Hi! My name is Aubrey Norman. I grew up in Cedar Falls, IA. I graduated in 2018 with the ambition of becoming a nurse. I work as a server/bartender on the weekends, but I am also a volunteer firefighter for the Evansdale Fire Department. I have one puppy at home, Bleu. He is quite the handful. In my free time, I”m a big fan of naps. I also like to spend time outdoors, especially with my friends and family. In hopes that I make it out in the next two years, I hope to work with critical/trauma patients. As nervous as I am to start on this adventure, I have the biggest support team behind me! And I’m looking forward to the day that I am a nurse!

 

Hi everyone, my name is Hannah Southall. I am a CNA and currently work at Allen Hospital on their surgical floor. I am 21 years old, have an adorable pet bird Belle and got married this summer! I am originally from Eden Prairie, MN, and attended UNI for about a year for general education before I decided on nursing. I also used to run track and cross-country at UNI as well. I have been a CNA for about three years and my work in nursing homes, group homes, assisted livings, and now a hospital has helped me decide to pursue nursing. I absolutely love my job at Allen and hope to someday work on a Med-Surg floor as a nurse. I chose Hawkeye because I have heard good things about the program from others and want to work as an LPN and RN while pursuing my BSN. Hands-on learning is best for me and I wanted to attend a school that would allow me to have a good amount of work/clinical experience as I pursue my education. Outside of school and work, I enjoy running/lifting, reading, and spending time with my husband Dylan as well as friends and family. Look forward to meeting all of you!

 

Hi everyone, my name is Jaci Donath (my first name is pronounced Jackie). I’m 38, have two degrees from UNI, and a previous career in forensic science. I lived in Kansas City, MO for several years and returned home to Iowa in 2016 to assist my parents. I’m excited to obtain my LPN (and eventually RN) at Hawkeye, and make some new friends and future colleagues in the process. I am interested in critical care, mental health, and women’s health, but am open to different specialties as I go through the program. I would really like to eventually become certified as a forensic nurse, and use some of the skills from my previous career. In my free time, I enjoy photography, gardening, reading, and riding horses. In addition to my two horses, I have a dog and several cats. Eventually, I want to get chickens as well. Looking forward to getting to know you all over the semester! 

My name is Bethann Thompson and I am from Plainfield, Iowa. Some of my hobbies include fishing, kayaking, and spending time with my friends and family. I graduated with my health science degree from Hawkeye Community College in May 2018 and from there I transferred to Allen College and was enrolled in the accelerated BSN program. After spending a semester at Allen, I realized that it wasn’t the right place for me and then transferred back to Hawkeye Community College last summer. I chose to pursue nursing as a career because I enjoy helping other people and being there for those in some of their worst times. I currently work at MercyOne Waterloo (Covenant) as an aide in the Special Care Rehab unit and really love my job, patients, and coworkers. Also, I am a dog mom to the cutest, spunkiest Yorkiepoo, Puddin’. 

 

In the next five years, I hope to have achieved and earned my BSN and be working as a registered nurse at Mayo in Rochester, Minnesota. 

My name is Lashawn Galburth I'm 35 years old  I was born and raised in Gary Indiana and I'm the proud mother of 3 children. FaLeShia is 18, Breiona is 16 and Nigewl that's 12. I wanted to be a nurse every since I was a little girl I've been a CNA since 2003 when I graduated high school.  I have a learning disability so college is difficult for me, I've already dropped out twice this  semester in my mind. After I was done with all my prerequisite I stopped going to school for a while out of  fear of it being too hard and having to work with others and them knowing my biggest insecurities of not being able to spell.  I suffer from generalized anxiety as well as social anxiety that has controlled my life but I'm working on that. I enjoy spending time with my children that's my safe place. I'm glad that I'm stepping out of my Comfort Zone and starting nursing school again because this is my dream career. 

 

I chose Hawkeye Community College because it is close to home and affordable. I have also heard good things about their nursing program, and it's always good to hear from someone who has experienced it first hand. 

I work as a CNA and universal worker at the Clarksville nursing home and assisted living. I love it and my residents are what helped me decide to go into nursing.  I just got married this past October! In my free time I like hanging out with my two dogs, Bonnie and Clyde. I also like to hang out with my friends and family. I enjoy golfing, kayaking, and camping. Pretty much just being outside!

In five years, I hope to be working somewhere as an RN. I am still undecided about continuing on to get my BSN. We will see where life takes me. As of right now, I think I would like to be a ER nurse, but I also have an interest in mental health. I'm curious to see how that changes as I go through the clinical rotations. 

I am excited to be on this journey with all of you! 

My name is Julie Schwickerath.  I live in New Hampton.  I will be celebrating my 25th wedding anniversary to my wonderful husband Nate.  We have 5 children, Kerstin 23, Hannah 20, Isaak 14, Noelle 12, and Jakob 9, two cats and a dog named Zeus.  I'm a busy mom who loves to volunteer.  My husband, daughter Kerstin, and myself are part of our worship team at church.  I play the cajon, which you can look up if not familiar with.  We love to play contemporary worship music and we host several youth conferences.  My husband and I are cub scout leaders for our youngest son's den. I volunteer at a camp for abused kid's call Royal Family Kid's Camp.  I'm very active in my church teaching Sunday school, children't church, and directing VBS, along with other activities.  My husband and I also keep busy with several rental properties in New Hampton and Cedar Falls. I was on a women's pool league for 13 years and a traveling DJ in my early 20's.  I love camping, crafting, gardening, painting, listening to live music, teaching women how to shoot, and going to my weekly Bible study.

I worked in health care back in the late 1990's as a CNA, CMA, and RA.  I have always had a heart for helping others.  Eventually my husband and I started a family, and he was off to law school.  He took over his dad's law firm and I started working in his office.  I was a main caregiver to my sister Becky for 4 years as she fought the disease of ALS.  Taking care of people is very natural to me.  15 years later, I felt a calling from God to go back to school and follow my dream to be a nurse.  I was 45.  I took the plunge and checked out area schools.  I choose HCC because I'm familiar with the Waterloo area, it was a smaller school, and I came to a MORE session with my daughter Hannah and loved it.  The semester I started at HCC, my two oldest daughters were also coming to HCC.  We loved leaving sticky notes on each others cars in the parking lot.  I was nervous about coming back to school, but I believe that my life experience, my experience with 5 children, working as a CNA, and the many times when I took care of family members at the end of their lives, would help me through.  I knew I was determined to do it.  I have a goal to work as a wound care nurse when I finish my schooling.  I'm fascinated with the body's process to heal.  I look forward to creating memories with this class. 

Hi, my name is McKayla Lebeck! I am from Nashua, Iowa and currently work part-time at the Kwik Star in Nashua, and part-time at the Waverly Health Center in Waverly as a Medical Surgical Tech/CNA. I have been interested in going to the field of nursing ever since I was young. Many of my family members have a variety of health issues and I have always been interested in learning about them to help my family members feel better, also to prevent those things from happening to me.  In my free time, I love spending time with family and friends. Summer time is my favorite, because my parents have a house along the lake in Nashua, so I love going boating and fishing! It is so relaxing! 

I chose to come to Hawkeye Community College mainly for the well-known nursing program, but to also be able  to afford to work and drive from Nashua, to school each day.  My career goal is to earn my ADN here at HCC, then continue on to my BSN, online, through another University. My end goal is to be a specialized nurse (not sure what type yet), but for the next five years, I really want to stay local and continue working on a medical/surgical floor to better my overall skills. I am curious to see how my interests will change as we go through the program! 

I look forward to getting to know all of you and to go through this journey of becoming nurses!