Jerrica Hightower is poised to graduate from the Augusta University College of Nursing on May 13, but her journey to get her degree took a decided turn out of high school.
Hightower, a native of Illinois, graduated high school in 2007 and enrolled in college.
“I actually graduated high school semester early. So, what would have been a second semester my senior year, I did a semester of college courses. I enjoyed it, but I wasn’t for sure what I wanted to be when I grew up. So, I thought joining the military would provide me the opportunity to, you know, see the world and meet new people and kind of figure out what I wanted to do and then also have benefits,” she said.
It was an unusual choice for Hightower. The only family member with a military background was a grandfather who served briefly in the military.
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She enlisted in the Army and her recruiter told her she would not be deployed overseas.
“The day that I went to my first unit, they’re like, ‘Well, we’re deploying in May.’ So, I was scared, I didn’t have experience really with my job, except for like my time in school. Because the unit I went to was a field unit,” she said.
Hightower worked as a radiology specialist in Afghanistan. She had no experience dealing with trauma patients but the people she worked with helped her develop her skills. She said she saw devastating things, but it was a major learning experience.
She realized she loved patient care, helping people, reassuring them or their family while they faced difficult situations.
That led her to nursing.
“I feel like there’s so many opportunities and so many different ways that that you can go with nursing, that I thought it would work well with me, especially because my husband’s still active duty,” she said.
She met her husband Alvin, also in the Army, when they served together in her first unit. The couple now have four children, Keyanna, age 16; Brandin, age 14; McKinsley, age 8 and Mya, age 5.
“The older two are my bonus kids. I met them at two and three, and I’ve been there since they were three and four,” she said. “I’ve explained to them, especially the older two that you don’t have to have your life all figured out. Kind of have an idea what you want and know how you can work towards it. But there’s nothing wrong with figuring out that something isn’t for you, or it’s not what you thought it was going to be and going a different path.”
Hightower believes, as a society, if something does not go exactly as planned people feel like they have failed. She said that is not the case, it is simply a time to try something else. To move onto the next chapter.
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Something she will do when her name is called during graduation ceremonies Friday.
Augusta University graduations are spread over two days Thursday, May 12 for graduate students and Friday, May 13 for undergraduates.
The Thursday graduation and hooding ceremony for graduate students is at the Bell Auditorium at 6 p.m.
On Friday, the ceremony for graduates from the College of Education, College of Science & Mathematics, Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences and the School of Computer & Cyber Sciences will begin at 10 a.m.
Graduations for the College of Nursing, College of Allied Health Sciences and Hull College of Business will begin at 2 p.m.
Both of those events are at Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a general assignment reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com
