Listening to her heart: Nursing major Aria Kriticos ’27 follows calling to help others
Listening to her heart: Nursing major Aria Kriticos ’27 follows calling to help others
By Sandy Coleman
One of the first pieces of equipment Aria Kriticos ’27 received as a nursing major at Providence College was a stethoscope. She has used it for diagnostic assessments of patients in clinical settings since she received it.
However, her stethoscope is more than a tool. It reminds her to slow down, make connections, and tune in to the holistic nature of health and healing. It also symbolizes her deep commitment to providing the compassionate care Providence College is preparing her for through coursework, labs, and experiential opportunities.
“I want to be the kind of nurse who takes my patients’ thoughts and feelings seriously, advocates for them, and provides them comfort by listening attentively to whatever they choose to share with me,” said Kriticos, who is from Scituate, Rhode Island, and has an intrinsic desire to help people. “Nursing encompasses so many skills, tasks, and characteristics. Each patient interaction is filled with numerous moments: the first hello, taking their vital signs, administering their medications, assisting with hygiene care, asking about their daily life, the list could go on.”
“Sometimes one of the things a patient truly needs in their most vulnerable, challenging moments is someone to talk to,” she added. “During each clinical day, I do my best to be an open ear for all my patients, whether it is for them to rant, share their frustrations, or talk about their loved ones.”
Kriticos has had plenty of days working in hospitals to hone her clinical and communication skills. As a 2024 Papitto Health Equity Summer Fellow, she was a patient advocate at Rhode Island Hospital’s Center for Primary Care, connecting patients with resources such as food, housing, transportation, and insurance.
She also did clinical rotations at Miriam Hospital and Roger Williams Medical Center in Providence during the fall 2025 semester, administering medications and managing IVs under close supervision, assisting patients who were recovering after surgery, and supporting the care of patients with chronic diseases. PC’s coursework prepared her to work and learn in a variety of settings, she said. It was particularly valuable during her fellowship assisting low-income, homeless, or previously incarcerated patients.
“The social determinants of health, especially for the homeless population, directly connected with an entire unit in the Introduction to Professional Nursing class,” Kriticos said. “We discussed at length the unique ways in which homeless individuals need access to healthcare, and the many factors that influence the health outcomes for these patients.
“The preparedness I felt in these moments as I cared for patients all summer made me so thankful that I chose PC — a college and a nursing program that does not ignore these challenging, yet incredibly important, topics but faces them head-on,” said Kriticos.
Kriticos, who is in the Honors Program, said the biggest lesson she has learned so far is the value of connection.
“It sounds cliche, but PC really is a place that prioritizes connection between students, professors, friars, families, faculty members, and alumni. Through countless clubs and organizations, athletics, and campus activities, there is such an emphasis on connecting with others who have similar goals, desires, and interests,” she said.
Kriticos has embraced opportunities to connect through service and leadership roles on campus. She is a new student orientation leader and coordinator, Admission ambassador, member of the Academic Affairs Advisory Council, in the Leadership Fellows Program, and a tutor for medical microbiology and anatomy and physiology courses.
Knowing the importance of self-care, she also squeezes in walking around the track on campus and relaxing to mellow, introspective folk music.
“Aria is a true leader, professional and inclusive, and very kind. Her leadership and her academic excellence shines,” said Amy Delaney, Ph.D., R.N.,an assistant professor of nursing.
Delaney is Kriticos’ advisor and has taught her since she first arrived, starting with Introduction to Professional Nursing and then Fundamentals of Nursing and Health Assessment, and now Pediatric Nursing. It has been a pleasure to watch her growth in the classroom and clinical settings, Delaney said.
“Aria is defined by grace and grit — two qualities essential to the heart of nursing. She carries the weight of a demanding major with steady determination, balancing rigorous coursework, intensive clinicals, and DWC Honors expectations without ever losing her composure or kindness,” said Delaney. “Her grit is evident in the discipline and perseverance she brings to every challenge, while her grace is reflected in the calm, respectful presence she offers to patients and peers alike. The same balance she demonstrates as a student is mirrored in her clinical care — competent, compassionate, and deeply attentive to the human experience of those she serves.”
Kriticos mutually admires Delaney, who has more than 30 years of experience in pediatric clinical practice, education, and research.
“She’s one of the most positive, amazing women I’ve ever met. If she were my nurse, I’d feel lucky. She’s inspiring, especially because of her pediatric focus and her work in Boston,” Kriticos said. “All the professors here make an effort to get to know students individually. We’re not just numbers. She remembers specific things about us and is very intentional in her interactions.”
Kriticos hopes to become a nurse practitioner and is especially interested in women’s health or pediatrics. When she toured Providence while considering colleges, PC’s nursing and health sciences program was in its infancy and located in a temporary space, but she could feel the passion and momentum behind the program.
“Everyone had a strong vision of what the program was to become. That was contagious. All that excitement and passion is even more so today,” she said.
Hear Aria Kriticos ’27 at the Mondor Center dedication
The state-of-the-art 125,00-square-foot Mondor Center for Nursing and Health Sciences opened in January 2025. At the dedication ceremony, Kriticos was an invited speaker — along with U.S. Senator Jack Reed, PC President Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard, O.P. ’78, ’82G, and others. She talked about “taking a leap of faith” as a member of the nursing program’s inaugural class and the significance of the Mondor Center:
“The Ben Mondor Center for Nursing and Health Sciences means more to us than new labs and classrooms. What this building truly represents is a shared investment in our futures. The future of healthcare, the future of education, and the future of every student who walks through these doors. This space gives us a place not just to learn, but to connect with each other, with faculty, and with the broader vision of what it means to be part of a healthcare team,” she said.
“It’s where we will learn what it means to provide holistic patient care that extends beyond one’s physical body. It’s where the foundation for our careers is being built brick by brick, skill by skill.”
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