Danielle Ruffin sat in her dorm room at the University of Hartford as she watched the 2008 WNBA draft on her computer. All of a sudden, her heart started to race. She started to panic, and just could not absorb what happened. In the third round of the draft, she heard her name get called out. The Atlanta Dream selected the then-21-year-old as the overall 32nd pick in the 2008 WNBA draft, making her dream of becoming a professional basketball player come true.
Everything started in rural, quiet Westchester, New York, where Danielle grew up with her parents and brother.
“My mom was a flight attendant when I was younger, and my dad worked for the UN. We went everywhere, to the Philippines and Amsterdam, I saw so many places. It was just a really good childhood,” said Danielle.
In addition to her world travels, Danielle spent her childhood playing sports. Sports have always been something Danielle was good at, but her talent for basketball was special. From a very early age, Danielle realized her potential and started spending endless hours playing basketball with her coach and mentor, Jerome Harris.
“We would be outside all the time. If it snowed, I would have to shovel the snow first and then play basketball. It was intense, it was no joke,” said Danielle. “He really played a big role in my going farther than most.”
The hard work paid off. In 2004, Danielle got a call from Jennifer Rizzotti, the University of Hartford’s former women’s basketball head coach, who offered her a spot on the roster and a full ride.
The following four years were like a dream for Danielle. Her team made it to March Madness three out of her four collegiate seasons, while also breaking multiple school records.
In 2008, an even bigger dream came true for Danielle when the Atlanta Dream selected her for their team. A few moments following this, her phone rang. It was former WNBA All-Star player Teresa Weatherspoon, Danielle’s idol.
“Don’t ask me how she got my number. She was like my Kobe Bryant when I was younger. I was through the roof when she called to congratulate me. It was the best feeling ever,” said Danielle.
As quickly as her dream of playing in the WNBA started, it was over again. After two months, Atlanta decided to end their contract, leaving Danielle open to sign with CAB Madeira, a EURO League team in Portugal.
Danielle made lifelong memories in Madeira. Through basketball, she traveled extensively, visiting countries like Greece, Spain and Italy. Unfortunately, injuries stopped Danielle from having a lengthy career.
“I played a season there and that was kind of it for me with basketball. I said to myself, “I’m done, I want to start a family which is hard to do overseas,” she said.
Today, Danielle is 38 years old, married, has two children and is currently enrolled in Drexel’s Accelerated Career Entry BSN program, to follow her new dream of becoming a nurse.
“Seeing my grandparents age, seeing them pass away, going through that process, really helped me to get into health care,” she said.
Once her children were old enough, Danielle realized that it was the perfect moment to go back to school for a second degree in nursing.
Drexel’s ACE program allows students who already have a bachelor’s degree to get another bachelor’s in nursing in only 11 months. For Danielle, who graduated with a communication degree from the University of Hartford, Drexel was the perfect fit for where she was in her life.
“Time was the biggest issue for me,” said Danielle. “Being able to finish your degree in 11 months is just unique, and my experience at Drexel has been great so far.”
Danielle is currently in her third of four quarters at Drexel, and she has felt an immediate change when continuing her education after a 16-year break.
“I think that coming back to school now, it works! I’m focused, I’m paying for this, I’m not on a full ride, but I feel like I’m getting my money’s worth. I do! Drexel was the best decision I could have made,” Danielle volunteered.
While maintaining a full-time class schedule, Danielle is gaining valuable clinical experience, something she was looking for when applying to schools.
“It is great to have so many different types of clinical sites, like cancer centers, or working in pediatrics or with the older populations,” said Danielle, who feels prepared when going on her 12-hour clinical shifts thanks to Drexel’s hands-on classes.
“No matter what the scenario is — working with manikins or patient actors — I think the simulation labs are a very valuable resource for me because I take that feedback, positive or negative, and apply it in the real world,” she shared.
Even though Danielle’s professional basketball career ended 16 years ago, she still applies the mindset Coach Jerome Harris instilled in her long ago. Just like she remembers tirelessly shooting hoops in the Bronx, she is now using that discipline to work on her new dream of becoming a nurse. And for that dream, Danielle is working just as hard. She is attending multiple classes, doing homework, and studying for quizzes and midterms, working 12-hour shifts at clinical sites three times a week, and caring for her family.
“I don’t really know where I want to land in the future, I just know that I’m used to working hard, so I’m looking forward to doing it with this type of purpose, helping people,” Danielle concluded.