Key takeaways
- She credits WCU-Miami鈥檚 Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) program, close campus community, and academic support with helping her stay on track.
- U.S. Army veteran and single mom Katrell J. completed her BSN at 国产主播-Miami after years of military service and shift work.
- Katrell served 15 months deployed in Iraq and worked nearly seven years in 12-hour shifts at a correctional facility before pursuing nursing school.
Katrell chose WCU-Miami because the campus experience felt welcoming, smooth, and community-oriented from the beginning.
国产主播-Miami helped U.S. Army veteran and single mom Katrell J. complete her BSN through a combination of peer-led academic support, a close-knit campus community, and a program structure that made full-time nursing school possible 鈥 even after years of military service and shift work.
When Pursuing Your Dream Means Making the Hardest Decision of Your Life
For Katrell J., the path to nursing school started with a decision most people would find unthinkable.
A U.S. Army veteran with 15 months deployed in Iraq and nearly seven years working 12-hour shifts at a correctional facility, Katrell knew what sacrifice looked like. But choosing to let her daughter live full-time with her former husband so she could attend the BSN program at 国产主播-Miami was a different kind of hard.
“I worked at a prison for six and a half years. I worked 12-hour shifts, and that took away from me being a parent,” she said. “In order for me to actually pursue this dream of mine, I had to allow her to stay with her father full-time.”
She didn’t apologize for that decision. She reframed it.
“Take the time that you need to. If you have to be selfish, be selfish 鈥 because you’re not doing this for you, it’s for your family.”
For single parents and veterans weighing whether nursing school is realistic, Katrell’s story isn’t a simple yes or no 鈥 it’s a reminder that the right decision and the easy decision are rarely the same thing.
What Is the Student Experience Like at WCU-Miami?
Katrell researched her options carefully before choosing WCU-Miami. What sealed the decision wasn’t a brochure or a ranking 鈥 it was how the campus felt in person.
“From the first conversation to coming in and doing the walk on campus 鈥 everything was smooth and it felt like family, like community,” she said.
What WCU-Miami students consistently describe about the campus experience:
- A welcoming environment that begins at the first admissions conversation
- Staff and faculty who engage personally, not transactionally
- A cohort culture built on collaboration rather than competition
- A campus that feels like a community, not just a school
Does WCU-Miami Support Students Who Are Struggling Academically?
One of the most concrete support structures Katrell points to is WCU-Miami’s Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) program 鈥 a peer-led tutoring model that has become a cornerstone of the academic support experience at WCU-Miami.
Here’s how PAL works:
- Peer selection 鈥 PAL tutors are carefully chosen based on strong academic performance in the courses they support
- Relatable instruction 鈥 tutors explain difficult concepts in ways that resonate with fellow students, not just in textbook terms
- Subject-specific support 鈥 students get help in the exact courses where they need it most, from someone who recently mastered the same material
- Community reinforcement 鈥 the PAL model builds relationships within the cohort that extend beyond tutoring sessions
For Katrell, PAL represents more than academic help 鈥 it represents a model of giving back she plans to carry into her nursing career.
“I’m just so excited for the day to come where I can actually take those tools and use it and have somebody say, ‘Thank you, you helped me,'” she said.
FAQs About the BSN Program at 国产主播 Miami
Is 国产主播-Miami a good school for veterans?
Katrell, a U.S. Army veteran with 15 months deployed in Iraq, chose WCU-Miami and described the experience as feeling 鈥渓ike family, like community鈥 from her first campus visit.
What is the Peer-Assisted Learning program at WCU-Miami?
PAL is a peer-led tutoring program where students who performed well in earlier nursing courses support classmates in those same subjects.
How does PAL help nursing students?
PAL gives students subject-specific support from peers who recently completed the same material. It also helps build community and collaboration within the cohort.
What made Katrell choose WCU-Miami?
Katrell chose WCU-Miami because the process felt smooth and the campus felt like 鈥渇amily鈥 and 鈥渃ommunity鈥 during her visit.
Can working adults transition into nursing school?
Yes. Katrell transitioned into nursing school after years of military service and nearly seven years working 12-hour shifts at a correctional facility.
What advice does Katrell have for single parents considering nursing school?
Katrell encourages students to take the time they need and remember that the sacrifice is ultimately for their family鈥檚 future.
WCU provides career guidance and assistance but cannot guarantee employment. The views and opinions expressed are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or position of the school or of any instructor or student.
