Success Stories
George B., Erie, criminal justice graduate
At age 12, George was told that his sickle cell anemia would prevent him from living a full life. But he never let it stop him. George spent some time in college and the Air Force, and then worked for 10 years managing a local furniture store. But George knew he had the potential to do more. “The most important thing in my life is my kids, and if I’m not the best I can be for me, I’m not the best I can be for them,” he said. His mother also saw his potential; George’s two sisters had graduated from Mercyhurst and she knew he could do it, too. With her encouragement, George enrolled in Mercyhurst North East’s criminal justice program. Two years later, he has an associate degree and plans to enroll at Mercyhurst’s Erie campus this fall to pursue a bachelor’s degree in the nationally-recognized intelligence studies program. Students in the program are regularly offered jobs with the
CIA, FBI and Department of Homeland Security before they even graduate. George will be aided by a scholarship that is offered only to graduates of Mercyhurst’s branch campuses who transfer to the Erie campus. “It’s so personally gratifying to be entering a nationally recognized program at a prestigious school like Mercyhurst,” he said. “And I couldn’t have done it without my experience at Mercyhurst North East.”
Patti Nutt, Erie, physical therapist assistant graduate
Patti had worked in the health care industry for nearly 10 years, first at an ophthalmologist’s office and then as a personal care assistant for a quadriplegic. She enjoyed working in the field and working with people, so she decided to take it to the next level. She enrolled in Mercyhurst North East’s physical therapist assistant program just 12 weeks after giving birth to her first child. Two years later, she received her diploma just six days after delivering her second child, and adds that she didn’t miss one day of her clinical training. She believes that learning to juggle personal responsibilities while going to school, combined with the practical training she received at
MNE, has contributed to her success today. She has been a physical therapist assistant at Golden Living Western Reserve for the past eight years. “At
MNE, you learned from professional physical therapists from all different fields, which really gave you practical knowledge and brought different perspectives into the classroom,” she said. “They took it a step beyond just teaching the core basics. If they didn’t offer that diversity of instructors and didn’t I don’t think I’d be in the position I am today.”
Ron D., Waterford, liberal arts graduate
Ron enrolled at
MNE right out of high school on a wrestling scholarship, becoming a national qualifier and co-captain of the
MNE wrestling team his first year there. But this lifelong athlete discovered some new and unexpected interests during his time at
MNE. The college’s course offerings and extracurricular activities in the performing arts inspired an interest in dance, music and theater for Ron. Now he is a student at the University San Francisco pursuing a bachelor’s degree in performing arts and social justice.
“Mercyhurst North East is perfect for anyone who needs a chance to find themselves,” he said. “If I would’ve gone to a bigger school I wouldn’t have had all of my great professors helping me to discover myself and what I love, and pushing me in that direction.”
Almedina C., Erie, practical nursing graduate
Almedina immigrated to the United States from her home country of Bosnia in 1993, barely able to speak English, and immediately took a job at a local plastics plant. She worked at the plant as a quality inspector for nearly 15 years, until the plant closed last year. Rather than letting the layoff get the best of her, Almedina, a married mother of three, saw it as the perfect time to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a nurse. “English is my second language, so sometimes it’s really challenging,” she said. “But the instructors are really helpful and are available anytime I need them.”
Pat B., Edinboro, physical therapist assistant graduate
Pat had worked as a flooring installer for several years, but by the time he reached his mid-30s, was looking for a career change that wasn’t so strenuous. When a friend was in a severe car accident, Pat spent a lot of time visiting him in a rehabilitation facility and watching the physical therapists at work. That’s when this husband and father of two young children knew what he was meant to do. So he enrolled in Mercyhurst North East’s physical therapist assistant program, and quickly got into the swing of life as a college student. “Even as an adult student, you are able to make a lot of friends and really grow close to your classmates,” he said.
Before he even graduated in the spring of 2008, he already had one job offer and two leads.
“I know now that I made the right decision about going to Mercyhurst North East,” he said. “I liked everything about it. The instructors were really helpful and you get a lot of one-on-one attention because of the small class sizes.”
Melinda B., Harborcreek, registered nursing graduate
A single mom, Melinda worked in several different jobs including food service and furniture sales before she decided she was ready for a new challenge. She knew that nursing was an in-demand career and that Mercyhurst North East was widely considered the best school in the area for nursing. So she enrolled in the program and just two years later, she has a job as a registered nurse at Hamot—a position she was offered months before she even graduated.
“It’s a small school, you get to know the instructors, and I’ve made good friends here that I’ll have for a lifetime,” Mindy said. “I’ve heard nurses in the hospital say that they like
MNE students because they’re more prepared than students from other schools. They can get out on the floor and start working right away.”
