By Carlos E. Medina
Raquel Steiert is used to shouldering a heavy load. As a member of the University of Florida Fightin’ Gator Marching Band, she hefts a 30-pound tuba across the field in the blazing Gainesville heat. As a student pursuing a bachelor of science in nursing degree from the College of Nursing, she carries a full load of classes at one of the nation’s most demanding undergraduate programs.
Originally from Palm Beach County, Florida, the 20-year-old Steiert began her musical journey reluctantly at age 11. Her parents signed her up for band in sixth grade, insisting it would help her academically. She remembers resisting at first.
“I really didn’t want to do it,” Steiert said. “But they said it would be good for me.”
It was. The discipline of learning an instrument helped Steiert juggle her demanding college schedule, which is jam-packed with band practices, performances and academics.
Developing discipline
Over the years, Steiert’s tuba, officially known as a sousaphone, has become more than just an instrument. She started on a small beginner tuba, progressed to a larger concert model in middle school and, by high school, she was lugging the large sousaphone around in parades and football games.
“The first few days were scary,” Steiert said. “Reading music was like learning a new language. But once I got the hang of it, it was really fun.”
This tenacity carried over into her coursework. At UF, Steiert now divides her time between rigorous nursing courses and attending marching band rehearsals, which she participates in multiple days a week for several hours each day. She also takes on the stress of performing and sometimes traveling during game weekends.
Practices under the hot sun leave her exhausted, yet Steiert thrives on the camaraderie of her tuba section, which has about 30 members, and the thrill of performing in front of packed stadiums.
“I adore my section mates,” Steiert said. “They really make this experience what it is.”
Learning lessons
Steiert credits band with teaching her lessons she now applies in nursing school: teamwork, time management and perseverance.
“Band taught me responsibility outside of class and how to work in a team,” she said. “Those skills carry over directly to working with my cohort and completing lab assignments.”
Her path to nursing was less direct. In high school, she dreamed of pursuing veterinary medicine and considered becoming a doctor. But it was an oft-told story by her mother and the care, or lack thereof, she received during childbirth, that inspired Steiert to pursue nursing.
“I realized I could be the kind of nurse who makes a difference, especially for mothers like mine,” she said.
While she has fallen during rehearsals, struggled with long exam weeks and endured Florida’s summer heat, Steiert’s commitment has never wavered.
“Balancing nursing school and band can be challenging,” she said. “But it is doable. I wouldn’t change it for anything.”
Looking ahead, Steiert hopes to continue music after graduation through community bands, transitioning from high-intensity, marching-style performances to concert ensembles.
“Marching in the stadium is unlike anything else,” she said. “There’s no other feeling that comes close.”
For Steiert, the lessons of marching band — discipline, resilience and teamwork — resonate far beyond the field, shaping her both as a musician and a future nurse.