When the administrative staff of Wilkes University’s The Passan School of Nursing started making the preparations for the convocation of the Class of 2022, they discovered an interesting fact: they had three sets of twins graduating, including Salisbury Township’s own Kiska sisters. The Press recently sat down with Molly and Emily Kiska to talk about their passion for nursing, growing up in Salisbury and that special sister bond they share.

“It’s about giving back” is how Emily Kiska describes the importance of what being a nurse means to her. She also loves the fact there is a certain amount of flexibility in the field in areas one can focus on. She never had a doubt about pursuing this dream.

Her sister Molly wasn’t as convinced at first but has no regrets in pursuing this area of study. She loves the human factor of working directly with people and helping them. Both credit their former Salisbury High School biology teacher, Susan Wilson, for not only opening their eyes to the various opportunities in the medical field, but also teaching them how hard work truly does pay off.

It was after graduating from SHS in 2018, the girls enrolled at The Passan School of Nursing. Although it wasn’t originally planned for them to go to college together, the idea of having each other through this next stage of their lives was a definite plus. Being a twin for them means having someone in your life going through similar experiences, at the same time – the best support system one can have.

Contrary to what one might think, they weren’t roommates for their first two years of college. Having a roommate changed the dynamics only slightly as all four girls, plus the other two sets of twins, gave Molly and Emily a group of friends they could rely on, with whom they could share their ups and downs of their college experience. None of them, however, were prepared for the unprecedented challenges the pandemic would bring, especially in an area of study where human contact is key. The sisters were just about to start their first clinical schedule in March 2020, one in a nursing home, when they were told they could not enter the premises. They soon found themselves back home in Salisbury participating in online learning.

Last summer, Molly and Emily were able to stay home and take advantage of an externship with Lehigh Valley Health Network – Cedar Crest, Salisbury Township. They credit the staff for throwing them in all type of situations, learning firsthand knowledge on how to deal with various medical situations. Emily is heading to the hospital’s pediatric ward and loves the fact that she is able to pursue her dream here at home. Molly won’t be too far, choosing to venture out to the Step-Down Cardiac Unit at Bryn Mawr Hospital, less than an hour away.

It is clear the girls have a clear love and strong attachment for Salisbury, which they describe as a small township whose sense of community is strong. They have fond memories of being able to ride their bicycles with their friends when they were younger, all the neighbors knowing each other and having a general feeling of being safe ... all still true today. The bonus they say is that you are anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour for major attractions, shopping, dining, nature trails and more.

They are still friends with the kids who were on their bus those first days of school back at Western Elementary School to their last days at SHS.

As for the recent interest in being one of three sets of twins of graduating from The Passan School Nursing, that’s nothing new for them as they were one of five sets of twins of SHS’s Class of 2018.