Monica Washington Mizell

My core nursing program was with Miami Dade Community College. It was a two-year program, and I earned my associate's degree, but my goal was to obtain my bachelor's degree and further my nursing studies. After my associate's degree, I got married and had a child. After having a child, I decided to go to Florida International University to pursue my bachelor's degree. It was a great experience and very convenient for me. I liked being able to bring classes into the community and meet working nurses where they were. For the majority of my classes, I was at an offsite location, which was extremely accommodating. It was nice sharing educational experiences with local nurses, and I was able to build a network. My child was three when I graduated, so I was busy having a career and working on my degree. I was able to use my degree to move up the ladder. I had another child, studied more, and I eventually obtained two master's degrees by 2011. I've been in community nursing for 30 years, and I loved it. Florida International University was a stepping-stone in my career. Those two children I nurtured have now completed their studies at Florida International University, and I'm extremely proud of them.