Jessica Yenglakpieong Korbieh

As a student at Albany High School, Jessica Korbieh ’28 participated in a program that included the opportunity to become a certified nursing assistant. 

“I took inspiration from my aunt, who’s a CNA,” she said. “She advised me to at least take the class, to see how I would like it.” The high school program included information about careers in nursing and hands-on experiences at healthcare facilities. Jessica met and learned from Russell Sage College nursing graduates along the way, so when she received the college’s Student Sage award for high school juniors, she was already interested in a nursing degree and familiar with Sage’s leadership in the nursing field. 

“I’ve noticed that when someone says, ‘I went to Russell Sage’, the name carries a strong reputation and high standard,” said Jessica. “As a future nurse, I want to be part of that legacy of compassionate, dedicated nurses. That’s why Sage felt so right to me.” 

Still, like many high school students making college decisions, she had concerns.

“I was nervous about the costs and how that will play out for all my four years,” she said, “and about being able to handle the workload, even though I’d taken some college classes in high school.” 

When Vice President for Enrollment Management Katie Lesko offered to meet privately with Jessica and her family, it helped them better understand the full financial aid picture and ultimately gave her the financial confidence to enroll in Russell Sage.

As for the workload, the class she was most concerned about — Anatomy and Physiology I — wound up being one of her favorites. 

“I was very nervous to go into A&P because it’s a heavy load class with a lot of material to absorb,” Jessica said, adding that Assistant Professor of Biology Kelli Hamm “always had availability for us to come to her to ask questions.” She also appreciated advice from the graduate teaching fellow and peer tutor assigned to her A&P lecture classes and labs, since they had been in her shoes not long before. “That class taught me how to study for all my courses,” Jessica said.  

Outside of class, Jessica joined the tennis team (she played in high school) and the crochet club (to learn something new!) She’s also part of the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program at Russell Sage. CSTEP is a New York State Department of Education initiative that provides mentoring and academic support, paid internship and research experiences, and more to students majoring in mathematics, science, technology, and health-related fields. 

As part of CSTEP, Jessica spent part of the summer between her first and second year conducting research titled  “Unequal Access: Addressing Structural Barriers for Black Women in Healthcare.” Her topic was inspired by women she met as she worked as a CNA, who aspire to better-paying roles in healthcare but don’t know the steps to take to advance their careers. With guidance from Associate Professor of Chemistry Emilly Obuya, she created documents that outline education options, prerequisites, costs, potential salary, and other considerations for health professions, with a focus on opportunities in New York’s Capital District. 

Jessica will continue to work on this project as a sophomore and hopes to eventually create an online resource with her career maps. She’s also excited to be a tutor for A&P, a peer mentor for first-year students, and a resident assistant during the 2025-2026 academic year. 

“I’m not sure what specialty I want to go into,” she said of her nursing career goals. “The nurse anesthetist route sounds interesting, and also oncology. As I get more hands-on in my junior and senior years, I’ll see what best fits me.”