When Patryk Wlodarczyk's grandfather was dying of COVID-19 in Poland, he was thousands of miles away in the United States, helpless to comfort his family or say goodbye. The nurses caring for his grandfather became his lifeline.
“The nurses were the ones in touch with my family and me, letting us know what was going on, especially because I was here in the US and my family and grandfather were in Poland,” he says. “Seeing the care they gave my grandfather was the final push for me to apply to nursing school because I wanted to be like those nurses, and that’s something that drives me every day.”
That drive has defined Wlodarczyk's journey through the University of Colorado Anschutz College of Nursing's Traditional BS in Nursing pathway. It's visible in the way he shows up for patients at clinical rotations, taking time to learn not just their medical histories but their stories. It's there when he stays late to help struggling classmates understand difficult concepts. And it echoes through the 13 peer nominations that earned him the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students from the CU Nursing Alumni Association—a record number for the program.
“I wanted my voice heard,” he says. “I wanted to represent my community and classmates to the best I could. I’m an outspoken and vocal person, so I told my classmates that they can count on me for anything. I do things for my classmates, not for an award, but I do it because I want to help out. Nursing school is hard—and without some help and a tight community, you can't succeed."
A Committed Future Nurse
His classmates see that commitment every day. As a member of the CU Anschutz Nursing Student Council, a peer tutor, and a volunteer at the DAWN Clinic in Aurora, Wlodarczyk has become the person others turn to first when they need guidance.
"Nursing school can feel overwhelming at times, and I’ve learned that the moments of greatest growth often happen when we’re willing to ask questions, seek help, and show up for one another,” he says.
His leadership skills, combined with his passion for nursing, earned him a DAISY Award from the CU Nursing Alumni Association. The award is presented annually to a student and a faculty member who are committed to nursing excellence and set a positive example in their cohort.
“It’s amazing because it’s a culmination of everything I’ve been doing in this program,” he says. “It’s the biggest accomplishment a student can receive in nursing school.”
“He doesn't just represent his peers; he actively listens, advocates, and brings people together to make meaningful change within the program,” wrote classmate Delaney Rubenstein in her nomination.
A former co-worker, Kyle Holcomb, nominated Wlodarczyk after watching him provide patient care: “He truly cares about each and every one of his patients as well as his coworkers and fellow students,” Holcomb wrote in his nomination. “There is no doubt in my mind that he will make an incredible nurse one day. He takes the time to get to know his patients as well as their families and assures them that they are in the best possible care.”
