Class Year: 2025
Program: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Focused on fast footwork, Madison Blanchard has found a unique rhythm and purpose as both a nurse and Latin dancer.
By day, the fourth-year undergraduate nursing student navigates the demands of clinical rotations, mastering the art of patient care and her coursework. At night, she dives into the world of salsa, dancing her way into a passion she discovered at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU)—and a form of therapy after long shifts.
Blanchard’s nursing journey started early, inspired by a lineage of healthcare workers and her grandmother, a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.
“Growing up, hearing her stories and seeing all the small ways her work helped others, she encouraged me to follow that passion, too,” she recalled.
A high school shadowing trip to a hospital cardiac intensive care unit sealed the deal.
"I remember thinking, ‘I don’t want to go back to class; I want to come back to the hospital and see more.’”
When she toured CWRU, Blanchard felt an instant connection—which, combined with a scholarship—made it clear that Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing was the perfect place to train for her calling.
“The nursing program is very thorough in preparing students for a variety of clinical experiences. And if you take it seriously it will give back what you put in 10 times over,” she said. “The main thing that attracted me was those diverse clinical experiences offered for first-year students. Now that I’m nearing the end of my degree I can’t emphasize how important these clinicals are to the development of a learning nurse.”
While Blanchard’s dedication to nursing is undeniable, it’s her love for dance that brings balance and a bit of magic into her life. She stumbled upon this passion in her first year at the university, joining the Case Salsa Club on a whim. What began as a casual escape from rigorous coursework quickly became a commitment she pursued with vigor.
“Dance just feels like it was made for me,” she said.
She soon took her skills to the next level by competing with Cleveland’s Viva Dance Studio, earning accolades at competitions in Las Vegas, Toronto and Orlando, Florida.
“The thrill of performing, the community, the music—it’s incomparable,” she said.
Now president of the club, Blanchard is focused on sharing that passion with others, introducing students to the joy she found in dance.
“Teaching others is such a gift,” she said. “And I get to see them experience that same thrill and fulfillment that dancing brings.”
Dance has also been a pillar of support as Blanchard navigates demanding clinical rotations, including her practicum in Cleveland Clinic’s Marymount Hospital emergency department. Some of her biggest supporters have been her dance team at Viva, and her club.
“After night shifts, they’re there with coffee, words of encouragement and a reminder that I’m not alone in this journey,” she said.
Dance isn’t just an extracurricular for Blanchard—it’s an essential part of her identity, something that makes her a stronger, more balanced nurse.
“Dance helps me stay grounded and teaches me the importance of physical health and emotional balance,” she explained.
The discipline and resilience she’s gained from hours in the studio translate into her nursing work, where she uses those same qualities to care for patients during some of their most difficult moments.
Looking to the future, Blanchard hopes to return home to Tampa, Florida, to work in critical care nursing at Tampa General Hospital, with ambitions to keep dancing at Iroko Dance Academy.
“Both nursing and dance fulfill me in such different ways. Nursing is about supporting others when they need it most, and dance is a way of celebrating life’s beauty and movement,” she said. “I can’t imagine my life without both; together, they make me whole.”