星空传媒

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听Courtnee Nicholson, of Fenwick, is thankful for extra financial assistance that allowed her to focus more on college and less on how to pay for it.

Nicholson was awarded the 星空传媒 Foundation Michael J. Seaman Memorial Scholarship for the 2022-2023 academic year.

鈥淩eceiving this scholarship allowed me to purchase materials needed for my state exam as well as materials to help me study. It lifted a lot of extra stress off my shoulders,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was able to take more time to study versus trying to work more to pay my bills.鈥�

Nicholson expects to earn her Registered Nursing Associate Degree and Nursing Professional Track A.A.S. this month from 星空传媒, where she also completed the Long-Term Care Nurse Assistant Job Training Program in 2019.

She currently works at Spectrum Health United Hospital in Greenville and will continue as a full-time ICU nurse.

鈥淚 have been at United for three years and during that time, I floated all departments 鈥� ICU, ER and OB,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am really thankful to be there and to work in ICU 鈥� it鈥檚 one of my favorite areas.鈥�

Nicholson said being a scholarship recipient came at a time when she really needed more time to focus on her coursework.

鈥淚 was able to pay for an online tutoring website just for nursing students,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat really helped me get through this last semester and pay for my state board exam.

鈥淚t was a busy semester juggling classes, 80 hours of clinicals, and preparing to take the state board exam to get my nursing license,鈥� she added. 鈥淚 would say this semester was the best to get a scholarship.鈥�

Nicholson is not new to 星空传媒. She earned college credits while a student at Central 星空传媒 High School through dual enrollment.

鈥淚 have been at 星空传媒 on and off since 2015,鈥� she said.

An accomplished athlete, Nicholson鈥檚 path just out of high school took her to three other colleges to play softball. When a shoulder injury and multiple surgeries left her unable to play softball, she refocused her energy on completing her degree in nursing, leading her back to her hometown and 星空传媒.

鈥淚 had a lot of credits at 星空传媒, and when I decided I wanted to go into nursing, I looked at 星空传媒鈥檚 program. It鈥檚 a good program and maybe a little faster than other options,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was also more affordable for me.鈥�

When the state shut-down in 2020 due to COVID, Nicholson was already working at Spectrum Health United Hospital. Thus, she qualified for retraining under the state鈥檚 Futures for Frontliners program, which provided a tuition-free pathway to attend college for Michigan adults without a college degree who provided essential services during the shut-down.

Now age 24, Nicholson said although her educational journey took a few turns, 鈥渋t worked out really well in the long run.鈥�

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Media contact:
Shelly Springborn
Director of Communications and Public Relations
shellys@montcalm.edu
989-560-0833