Serving Others at the Heart of BTC Nursing Student
January 17, 2019
“The pain of being a student is temporary,” says Blackhawk Technical College nursing student Teresa Share. Teresa is in her first year of the nursing program at Blackhawk Tech. While she fully admits that being a student is hard, she admits, “If you put the work into it, it is not that hard.” Teresa makes college sound so simple – just do the work.
Teresa, like many students at BTC, must juggle and balance home and school life. In addition to being the mom of an energetic six-year-old boy, she is also step-mom to two teenagers.
She admits it is hard to be a full-time student and a mom. There’s often “mom-guilt” associated with the balancing act. When asked how she does it, she admits it is hard but is grateful for the support of her fiancé and family. While Teresa is doing clinical rotations at Pleasant View Nursing Home, a long term care facility in Monroe, they help with day-to-day family obligations.
After high school, Teresa attended other community colleges back home in Michigan but didn’t seem to find the right fit. When Teresa moved to Janesville a number of years ago to be near her sister, she enrolled in BTC to earn her CNA and CBRF. At that time, she realized that she had found the perfect school to fit her needs.
Because she has always worked in industries and organizations that serve others, Teresa was drawn to a career in health sciences and ultimately chose nursing.
When asked why she chose Blackhawk, she admits she appreciates the small class sizes and more intimate setting of BTC. “Everyone is so helpful at Blackhawk and the health sciences facilities are amazing.”
Teresa has a servant’s heart. On top of it all, she is determined to make BTC a better place. Teresa is the vice president of Multi-Cultural Alliance (MCA) and a member of the BTC Student Nursing Association. In addition, she has also taken on the role of “Mama T” to some younger students at BTC.
“Students need to put forth their best. That’s what I am doing and it doesn’t feel so hard.”
After BTC she hopes to work full time as a nurse in either Rock or Green County within an organization that offers tuition reimbursement. Long term – she wants to eventually complete her masters in nursing so she can become an instructor and help develop future nursing students.
She knows the journey through education will be difficult at times, but the pain is temporary. It will pay big dividends once she is finished. And just maybe, if we are lucky, BTC will be able to welcome her back one day as a teacher.