When I first came to Berea College, I didn’t feel like I deserved to be here, just because of where I came from. Most of my family struggles with substance abuse, and I’ve always been so scared of ending up like them. That’s what really motivated me to get an education: the fear that if I didn’t, I would end up a drug addict, too.
For a whole year before coming to college, I was homeless. But Berea gave me a place to stay, an education, a community, and a career I always wanted. I’m studying to be a nurse—not just because I want to help people, but because I love being around people. I love customer service, and I feel like nursing is the ultimate customer service job. I also want to be a nurse because of the things I saw growing up.
I saw how people in my family who struggled with addiction weren’t always treated with compassion by healthcare workers. Some nurses have this mindset that people who struggle with addiction put themselves in their own situation, so that’s where they deserve to be. But that’s not how any healthcare professional should treat their patients. I want to bring my personal experience into the profession so that I know people are going to be treated just like family, no matter who walks through the door.
Berea has given me the foundation to pursue that dream and become the kind of nurse who treats all my patients with compassion. I’m so grateful for everything the College has done for me. Through your support, Berea gave me the environment and tools I needed to grow as a person.
Thank you for making my Berea journey possible. Your gift is my future. Everything about Berea is astonishing, but what I’ve found the most overwhelming is the generosity of those who help support it.
Thank you for helping me find a whole new life.
Abbie ’27
Nursing Major