"While our students pursue their degree or certificate on their own, they are never alone in those efforts," said Dr. Jean Paddock, president of Aultman College. There is no better student to explain how true this statement is than Tina Stewart, who found a supportive community at Aultman College. 

Tina, a single mother of three, has always worked hard to provide for her children. "I started at the very bottom just to care for the kids," she said.

Tina began working in the healthcare industry as a state-tested nurse aide (STNA), later becoming a medical assistant (MA). After filling in for a nurse for three weeks, she set even more career goals for herself.

While working the overnight shift, Stewart obtained her licensed practical nurse (LPN) degree. "From there, I told myself I was going to go back within a year to complete my nursing degree," she said. 

When Tina came to Aultman, she weighed all her options. “With tuition reimbursement, you are pretty much guaranteed to get a job after your program,” she said. “Everything just started to align that way, so I came to Aultman College." The ease and speed of applying helped her know she was on the right path. 

Tina loved the feeling of community at Aultman College. "The instructors are amazing,” she said. “The program is challenging, but the faculty builds a relationship with you and wants you to succeed. They see where you are struggling, and they help you. They see your strengths and acknowledge them and encourage you."

Instructor Melanie Milbrout helped Tina believe in herself. "She would say to me, 'You're smarter than you think you are,' because I would have so much self-doubt,” Tina said. “When she said that, I would go into my exams with confidence."  Tina and her classmates helped each other, too. They would meet a few times weekly to study and review material.

Scholarships were also important to Tina during her nursing education. While in school, she could only work part-time due to the program's intensity.

Tina applied for and received the Class of 1959 Gift Scholarship and the Bettie Sponseller Scholarship. "Even though I was able to get the 100% tuition reimbursement by committing to Aultman for two years after I graduated, there were still fees and other expenses for which the scholarships and grants were crucial," she said. "They might look at it as helping to fund the cost to attend, but for my family, they are putting food on my table and clothes on my kids' backs. It might not have been a lot of money to them, but it went so far in my household.”

Now, post-degree, Tina is participating in Aultman's nurse residency program, a testament to Aultman Health System’s commitment to supporting new graduates as they transition. Her next goal is to enter patient education and advocacy as she continues her career journey.