When you are living your passion and achieving your purpose, you will feel more alive and energized than you thought possible. – Dr. Nancy O’Reilly
Many people live their lives without a thought to pursuing their passion. They get up, go to work, take care of their families, maybe plan a vacation or quick getaway, rinse, and repeat. In her book, Leading Women – 20 Influential Women Share Their Secrets to Leadership, Business, and Life, Dr. Nancy wrote, “They are living the life our culture defines as successful, yet they do not feel successful, much less fulfilled. If you recognize this, ask yourself…when does your heart lift? What makes you smile? Take stock of the things that mean the most to you.”
When 32-year-old Shelby Blevins read Dr. Nancy’s words, something shifted, and she realized the time had come for her to pursue her passion. She knew what it was – had always known – but now it was time to follow it. It was time to go back to school and pursue her dreams of becoming a PA. Shelby said, “I have completed hours upon hours, years upon years, working in health care. In high school I took courses in medical terminology, psychology, anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and health science.”
Shelby was one of the first members of a Health Occupations for Students of America (HOSA) club and was able to go on clinical rotations while in high school, exposing her to a vast selection of healthcare areas at a young age. She said that this all solidified her choice to become a PA. “I stayed on that path all the way through college, and even pursued a 120-hour internship directly shadowing a PA in a small clinic. This gave me first-hand knowledge and invaluable insights into my chosen career, my calling.”
Upon graduating, Shelby met her husband and together they focused on building and then growing their beautiful family. “Because of the challenges that caring for young kids presents, I chose to continue working and put continuing my education and my dreams on hold,” she said. “I have worked continuously in healthcare – as a nutrition assistant, an orthopedic technician, a phlebotomist, and currently a clinic lab bench tech – and have seen many changes and developments in healthcare along the way.”
While staying focused on working and parenting her children, she also took one class at a time, finishing all of the prerequisites needed to enter her chosen PA Program. And she said that she took many of the steps in part by following the lead set by Dr. Nancy’s example.
Dr. Nancy knows what it’s like to juggle the roles of mother, student, and wife and she studied hard to earn a university degree for each daughter. “I have no regrets and would do it all again for one simple and important reason. I had a profound need to show women we could do it all if we kept pursuing our dreams and goals,” she writes in her upcoming book.
“Through it all, I wanted positive female role models and mentors to show me the way, and I wanted to be that for other women, as well. Being a mentor just means you’re a little further down the path and can lead those coming behind you,” she adds. “Most of all I wanted to set an example for my girls and show them they could do anything. I hoped my education and career would be a testament to what was possible. To this day, I want my daughters, granddaughters, and all women to know what they can accomplish.”
Dr. Nancy has definitely shown Shelby the way. In turn, Shelby’s goal is to inspire her children and the women around her. She said, “My husband is set, my pre-requisites are complete, now is the time. Our three children are getting older, and they are now part of the reason why I want to become a PA.”
“They know it is my dream, so I am committed to showing them how to go after your dreams, put aside the setbacks, try harder when someone tells you it’s too late or that you can’t, and never, ever give up,” Shelby added. “People that achieved their dreams have one thing in common, they didn’t ever stop trying. I won’t stop trying either. I will be an inspiration for my children. I want them to learn how to succeed from watching me.”
Nontraditional Students Are Returning in Droves
Shelby’s return to the classroom is part of a larger trend. According to the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), today’s college student populations are increasingly nontraditional. “The term ‘college student’ is no longer exclusive to the traditional 18 to 24-year-old matriculating directly from high school. Today’s college students are parents, caregivers, full-time employees, and retirees. In fact, estimates suggest that 40% of the current undergraduate population at American colleges and universities are non-traditional.”
NASPA also reports, “Throughout the United States, the nontraditional student population is growing rapidly, in some cases twice as fast as the traditional student population. Nontraditional students are on their way to becoming the new majority amongst college-going students.”
Nontraditional students often outperform their peers too. United Career Institute says that is often because they make the conscious decision to attend school after working or raising a family, they know the importance of their educational experience. Given that they’re often attending school later in life, they also come to the classroom with some life experience and a clear idea about the career they want, and what they want their future to look like.
Shelby, like many other nontraditional students, doesn’t see the time away from school as a detriment. She feels that she has built a foundation of on-the-job training to prepare her for this moment. “I have waited and worked for a long time for this. I am dedicated and prepared to take these next steps. The years I spent away from school have only allowed me to gain more experience in direct patient care by working alongside PAs, patients, nurses, and doctors. I know what will be expected of me, and I am ready to accept the challenge.”
It’s great to see Shelby pursue her dream and show other women how to step forward when the time is right and do the same. There are so many resources to help nontraditional students go back to school to get the training they need for a vast array of professions. Like the students themselves, the certifications and degrees no longer fall within the limited 4-year college format. If Shelby’s story aligns with yours, follow her example. The world needs your contributions. Accepting and overcoming life’s challenges and pursuing your dreams is far more rewarding than life on autopilot. It’s a life worth living, and as Dr. Nancy says, “A lot more fun!”