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Geanette Boggs
10.6.2025

#MeetUsMonday — Meet BSN Student Geanette Boggs

By Christine Kueter
Originally published on the School of Nursing website

Meet Geanette Boggs. Born in India, raised in Pound, VA, and agile with chainsaws, excavators, and tractors. A future psych NP, CRNA, or nurse aesthetician who loves to hunt and fish. Legally emancipated at 16, considers her grandparents her best friends, and engaged to fellow UVA student and Cavaliers football player Cole Surber. A UVA Health Certified Nursing Assistant who loves making her own venison jerky and working with her hands who one day hopes to be a homesteader. Currently working with her grandfather to build a cabin and an alumna of national “Beyond Differences” youth leadership curriculum building group. Member of the BSN class of 2028.

WHERE SHE’S FROM

“I was born in India — my mom’s Indian, and my dad is American — but grew up in Pound, VA. I’m fifth generation on the land. It’s 100-plus acres. My whole life, I saw my grandfather using an excavator, a chainsaw, a tractor, fishing, hunting, whatever. I just took a liking to it; I always wanted to be independent, and thought, ‘Well, this is a way I can be independent.’ It was fun to learn those things with him. It taught me a lot about how to wait for things.”

HER EARLY LIFE AND PATH TO NURSING

“Home was difficult; it wasn’t the best situation. My sister left at 16, I wanted to make it work, but I realized along the way, ‘This isn’t my responsibility.’ On my 16th birthday, I went to court, filed a motion, and had the papers to prove that I could be financially independent. It was COVID, which was terrible for many people, but for me, it was a saving grace, a time of relative peace. After I was emancipated, I worked during the school day, then, because I was taking all college classes, did my schoolwork at night. I slept three or four hours. It was busy but exactly what needed to happen to me then. I graduated high school with an associate’s degree, got accepted into UVA, which had always been my dream, but ultimately decided to apply for a gap year.

“That was an important time. I worked at Pal’s, a fast-food restaurant, got my CNA license, rested. I did some funny content creation on Tiktok. Fall semester of my first year, right before finals, and my older sister was going through a really bad divorce and committed suicide. It was incredibly difficult. I’d talked to my sister every day. But it’s how I got close with TC [Senior Assistant Dean Theresa Carroll].

“My faith tells me that I’ll see her again. I’m going to live with that hope. It wasn’t easy, but it really happened the way it was supposed to. It all worked out. Life isn’t fair but I’m here today; it’s a gift.”

Born in India but raised in Pound, VA, by her grandparents, Boggs learned self-sufficiency from an early age: how to use a chainsaw, to hunt, fish, cook, and drive a tractor.
Born in India but raised in Pound, VA, by her grandparents, Boggs learned self-sufficiency from an early age: how to use a chainsaw, to hunt, fish, cook, and drive a tractor.
Her grandfather taught her to do many things, including to hunt. Here she is during hunting season in winter waiting in the deer blind she helped build.
Her grandfather taught her to do many things, including to hunt. Here she is during hunting season in winter waiting in the deer blind she helped build.
Captain of her high school soccer team and ranked among the top in her class, Boggs graduated from high school, was accepted at UVA, but then chose to take a gap year during which she worked.
Captain of her high school soccer team and ranked among the top in her class, Boggs graduated from high school, was accepted at UVA, but then chose to take a gap year during which she worked.
Boggs has returned to India five times during her life to reconnect with family.
Boggs has returned to India five times during her life to reconnect with family.
She is especially close with her grandfather, with whom she hunts, fishes, cares for the farm, and with whom she is building a family cabin in the woods.
She is especially close with her grandfather, with whom she hunts, fishes, cares for the farm, and with whom she is building a family cabin in the woods.
Since being at UVA, she joined the Puglia Research Lab, and conducted and presented her own study on how parents' speech impacts infants' anxiety levels.
Since being at UVA, she joined the Puglia Research Lab, and conducted and presented her own study on how parents' speech impacts infants' anxiety levels.
Boggs has also traveled to South Africa, and found a warm, accepting community at the School, she said. 'I’m making connections across difference,' she said.
Boggs has also traveled to South Africa, and found a warm, accepting community at the School, she said. 'I’m making connections across difference,' she said.

WHY NURSING

“I was always taught that medical school was what I needed to do ... and medicine’s a great path ... but when I shadowed at my local hospital during high school, saw what the nursing staff, the NPs and CRNAs did, I thought, ‘Wow, there are so many options.’

“I became a CNA during high school through a free class, and I knew it would open up doors. I worked at a nursing home, which taught me a lot, and opened my heart up to a lot of things. I love being able to interact with the patients, getting to hear their stories, and getting to know them.”

HER IMPRESSION OF UVA

“There are more people here than in my town by ten! When I first got here, I got lost going to the dining halls ... It’s been different and a lot but it’s been wonderful. I was going to stay at UVA Wise because it was more comfortable, familiar terrain, but when I got to UVA, my grandmother said, ‘I think it would be dumb if you don’t take this chance.’

“I enjoyed first year, though it was hard. You learn a lot. UVA is different from high school in that it wants excellence. If you couldn’t provide the excellence, you wouldn’t be here. I’ve had to learn how to do that, and find resources, like TC, that are there to help.

“I’ve been able to do a lot. I’m part of the Puglia Research Lab. We look at infant and toddler development and postpartum depression. I even got to present my own research, which was focused on caregiver speech and social anxiety levels, with my hypothesis being that how much you speak to your child impacts their anxiety levels.

“That’s another thing: UVA has so much for students ... I went to Capetown, South Africa, this summer as part of a social justice and global health and public policy class ... Having jumped through a lot of hoops in my own life, I am always happy to send an email or fill out an application. UVA allows for so many wonderful opportunities. I jump at them!”

CLINICAL SHE’S MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO

“I like the idea of becoming a mental health nurse practitioner, but also the idea of maybe being a nurse aesthetician, or a dermatology nurse practitioner ...  Helping people with cleft lips, healthcare that makes people feel comfortable with who they are. I’m interested in anesthesia ... I shadowed CRNAs at the hospitals, and loved what they did. So maybe that! Really, I’d love to just go to places and help.”

THE SCHOOL IN A WORD?

“OPEN-MINDED. In my class, there’s people who are every religion, race, who have a ton of different beliefs. None of us try to dissuade one another; you’re allowed to believe what you want, love who you want to love, be who you want to be.

“At first, I was worried coming to a big school, being proudly Christian, because that sometimes puts a bad taste in people’s mouths. I’m open about my beliefs; I’m not going to shove anything down anyone’s throat. I’ve had a lot of wonderful conversations that are respectful. I’ve learned from other people, and hopefully they’ve learned from me. It’s not close-minded here. I’m making connections across difference.”

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