A Nursing Dream Years in the Making
Makenzi Calkins is set to graduate with honors this May from Cape Fear Community College’s Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program. After graduation, she will head to ECU Medical Center to begin the MICU New Grad Residency Program.
A Nursing Dream Years in the Making
Originally from California, Makenzi now lives in Jacksonville, where her husband is stationed with the Marine Corps. Although her path to becoming a nurse wasn’t straightforward, she is proud of it.
“Becoming a nurse has been a dream of mine since graduating high school in 2008,” Makenzi said. “Since then, life has happened. I got married and had children. So, the nursing dream was put on hold.”
Determined to reach her goal, Makenzi slowly chipped away at prerequisites while raising her kids.
“As life allowed, I would enroll in classes to slowly complete some pre-requisites. Once we moved to NC, my youngest was ready for school, and I knew now was the time to commit to nursing school fully.”
A Program Worth the Drive
The commute from Jacksonville to CFCC wasn’t easy, but Makenzi never looked back. “CFCC’s ADN program was highly recommended anywhere I looked. The only downfall was the drive. But as it ends, I believe the miles spent driving were the best choice, and I never regretted my decision.”
A Support System That Made All the Difference
Makenzi credits much of her success to the support system she found in her instructors and classmates. “The most rewarding part of the CFCC program is the staff and my classmates,” she said. “If it hadn’t been for all those people, I don’t know if I would have been as successful as I have been in this program. I always felt supported and cheered on during the entire process.”
She found a mentor in one instructor in particular. “Mr. Rod Robinson is our sim instructor, and I was lucky enough to have him as a clinical instructor,” Makenzi shared.
“He always welcomed any questions and had patience and understanding for our entire group. Not once was there a time when I was made to feel anything other than smart and competent. He is one of the kindest people I have met, and it was a pleasure having him as an instructor.”
A Curriculum Built for the Real World
At CFCC, Makenzi completed clinical rotations at Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center.
“The most valuable thing I learned through my clinicals was that nursing is about teamwork,” she shared. “You are never alone, and the most important thing you have is your fellow nurses there to help you!”
When asked how CFCC prepared her for nursing challenges, Makenzi didn’t hesitate.
“Nursing school is hard. Period. At CFCC, we are given many different opportunities to learn and gain practice. From the labs in the very beginning, the sim lab, and clinical. It wasn’t always about the book but what we would see in ‘real world’ nursing.”
A Mission Fueled by Her Children
For Makenzi, motivation came from home. “My children were the biggest motivation for me. When I felt I just could not or thought, do I want to do this? I would think of them.”
“This isn’t a second career for me. It’s my first. I was a stay-at-home mom since having my first child. I could have easily gone to work somewhere and just held a mundane job. But nursing was my dream. I just wanted my kids to see that if you want something, you work hard and never give up, no matter how long it takes you.”
As she closes this chapter at CFCC, Makenzi is excited about what’s next. She offered some honest advice when asked what she wished she had known before starting nursing school: “You will never know it all. Just show up, study, ask questions, and try to learn from the instructors as much as possible.”
