Success Stories
A passion for caring transforms into a nursing career
Story by Kristan Dauble
 |
| Michaelia Carroll is the only one of 10 siblings to go to college. She’s earning an associate’s degree in nursing at Lane Community College. Photo by Dan Welton. |
For Michaelia Carroll, graduating from Lane Community College in June 2008 with an associate's degree in nursing is just the beginning of what she hopes to be a long, fulfilling career. "The dreams I have are endless and I hope to accomplish all of them in my years of dedication."
Carroll says one of her greatest accomplishments in life has been returning to school at Lane. Growing up in Florence, Oregon, in a family with 10 siblings, money was often tight and frustrations high. In 10th grade, Carroll dropped out of high school and ventured out on her own. After moving to Los Angeles and working door-to-door sales, Carroll envisioned another life for herself. She decided to return to Florence and enroll in Lane's GED program.
"I was immediately impacted by how supportive everyone was at the Florence campus." She gives merit to the individual attention from faculty and staff at Florence and to her family for helping her push through her GED and nursing prerequisite courses. "With the help of my family, I managed to start the education to have a great career." Carroll is the only one out of her 10 siblings who has attended college.
As the caregiver for a younger sister with cerebral palsy, Carroll discovered that her passion is to care for others. "I love what I do. I love to put smiles on the faces of patients that don't want to see another day. I love to inspire and create new thoughts of joy for them."
For the next few years, Carroll plans to put her degree to work at a hospital in either the cardiac or prenatal sectors. Then, she hopes to work for the American Red Cross or perform mission work abroad. As she approaches retirement, Carroll hopes to give back as an educator by teaching this profession that she loves.
In 2006, Carroll's father passed away due to cardiac arrest. This has also inspired her to work within the cardiac sector in nursing.
Carroll is the proud single-mother of two young boys, ages three-and-a-half and seven years.
Carroll is also a recipient of the 2007-08 Sacred Heart Medical Staff Nursing Scholarship though the LCC Foundation.
For more information about Family and Health Career programs at Lane, visit:
http://2011sitearchive.lanecc.edu/hp/
For more information about scholarships available through the LCC Foundation, visit http://2011sitearchive.lanecc.edu/foundation
Published by Lane Community College Marketing and Public Relations, April 2008.
