Originally published in EdNC

Felicia Holt, March 25, 2024

Kristina Williams, a 34-year-old adult learner, returned to Piedmont Community College (PCC) to pursue her longtime dream of becoming a nurse, despite previously earning a bachelor’s degree in physical education. After working as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) since 2015 at Duke University Hospital, she discovered PCC’s Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program just before the application deadline. Starting classes in January 2022, Williams balanced her nursing studies with a full-time job, facing challenges like personal losses and the transition to self-managed learning. She successfully completed the program 2 years later, celebrating a 100% pass rate for her cohort on the NCLEX-RN exam. Williams began her career as a registered nurse at Duke University Hospital two months later.

In 2022, Piedmont Community College expanded its offerings to include instruction at the Caswell County Campus, which now has an evening and weekend cohort. This expansion enables multiple enrollment opportunities: the Caswell County cohort starts each spring, while the Person County Campus cohort begins each fall.

Holt, F. (2024, March 25). Perspective | Adult learner returns to Piedmont Community College to reach longtime nursing goal. EdNC. https://www.ednc.org/perspective-adult-learner-returns-to-piedmont-community-college-to-reach-long-time-nursing-goal/