Wylie graduates Jahniya George and Paige Hughes had no idea they would cross paths again after graduating in May of 2024, but their calling to care for others reunited the former classmates this past January when they walked through the doors of Texas Tech University’s Health Sciences Center School of Nursing (TTUHSC).
They both are earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with a focus on pediatrics. They both believe, at this point, they will work in a Neonatal Infant Care Unit (NICU). However, they both arrived at this point taking very different paths, which is something they both believe is perfectly okay.
George is a military kid who moved to Abilene when she was in sixth grade. Her parents, both serving in the United States Air Force, decided to retire here, allowing George to finish junior high and high school at Wylie. Thanks to their service, her education was covered, something for which she is very grateful. This benefit and her experiences as a military child impacted her course of action after graduation.
“I chose Cisco College because it was faster,” said George.
While a sophomore at Wylie High School, George knew she wanted to go into nursing. She selected to take dual credit classes and Career and Technical Education (CTE) Health Science classes to become a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA). Her choices expedited her time at Cisco.
Staying in Abilene was also an attractive option for George since she was a military kid.
“I wanted to stay home — I’m a homebody,” said George with a grin. “I also wanted to save money.”
Upon graduating, George put her newly earned CNA to use at the nursing home she completed her clinicals in during high school and then moved to her current position as a CNA on the cardiac floor at Hendrick Health (North), which she started six months ago.
Like George, Hughes opted to take dual credit classes while at Wylie High School; both are classified as juniors in college despite only having completed three full semesters in college.
But this is where Hughes’ path diverges from George’s. Initially, Hughes leaned toward pursuing a career in education, but after completing a CTE education class in her junior year, she found her childhood hope of becoming a nurse resurfacing. At this point, other school obligations kept Hughes from taking Wylie’s CNA classes her senior year.
After graduating, Hughes headed to Lubbock to attend Texas Tech University, and despite also describing herself as a “homebody” felt leaving home was crucial for her to push herself out of her comfort zone.
“I’ve been in Abilene my whole life. I have had the same circle of friends since kindergarten, and my parents are my best friends,” said Hughes. “It helped me find myself, be more independent and made me more outgoing.”
Since Hughes still needed to achieve her CNA, she investigated other options. The summer after her sophomore year, she attended an accelerated three-week course that required her taking a test daily with long days completing the clinical portion as one of those three weeks. Despite it being tough, Hughes liked it.
“It was nice to get it over, but more importantly, I think because the information was fresh on my mind I was able to do better on the tests… it helped me to learn a lot of information in a short span of time, which is how nursing school has been,” she said.
Now, as George and Hughes work in the same cohort at TTUHSC on the same degree with the same graduation date (May 2027) to work in the same field, they wholeheartedly agree that their different paths to the same place was exactly where they were supposed to be.
“There are so many things you can do, so do what is best for you,” said Hughes. “And you don’t have to have it all figured out.”
Hughes suggests that if you are unsure of what you want to do after graduation to take the time to shadow a professional who works in the career field in which you may be interested in working.
George agreed, even if the path you’re on seems difficult and changes along the way.
“I went through so many roadblocks…so take it day by day,” said George. “Even if it’s hard or seems like the wrong choice – it’s not – if it is what you want to do.”