Taking a chance on community college changed Ash Wisdom's life.
A Tennessee native and Station Camp High School graduate, Wisdom originally planned to work in healthcare. As a young student, she realized she was not ready for the realities of critical care and instead built a successful career in retail, eventually becoming a traveling store manager who helped open new locations.
Still, healthcare remained her goal. She decided to return to school and enroll in the Associate Degree Nursing program at Volunteer State Community College.
"I took a chance on community college, and it developed into a life I never expected," Wisdom said.
She chose Vol State because it was close to home, but quickly discovered opportunities that went far beyond earning a degree. In addition to excelling academically, she joined Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the international honor society for community college students. Today, she serves as PTK's Regional Vice President for the West Region.
This summer, Wisdom was selected for the prestigious Summer Global Leadership Institute at Borough of Manhattan Community College. During the 10-day program in New York City, students participated in leadership workshops and discussions led by diplomats, policy experts, and academics. The experience also included visits to the United Nations Headquarters, Federal Hall National Memorial, the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, Central Park, and several notable Lower Manhattan landmarks.
The program provided valuable leadership development, networking opportunities, and a broader global perspective that Wisdom plans to carry with her throughout her nursing career.
She is on track to complete her Associate Degree in Nursing next spring and hopes to transfer to Belmont University to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. Thanks to her academic success, PTK leadership, and support from Vol State faculty, she is exploring financial aid opportunities that may help make that next step possible.
For Wisdom, her journey is proof of what can happen when students believe in themselves and embrace new opportunities.
"Without Vol State, none of this would be possible."
