As a wife and mother to three young children, Lisa Whitlock has a million things on her to-do list. She had dreamed of becoming a nurse but her responsibilities put her career on hold. Determined to turn her vision into reality, she slowly began taking her prerequisites at Chandler-Gilbert Community College.
“Nursing has always been my career goal; I knew I wanted to do something interesting, challenging, and that makes a difference in people’s lives.”
When it was time to enroll in a Nursing program, Whitlock was eager to join the Concurrent Enrollment Nursing Program at GateWay.
“I chose GateWay for a few reasons, the average NCLEX pass rates, the option of a night and weekend class schedule, and access to resources like the Children’s Learning Center.”
Like many students, Whitlock was faced with the challenge of balancing her personal, work and school life. “I have had to nail down my time management and prioritization skills, which has been a challenge but something I will take into my career in nursing.”
The Concurrent Enrollment Nursing Program is rigorous. When asked what piece of advice she would give her fellow Nursing students, Whitlock shared, “Spend time every single day on school work and/or studying. Find a good support team and share with them your successes and failures. They will cheer you on regardless and some days you may need that outside encouragement to keep you going.”
This spring, Whitlock and her classmates put their skills to the test by distributing COVID-19 vaccines to high-risk community members. She experienced firsthand the impact her work as a Nursing student was doing throughout the Valley. “It was touching to hear people’s stories and their excitement about getting the vaccine in hopes to travel to see their family very soon.”
Upon graduation, Whitlock looks forward to working as a pediatric nurse. Eventually, she would like to participate with service groups to provide healthcare to those in developing countries.
“Nursing can take me so many places, and I’m excited to see where I go.”
To learn more about the Concurrent Enrollment Nursing Program at GateWay visit: https://www.gatewaycc.edu/concurrent-enrollment-nursing-program.