Kathy Evans

Tired of working in retail and cleaning houses, Kathy Evans wanted a career she could be proud of. It was a flyer from the Trumbull Career and Technical Center mailed to her childhood home in Howland that changed her outlook on life.

“I honestly never thought of doing nursing until I noticed that TCTC had an 11-month practical nursing program, something that seemed very obtainable for me to achieve,” Evans said. After successfully completing the program, she began working at Trumbull Memorial Hospital, where she realized she finally found her calling.

“I enjoy the patient contact and feeling like I’m making a difference in someone else’s life,” Evans related. After five years, she left her job at the hospital to continue her nursing journey.

Although being a practical nurse is where her passion began, Evans felt there were limited opportunities for her, which is why she was drawn to Kent State University at East Liverpool.

Evans started the LPN-RN transition program in 2012. Being a full-time student, as well as a full-time mother, Evans said her mother has been her rock throughout the years. “I don’t know where I would be without my mom. She supports me as well as my children, and I cannot wait until I can repay her upon completion of my degree,” she said.

With graduation approaching in May, Evans has big dreams of working overseas. “Once I am finally a registered nurse, I want to be able to combine my faith and education and travel to Africa as a missionary nurse,” she explained. "I want to help others not just physically, but spiritually as well.”