Actress Jennifer Stone Also Has A Nursing School Degree

Jennifer Stone runs two demanding careers at once. Best known for playing Harper Finkle on Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place, she also works as an emergency room nurse. "I consider myself lucky that I've found two things in my life that I'm really passionate about," she said of the dual path.

From Disney to a diabetes diagnosis

Stone started acting as a child and broke through nationally as Harper Finkle when Wizards of Waverly Place premiered in 2007. The series, which co-starred Selena Gomez, ran through 2012.

At 20, she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes after a stretch of strange symptoms: unexplained weight gain and vision so blurry she couldn't read street signs. She came away frustrated with the care she received, especially from her physicians. In college she first eyed psychology, then chose nursing so she could be the provider she had needed. She still advocates for people with type 1 diabetes, serving on the Global Ambassador Council of Beyond Type 1, the nonprofit co-founded by Nick Jonas.

How acting feeds her nursing

After the show wrapped, Stone earned an associate degree at Glendale Community College and a BSN at Azusa Pacific University. The skills transferred more than she expected. The memorization that helped her learn lines now helps her retain clinical information, and the work of building a character helps her organize what she tells a patient.

"You're there on somebody's worst day," she said. "To have the skills I've acquired from acting, to listen, empathize, and a lot of times say, 'I don't know what you're going through, but I want to,' is really a beautiful blessing."