Prior to enrolling at the College of Nursing, Jacob Weideman was working 16-hour shifts in a paper mill. “I was doing back-breaking work and feeling drained. The only thing I had to show for my efforts at the end of the day was a paycheck,” he said. As a father and husband, Weideman wanted a more meaningful career; he always enjoyed caring for others, which led him to apply and successfully enroll in the BSN program at BSMCON.

“I want the opportunity to shine a light during someone’s darkest times,” he said. “Working as a patient care tech, I’ve had patients stop me weeks after surgery when coming in for a follow-up to thank me for being so kind to them. One patient told me they still think about me and recall how I was able to make the best of a bad situation for them.”

Weidman says it’s moments like those that remind him why he chose nursing as his path. ”Becoming a nurse is the best decision I will ever make,” he said. The support he has felt by the faculty and staff at the College has not gone unnoticed, “It is very obvious that everyone here cares about my success.”