By: Gloria Cortes
Tari Pearson is a mother, a nurse assistant, and a Vol State TN Reconnect sophomore.
She said she came back to school to become a registered nurse now that she does not have to raise her children.
“Basically, to better my life. I started out later in life after taking care of my kids, and now my kids are grown. So, I needed to do something more than just be a housekeeper or things like that, so I decided that I wanted to become a registered nurse, which kind of ties into what I do now,” said Pearson.
Pearson said she is a nurse assistant for a private company.
“You could say I’m a caregiver, so to speak,” said Pearson.
She said she was surprised she was able to get the TN Reconnect grant.
“I was in school in the past and had to put it on hold. I couldn’t get a pell grant so it kind of helps me more and it helps me save more money. School is not cheap, and it’s expensive to go back and start over. It has helped me financially,” said Pearson.
She said she chose Vol State for a few reasons.
“It’s out of Nashville. I wanted to get out of Nashville because I’m from Nashville. And Vol State has an excellent program. I did a little background research on Vol State and they have excellent programs. And it has good connections with other universities in case I want to continue with my career path that way,” said Pearson.
Pearson said she has received different reactions from her family about her going back to school.
“My children are supportive, but other family members, you know how critical some people can be. But a lot of them are supportive, and they want to see me do better and strive in life,” said Pearson.
She said some of her classes have been challenging for her, and it is hard for her to make time for her online classes.
“Anatomy, microbiology, and chemistry. Those are my biggest challenges, but I managed to pass microbiology and anatomy and physiology. Trying to learn formulas and trying to redo math in your head after you haven’t taken it in years is a bit of a challenge,” said Pearson.
She said that Vol State has helped her become stronger.
“I’m a lot stronger than a lot of people think I am. And I can take criticism, whether it’s destructive or constructive,” said Pearson.
Comments are closed.