Shirley Bowery, RN
Short Stay Surgery
My little brother decided to begin college at the age of 47.
After being out of school for 34 years, he began his journey at Northeast State Technical College.
In high school, studying was never at the top of his list. He would much rather have attended to his farm animals. He started at ground zero – he had to take the basics in English, math and electives, as well as his core classes.
He worked full time, usually 50 to 60 hours a week, farmed and attended school in the evening. He has three daughters and has not missed any function in their life in the last four years, and he is active in his church.
John is totally deaf in his left ear and only has partial hearing in his right ear. He had to apply himself, ask for help from his children and study very hard.
He will graduate this summer with his associate’s degree in industrial manufacturing technology, magna cum laude.
This summer will be especially exciting for their household, as his oldest daughter, Tabitha, will graduate with her master’s in biomedical engineering, his second daughter, Tiffany, will receive her bachelor’s of science in teaching and his youngest, Tia, will earn an honorary high school diploma.
I am proud of each one of them, but my brother’s accomplishment makes me realize that anything is possible if you want it badly enough. My brother has overcome many obstacles in the past four years, and he never lost site of his goal. He never shirked any of his obligations and always had time to take his nephews to the barn to pet the lambs and feed the sheep and ride on the tractor.
I have been accepted to King College’s RN to BSN program this fall. I realize I will have to work hard to live up to the standards my brother has accomplished. My brother is special to many people, but he is my inspiration.