A Good Foundation

September 2026

Tanner Wright, a recent BYU graduate, loved his time in the College of Nursing. Wright explains, “BYU provides you such a good foundation for nursing as well as life. Not only does it give you a foundation in the gospel, but you also receive a quality education and are surrounded by great people who are trying to live their lives right.”

As part of the nursing program, every student is required to take the Global and Population Health Nursing Clinical Practicum, in which they have the chance to study abroad. These off-campus courses allow students to learn how other countries practice nursing and to gain hands-on experience serving patients from different backgrounds. Even though this is a rare opportunity, students can have difficulty financing it. 

For his Global and Population Health Nursing Clinical Practicum, Wright went to India. He had received several promptings from the Spirit beforehand that this was where he should go. He was worried about how he would be able to pay for this experience—he was already working three jobs to make ends meet—but he trusted that everything would work out. In the end, Wright received scholarships that helped to offset the travel cost and other expenses. 

“I’m so thankful,” Wright says, “that there are people who are willing to give their hard-earned money so students like me can have such an amazing experience. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and it is life changing. Being able to see the things that I saw and learn the things that I did will help me be a better nurse.” 

During his time in India, Wright worked in government hospitals, gave aid to a leper colony, and visited cultural sites. But what he appreciated most about the opportunity was how it taught him to love all of God’s children. He says, “In India I learned that no matter where someone is from, no matter who they are or what their background is, they are loved by our Heavenly Father and by Jesus Christ. We need to try and show them that love and express that love just the same no matter what situation they’re in.” 

Wright received several additional scholarships during his studies at the College of Nursing. These helped pay tuition costs, which was another great blessing for him and his wife. “I’m very grateful that other people are generous enough to help me have the experiences that I’ve had with nursing,” he says. 

Wright is now working full-time at an ICU in Nebraska. He enjoys using his nursing skills to help others and looks forward to continually strengthening the foundation of service and testimony he developed at BYU.