I don’t really know anybody but I am also excited to make new friends.”

An accomplished distance runner, volleyball, basketball and tennis athlete at Triton Central, June is the first month Schweitzer has not had some sort of summer sports workout in years. She has not yet had time to have withdrawal from her competitive athletic nature thanks to the Shelby County Fair monopolizing her time for the last three weeks.

“Somebody asked me the other day how does it feel to not be doing sports?” she said. “My summer has been so busy so far I have hardly noticed. The fair has taken up a lot of it. Next week, I will be sitting on my bed and think this is just weird. I think once I get to college it will hit me harder. I have been making myself busy but once I slow down I will miss it.”

Schweitzer shared the valedictorian honor at Triton Central this year with Hadyn Ball, who is headed to Wabash College.

This is the fifth in a series of feature stories from the Shelby County Post on Shelby County’s Class of 2023 valedictorians and salutatorians.

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