Chanta Rickard

My name is Chanta Gibbs Rickard and I am a transfer student. I transferred from Beaufort County Community College the Summer of 2013 to major in the Bachelors in Nursing program at NCCU. I am from a little place about 4 hours from Durham called Hyde County where I worked for the local Health Department in Administration Support. I worked there for almost five years then I received a letter stating my position was terminated due to Reduction in Force. The layoff was devastating but not to terrible because I also had a part time job as a Certified Nursing Assistant at the local nursing home. I took the experience of Reduction in Force and turned it into the opportunity to pursue my dream of becoming a nurse. I am married with three children that I want only the best for. So I decided to put my passion and love for others at work in a field that I have been working in for over 11 years which is Nursing. I felt it was time to move up the chain because I was afraid of getting another job and the same thing would happen to me again. So my determination and research of schools led me to NCCU where I don't know anyone but liked the tour I received and the help so I decided to be a part of the NCCU family. Since I have been part of the NCCU family I have set goals of striving for nothing but the best. My immediate goals are to finish up my four prerequisite classes and to achieve an A in all of them if possible and bridge in January of 2014. To accomplish this goal I have been studying at all times as well as having great bond with my professors. My long range goal is to graduate NCCU and become a pediatric nurse and pursue my Masters while working in the pediatric unit. At times it is hard to stay far from my family and not see them as much as I would like, but I believe at the end it will all pay off.