CHRISTINE WILSON: It's been very manageable for me as a new mom
during the pandemic.
It's been great.
I mean, I have an associates.
But getting a bachelor's has connected me
with a lot of other students.
Nurses from Northern Virginia, from Richmond, you're
in a classroom with people.
People are-- we're all having a conversation.
And the conversations that we have
are really eyeopening to the world of nursing.
I mean, it is a big world.
And I don't know if you would really
hear that if you weren't meeting face to face.
And we just come in once a month.
And it's really not difficult at all.
The class is really low key.
The professors are very understanding of the fact
that we work and we're also getting another degree.
I think this program has helped me.
I hated public speaking.
And now it's really not a big deal.
We have to talk about political issues.
We have to talk about things that
are going on in health care.
They teach you how to say that something is important.
And this is why.
This is the evidence that supports it.
So it's really helped me be more confident using my voice,
knowing that the things you're doing as a nurse,
if you're not going to do it, then maybe no one else will.
So it's important to stand up and share what you think
and be a strong person in this world.