ETSU graduate Ramsey Sentell: 'Every day is purposeful'

Ramsey Sentell’s journey to graduation on May 4, 2024, was not the straight line from start to finish that she thought it would be when she began her studies at East Tennessee State University.

The Johnson City native graduated from Science Hill High School in 2018 and found her place at ETSU. She chose a major, joined a sorority, and settled into a routine.

However, her life changed quickly and drastically her first year of college when after class one day, she was unable to move her right side.

Sentell was diagnosed with a brain tumor. From there, her priorities shifted from study sessions and exams to brain surgery and learning how to walk again. 

After taking a semester off, she returned from surgery and was able to resume her studies. However, the pandemic provided yet another unexpected twist in her path. 

“You really never know what tomorrow is going to look like,” Sentell said. “One thing that I really struggled with my first couple of years of college was not knowing what I wanted to do and feeling like my purpose was an occupation or a destination. And then I realized that every day is purposeful, and I live out my purpose every single day.”

During the pandemic, she began working in an optometrist’s office. That experience, coupled with the many health care professionals who had guided her treatment, helped her decide that she wanted to pursue a career in health care. 

After changing her major multiple times, she landed on health sciences in the College of Public Health, hoping to prepare for professional school to become a physician’s assistant or optometrist. 

However, more challenges awaited Sentell. In 2021, she was diagnosed with two new brain tumors, and in 2022, her best friend passed away.

But these things have not derailed her from her purpose: to make every day meaningful.

“The thing I would say to someone looking for colleges or going through something in college is purpose over comfort,” Sentell said. “That’s been something that has stuck with me the past couple of years. It is so easy to be comfortable, but being purposeful and living out your purpose is definitely so fulfilling.”

On January 17, 2024, Sentell finished six weeks of radiation treatment at Duke and got to ring the bell, a celebratory tradition for radiation oncology patients.

She said her family, professors, and friends went “above and beyond” to help her return to her normal routine and help her prepare to graduate this spring. Now she is looking forward to celebrating with them at Commencement on May 4, when she will be among the 2,028 members of the Class of 2024.

“Being able to graduate with my classmates who have been there for me through all of my trials and tribulations means more than anyone could ever know,” Sentell said.

Video Transcript

Ramsey Sentell:

I'm so excited to graduate. Words cannot really describe how excited I am. I know that I've worked really hard to get where I am today, and being able to just have that piece of paper that says that I did it is amazing. 

Being able to graduate with my classmates who have been there for me through all of my trials and tribulations means more than anyone could ever know. 

Freshman year, I was coming home from class one day and sat down on the couch and was all of a sudden paralyzed completely on my right side. I went to the doctor and I was diagnosed with a brain tumor.  I was transferred to Duke and underwent brain surgery and went through that whole process of kind of learning how to walk again. 

I am so thankful to have the best support system in the whole entire world. My family and my best friends, my sorority sisters, my professors here have been absolutely amazing. 

When I came back from surgery and then in 2020, coronavirus happened and I started working at an eye doctor's office and I really fell in love with patient care. 

In 2021, I was diagnosed with two new little brain tumors and the following year, my best friend passed away. The thing that I would say to someone looking for colleges or going through something in college is purpose over comfort.  That's been something that stuck with me the past couple of years. 

It is so easy to be comfortable, but being purposeful and living out your purpose is definitely so fulfilling.  I just finished six weeks of radiation treatment at Duke this winter and got to ring the bell.  So that was awesome. 

And now I'm able to be back in my normal routine with my professors like Dr. Fox and Dr. Dalal who I'm so thankful for. They not only taught me so much amazing content, but really went above and beyond. 

You really never know, ya know, what tomorrow is gonna look like.  One thing that I really struggled with my first couple years of college was not knowing what I wanted to do and feeling like my purpose was an occupation or a destination. And then I really realized that every day is purposeful and I live out my purpose every single day. After graduation, I'm planning on taking a gap year, which I'm really excited about. My time at the eye doctor's office has really inspired me to know that I want to do healthcare and want to help others. I'm looking into different avenues like PA school and optometry school. And with my degree in public health, it really opens up those different avenues to let me do whatever I feel like is right for me.

Godspeed and Go Bucs!

(soft music)

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East Tennessee State University was founded in 1911 with a singular mission: to improve the quality of life for people in the region and beyond. Through its world-class health sciences programs and interprofessional approach to health care education, ETSU is a highly respected leader in rural health research and practices. The university also boasts nationally ranked programs in the arts, technology, computing, and media studies. ETSU serves approximately 14,000 students each year and is ranked among the top 10 percent of colleges in the nation for students graduating with the least amount of debt.