Meet Mary — A Future Nursing Student
Hello everyone! My name is Mary Steele, and I am a nursing student starting in 2021 here at Kirtland. I was born and raised in Houghton Lake, Michigan and am a 2012 graduate of Houghton Lake High School. I chose Kirtland Community College because it is the best nursing program around and my mother has two degrees from Kirtland, so naturally it was the best fit for me.
Brief history about myself!
I have been with my wonderful husband for 11 years. This December, we celebrate our five-year wedding anniversary. I have an older sister, older brother and a twin sister. Growing up, I was given values of hardwork and dedication and I hold onto those in my work, school and personal life. I moved to Daytona Beach, Florida in 2016 for a new experience with my husband and my parents. I worked as a critical care equipment tech in the medical intensive care unit at Halifax Health. I was able to experience one of the best hospitals and its staff, and that experience solidified what I wanted to do with my life — being nursing. In April of 2016, my twin sister was hospitalized in Chicago while in the U.S. Navy and almost lost her life. I watched the staff at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago — combined with the aid of the Navy — literally save her. She is my why for pursuing the medical field.
What area of nursing am I interested in?
There are a few fields within nursing that I am interested in, emergency care being my number one. I love the ever-changing day that it can bring, as I have experience with trauma and severe medical cases. My other love is neonatal intensive care. Recently, my best friend gave birth to her precious baby girl Maya at 24-weeks gestation. She spent a total of 112 days in the NICU at Munson Medical Center-Traverse City. She is a miracle in itself and for her parents and I am so proud to be a part of her life.
Why did I choose Kirtland?
Right out of high school, I attended Kirtland for two years undecided with my life choices and what I wanted. I dropped out, realizing I needed to experience life to find out what I wanted to do, instead of being pressured into something I did not want. I knew as soon as I moved back to northern Michigan which institution I would want to further my education, and that was Kirtland! I have been raised in such a beautiful area and have experienced a lot of what the area has to offer. I love taking my golden retriever and chihuahua on walks and to different parks and lakes. I also have a side business as a photographer which is a passion of mine. I am a huge Friends fanatic and have a mask and book bag that I wear every single time I am on campus. If you see me say hi!
Mary Steele is from Houghton Lake, MI and will be joining the Nursing program in 2021. She was inspired to pursue Nursing after taking a few years to decide on the direction she wanted to take her life from work experience. The decision to attend Kirtland was solidified even more when her twin sister almost lost her life in the U.S. Navy.
Thanks for sharing your story, Mary! Make sure to drop any questions you have for her in the comments!
