Strength Through Adversity: My Journey to Nursing
Creation Date: 04/23/2026
While enrolled in the LPN program at Illinois Central College, I committed to changing my future and continuing my growth in healthcare. Through the apprenticeship program with Carle Hospital, I have earned the opportunity to work as an LPN apprentice, gain hands-on experience, build my skills in a real clinical setting, and learn what it truly means to care for patients.
During this journey, life tested me in ways I never expected. I faced deeply personal challenges and difficult circumstances that made it hard to stay focused and keep going. Some days, I felt overwhelmed, exhausted, and unsure of how I would make it through. At one point, I questioned whether this path was meant for me and seriously considered walking away.
But I chose to stay. I kept showing up.
I showed up to class. I showed up to clinical. I showed up to my apprenticeship, even when it felt heavy. I made a conscious decision to maintain a positive attitude and not let my circumstances define my outcome.
Through my apprenticeship at Carle, I continued to grow, learn, and push myself in real patient care environments. This experience gives me confidence, strengthens my clinical skills, and reminds me why I started this journey in the first place.
With the support of my apprenticeship coordinator, Amanda, my professors, and my family, I stayed focused and continued moving forward. Their belief in me, combined with my own determination, helped me maintain my grades and keep going during moments that could have easily stopped me.
Through my work in behavioral health, I support patients during moments of emotional distress and crisis. I stay calm, offer reassurance, and provide a steady presence when they need it most. Those experiences, along with my apprenticeship, have strengthened my compassion and confirmed my purpose in nursing.
Today, I am still standing. I am still pushing forward. And I am stronger than I ever thought I could be.
My goal is to continue advancing in healthcare, with plans to become a nurse practitioner or even a physician. I want my journey to mean something, not just for me, but for anyone who feels like giving up.
Because sometimes strength doesn’t look like having it all together. Sometimes it looks like showing up anyway.
And if I can do that, so can you :)