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There's no doubt that the past months have been trying. But with all the pain and problems of the world, it's still important to stop and notice the good that's happening, too.
One of those good things comes in the form of William Jones, a freshly minted registered nurse who graduated with his Associate of Science in Nursing from Joyce College. Although becoming a registered nurse is part of a planned career path for many, for William, an entrepreneur in his 50s who has had several successful careers under his belt, his pursuit of the nursing profession was less about gaining a new career, but more about understanding the educational journey of a new nurse.
You see, William is a long-serving member of Joyce College's Board of Trustees.
Pursuing education with a purpose
Starting in 2006, William has been one of the minds guiding Joyce College's ascendance from a small Dental Lab Technology school in Provo, to one of Utah's largest and highest performing nursing colleges.
But William still wanted to help shape Joyce College from the ground up, which required more intimate knowledge of the student experience.
"Part of my role as a member of the Board of Trustees is to help the institution make decisions that enhance the student learning outcome and best fulfill its mission. The Board of Trustees is composed of individuals with a variety of valuable perspectives, but as the institution was growing and building for the future, I really wanted to understand the perspective of our nursing students first-hand," William explains.
By enrolling himself in the college, William reasoned that he could find a new perspective on how to make Joyce College the best it could be. Armed with this purpose, William committed the next two years of his life as a full-fledged nursing student — scrubs, stress, late night study sessions and all.
Learning from Joyce College and for Joyce College
From lectures and labs, to simulations and real-life clinical experiences, William learned about the design of Joyce College's flagship program, and used this perspective to translate insight to the academic and administrative leadership of the institution.
"As a Board Member, you see and hear reports, which certainly have their place in helping the institution make decisions, but nothing can replace the perspective you get by sitting side-by-side with students."
This perspective has paid off, with enhancements to the student experience already underway.
After five semesters, William satisfied the requirements for completing the program, before experiencing one of the most stressful and significant moments all nursing students do—taking the NCLEX.
"Joyce College's nursing program is known for its high NCLEX pass rate. The program prepares you really well for the NCLEX, but in the back of my mind I thought, 'This would look really bad if I failed this exam.' It all paid off because I passed and I'm now waiting for my registered nurse license."
All things considered, William admits he now has a newfound passion for healthcare.
"I've always had a deep admiration for nurses and healthcare professionals, but it was never on my list to become one myself. What I learned by going through the program is that I love being a nurse. I loved the friends I made through the program. I loved the fact that I'm prepared to help people in a meaningful way."
Much like anyone finishing a degree in early 2020, William was a little disappointed that normal graduation ceremonies couldn't take place. However, he wanted to mark the moment by making one last memory with his fellow graduates by hand-delivering more than 154 graduation kits to the homes of the class of 2020. It took three days and over a thousand miles, but it was a perfect way to end his journey as Board Member turned student nurse.
If you want to pursue your own journey—you might find satisfaction in a nursing career. You can know firsthand that the experience as a student at Joyce College is one created for students by a student.
If you're interested in starting your own nursing career, visit joyce.edu today to learn more.
