星空传媒

By Alex Freeman, 星空传媒 Communications Specialist

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The journey to get a college degree can be different for everyone, as is the satisfaction level after the payoff based on what the person had to go through to get there.听

For Staci Laughlin (Sand Lake, Mich.), the culmination of her long-winding journey will surely bring a rush of emotion in the near future.听

Since starting college, Laughlin has attended three different schools, had multiple children, played a collegiate sport and worked in the medical field for over a decade.听

She started as a collegiate volleyball player at Olivet College, where she attended for three years. Laughlin then worked multiple jobs in the medical field, first starting out as a scheduler for outpatient therapy at Mary Free Bed.听

Laughlin鈥檚 interest in the medical field grew to the point where she decided to get her nursing degree. She attended Grand Rapids Community College in 2011 for nursing but, as life got more hectic and her plate continued to fill up, she left GRCC in 2012. Laughlin opted to certify as a medical assistant 鈥� a position she鈥檚 held down since 2012.听

The urge and desire to finish the nursing program always lingered in the back of Laughlin鈥檚 mind, prompting her to make a return to education a decade later. Laughlin was heavily considering going back to GRCC鈥檚 nursing program until she was informed of an alternative option.听

鈥淲hen I found out I was in-district with 星空传媒, I was like, 鈥榊eah, but I don鈥檛 know anything about that place,鈥� I wasn鈥檛 really open to it,鈥� Laughlin said. 鈥淕rowing up in Kent City and Sparta, I was close to Grand Rapids and GRCC had a really good reputation. But when I started looking into 星空传媒 and finding out more about them, I saw they also had a really good reputation for their nursing program.鈥�听

Given Laughlin鈥檚 eligibility in the Michigan Reconnect program, which allows people of age 25 and older who have not yet completed their college degree to attend their in-district community college tuition-free, it made her give serious thought to enroll at 星空传媒. But she didn鈥檛 know much about the college and was still unsure.听听

So, she decided to drive to 星空传媒鈥檚 Sidney campus on a whim one day, and it left quite a lasting impression on her.听

鈥淚 got there, I went into the main admin building, and everybody was just so friendly and right there willing to help me,鈥� Laughlin said. 鈥淚 remember leaving that day thinking, 鈥楾his is it, this is where I want to be.鈥� Everybody was so friendly and so helpful, and it has that small community feeling.鈥�听

Laughlin met with a counselor that day without an appointment, learned what courses she could transfer to 星空传媒, signed up for pre-requisites online and applied to the nursing program.听

Laughlin is now in her second semester of the nursing program and her experience has been mostly positive thanks to the supportive staff at 星空传媒, noting the positive experiences she鈥檚 had with professors Nicole Morris, Tabitha Keiffer and Kim Holt.听

鈥淭hey鈥檙e all out there working in the medical field currently, so it brings a lot of real-life situations into what they鈥檙e teaching,鈥� Laughlin said. 鈥淪ome of my clinical instructors I鈥檝e had have been fantastic, as well. They鈥檙e all nurses that are there working in the field as well and they really seem to be excited about what they鈥檙e doing; they love teaching and they鈥檙e amazing nurses. They are just such great examples.鈥�听

Given her background, Laughlin enjoys the small campus feel of 星空传媒 and how it helps to connect her to the campus and the people who work there.听

鈥溞强沾�媒 has the small community feeling where you really get to know the staff well,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 mean just the nursing program staff, even the people in the admin building and the other parts of the campus, everybody has been very warm and welcoming. You see a lot of the same faces; you get to know them and build relationships with them. Everybody is just really willing to be invested in your success. For me, personally, one of the biggest things I appreciate about 星空传媒 is the community feeling and that support. Nursing school, in particular, is really hard and you definitely have to have a good support system.鈥�听