Bianca Young never saw herself becoming a nurse. It was a dream job when she was young, but the 35 year old had pursued other ambitions in adulthood. She earned a bachelor’s degree in social work and had built a rewarding career in the field. Still, when Young was presented with an opportunity to chase her childhood dream, she heard one voice in her head. 

“My mom always says, ‘nothing beats a failure but a try,’” Young says. “I decided to go for it.” 

Young had recently moved from Texas to Oberlin and, being just a few hours shy of earning a master’s degree in sociology, attended a college fair to continue her education. When she arrived, she said the room was filled with nursing schools. Nothing else. She took it as a sign and, after some research, chose Lorain County Community College.  

“I picked LCCC because I felt like it would cater to my education,” she says. “The professors were invested in my education and wanted me to succeed.” 

LCCC’s Associate Degree in Nursing program, which Young says caters to working students like her, exceeded her expectations. Her favorite classes were held in the Health Simulation Center at LCCC’s University Partnership Ridge Campus.  

“The simulations prepared us for what things are going to be like in real-life situations,” Young says. “In class we’re reading, talking and discussing. It’s different putting those discussions into action.” 

Young also experienced several hospital environments as part of the college’s clinical rotations. The exposure helped Young narrow her specialty to becoming an Intensive Care Unit nurse. Eventually she’d like to be a nurse anesthetist.  

“I hope my patients say I’m somebody who speaks up for them when they’re not being heard,” Young says. “That I advocate for them, push for answers for them, and communicate well.” 

This mindset – stemming from her past career – set Young apart when LCCC instructors made their Florence Nightingale award nominations during the December 2022 graduation ceremony. Young, who passed the NCLEX exam to become a licensed nurse in April 2023, was the main campus award winner. Nanci Berman, DNP, RN, the LCCC nursing instructor who nominated Young, described her as “quiet but mighty.” 

“She has been the advocate for so many in her previous role,” Berman says. “And now she’ll have the capability to serve those in her care as a nurse with a different mindset than most nurses.”