Sreedevi Madappalli had broad career interests before high school. She knew she wanted to take care of people, but she also knew many careers would support that interest. She attended the Academy of Health Care Sciences at Morris County Vocational School District (MCVSD), which fueled her career exploration.
“Every teacher I had at MCVSD helped to bring out the best in me, challenged me to grow as a student and as a leader, and helped me feel confident in my abilities,” Madappalli said. “Being at the academies was a huge reason why I went on to a liberal arts college and wanted to continue to develop as a well-rounded student.”
Madappalli attended Drew University, earning a BA in biology, before choosing to pursue several nursing degrees. She attended County College of Morris, where she earned an ASN, and Aspen University, where she earned her BSN.
She was director of nursing for Sunrise Detox Center (Stirling) for several years before transitioning to Atlantic Health System-Atlantic Medical Group (Morristown).
Madappalli credited MCVSD for teaching her how to first examine herself to overcome her own biases, to identify what it means to be an effective health care professional, and to be curious about people.
“MCVSD taught me the importance of taking a systems approach to everything because everything really is always connected,” she added. “The academies were where I found my passion for the multidisciplinary approach, which is a cornerstone of my values and my nursing practice.”
While at MCVSD, Madappalli was also influenced by like-minded classmates.
“Being surrounded by all my peers who had so many interests and big dreams expanded my world and taught me to be open-minded to different ways of solving puzzles – both academic ones and social ones – and it made me realize how much more important listening is over speaking,” she explained. That lesson also stuck with her to influence her interactions today as a nurse.
