Alesha Caine’s path to becoming a registered nurse wasn’t what she expected. Today, the 39-year-old is a registered nurse at University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center, a December 2025 graduate of Lorain County Community College’s Associate Degree in Nursing program, and a recipient of LCCC’s Florence Nightingale Student Nurse Award for Nursing Excellence. 

Caine is proud of what she’s accomplished—but just as proud of the journey it took to get there. A decade ago, after several starts and stops in LCCC’s Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program, she decided to take a step back. 

“Life kept happening,” said Caine, of Oberlin. “I wasn’t successful in the program, and I started to wonder if that was the path I wanted to take.” 

Instead of immediately returning, Caine—who was working at UH Elyria Medical Center as a secretary—discovered a new way to move toward a nursing career. The hospital had partnered with LCCC to launch an earn-and-learn program that allowed current employees to earn their licensed practical nurse (LPN) credential. Participants remained full-time employees, earning pay and benefits while completing coursework and training through LCCC. 

For Caine, a working mother, it was the perfect fit. 

“I have three kids, and the bills don’t stop,” she said. “I was paid for full-time hours but spent part of that time in class. That really helped me balance everything. It gave me a boost of confidence.” 

Caine earned her LPN credential in July 2023 and enrolled in the ADN program the following month. 

“I knew I had momentum,” she said. “Earning my LPN was like getting my foot in the door. It was the right time to keep going.” 

She enrolled full-time in LCCC’s LPN-to-RN program. And while life outside the classroom carried on as usual—she got married and became pregnant with her fourth child during the program—this time, she persevered. 

“The nursing program is difficult, but for me, a big part of it was learning how to take tests,” she said. “You have to apply what you’ve learned and think critically. The answers aren’t always black and white.” 

While reading and memorization are important, Caine said success came from applying knowledge in real-world scenarios. 

“That’s what I wasn’t getting before,” she said. “Sometimes there are two right answers—you have to figure out which one is more right.” 

Her years of experience in a hospital setting also proved invaluable, both in testing and in patient care. After more than a decade working with patients, Caine had already begun to grow into the nurse she aspired to be. 

“I like people, and I like being their advocate,” she said. “I can help them when they can’t help themselves. And I enjoy hearing their stories.” 

Caine believes her empathy may have contributed to earning the Florence Nightingale Student Nurse Award for Nursing Excellence—though the recognition still surprised her. 

“I heard the faculty member start describing the winner, and then I realized they were talking about me,” she said. 

She plans to use the $500 scholarship that accompanies the award to continue her education. LCCC’s upcoming Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, launching in fall 2025, may be part of her next step. 

“I never thought I’d be considering a BSN—there was a time when I honestly didn’t think I’d finish my ADN,” Caine said. “But everything worked out, and I’m really proud of where I am.”