The first in her family to attend college, Tiffinei is enrolled in classes at Bladen Community College and Fayetteville State University as she pursues her immediate career goal of becoming a Registered Nurse and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Her long-term goal is to get her Doctorate as a Certified Nurse Practitioner (D-CNP).
Tiffinei’s husband is a disabled vet, confined to a wheelchair and unable to work due to military related disabilities. It may be several years before his VA disability income is approved. In 2016, Tiffinei and her family were evacuated from their home due to flooding from Hurricane Michael. They experienced flooding a second time with Hurricane Florence in 2018.
Cheerful in the face of adversity, Tiffinei maintains a positive attitude and does whatever is necessary to care for her husband, raise her teen daughter, and further her education.
Tiffinei offers this perspective, “Being a Nurse Practitioner is much more than a career to me. It is a lifestyle. The Live your Dream Award will unlock all aspects of my nursing journey and allow me more access to education. It will allow me to finally close one door [of past abuse and hardship] and open several others.”