Stephanie Grant
Stephanie has always had a passion for helping others. She has a goal to help others who can’t help themselves. She aspires to be an advocate for people and has always dreamed of being a nurse since her very first job as a file clerk with a physician’s office at the age of sixteen. Now thanks to the career guidance from the Bond County Employment and Training Center and the financial support from our WIA Grant, she is now one step closer to her goal.
Stephanie’s goals were put on hold in 2008 after having her son. Being a single mother, raising her son and supporting their small family took priority. In 2009, Stephanie continued to work full-time and began to take classes part-time. In 2011, her goal of becoming a nurse seemed unobtainable. She worked full-time as a medical assistant, but still had to hold another job part-time to support her and her son.
After working two jobs for four years just to survive, Stephanie knew she had to make a change. Working in the clinic was very rewarding, but she wanted much more. Despite the hardships that were sure to come, she began her search for a nursing school to attend. She found one that sparked her interest because of the short length of their program. She applied to the Career Center of Southern Illinois (Formerly Beck Vocational Career Center). After a meeting with the Director of the Nursing Division, she was immediately accepted into the program. Stephanie was absolutely ecstatic about being accepted into the program, but then the reality of tuition would soon come to surface. To top it all off, her full-time job was going to part-time with her hours cut in half. She had only a few short months to figure everything out.
A close friend knew what Stephanie was going through and provided her with further information regarding the Bond County Employment & Training’s tuition sponsorship program. After contacting our Greenville Center and gathering all the required documentation, an appointment was made to visit our office. She had no problem going through the eligibility and internal assessment process. Upon completion of our agency’s processes, Stephanie was awarded the WIA grant for her educational expenses. When she learned of the sponsorship approval, a huge load was lifted off of her shoulders.
Throughout this year, with the assistance from our agency and the support of her loved ones, Stephanie has been able to excel in all of her classes. She ranks at the top of her class, holding an “A” average. With only a few more obstacles to overcome, she is set to graduate 12/09/2015 and will be granted permission to sit for the NCLEX-PN.
After she obtains her license through the state of Illinois as a Licensed Practical Nurse, her goal is to keep moving up. She hopes to secure a job close to home and complete her last three prerequisites in 2016 in order to apply for an RN program. She has hopes of being accepted into Southwestern Illinois College’s RN program in 2017. She is certainly determined to reach her goals and knows that patience is a virtue. With the right planning and organizational skills, she will continue on with her educational endeavors, eventually earning her BSN Degree.