Representing The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), graduate students Harley Baranowski, Kasie Vinson, Zachary Thornton, and Tanner Rhodes took first place in the College Bowl Showdown at the Texas Association of Nurse Anesthetists annual meeting, held in San Antonio in September.
Competing against six other nurse anesthesia programs, the team took the coveted boot trophy from last year’s winning program, UTHealth Houston.
“Every member of our College Bowl team brought a proven track record of academic excellence and a knack for trivia,” said Baranowski, who served as team captain. “It all started with Dr. Broussard, one of our professors, who used interactive Kahoot! trivia games based on lecture content to keep us engaged. Through those sessions, we quickly realized who among us had a natural talent for trivia.”
The annual academic bowl gives students an opportunity to demonstrate their anesthesia knowledge in front of peers, faculty, and certified registered nurse anesthetists from across the state. This was the first time UTMB had a team in the competition.
“I knew they had it in them all along,” said Amber High, DNP, APRN, CRNA, NC-BC, an assistant professor in the School of Nursing Department of Graduate Studies. “Seeing their hard work, confidence, and teamwork pay off was incredibly rewarding. Students from all three cohorts brought unbelievable energy to the audience and showed up loud and proud for UTMB. It is an experience we will never forget!”
The bowl teams were decked out in themed attire. The UTMB team and its supporters embraced an island theme, and team members wore “The Branch” shirts featuring palm trees.
“The winning moment was joyfully chaotic,” Baranowski said. “We had a massive turnout from our UTMB nurse anesthesia student community, and their energy completely filled the room. There was absolute silence in the ballroom as the final question was read, followed by an eruption of cheers the second we gave our answer. Seeing everyone shouting, applauding, and even rushing the stage to celebrate with us was unforgettable.”
Cora Rabe, DNP, APRN, CRNA, nurse anesthesia program director and an associate professor at the School of Nursing, witnessed the win firsthand.
“This victory was more than a trophy,” Rabe said. “It was about an entire program coming together. Our competitors displayed remarkable knowledge and composure. Students from every cohort filled the room with passion, enthusiasm, and pride. Together, they put UTMB on the map in Texas nurse anesthesia education, proving that excellence is built not only through individual achievement, but through a community that believes in each other.”