Latoya Stevenson’s Story with American National University
For Latoya Stevenson, sitting still has never been much of an option. Whether she’s learning a new skill, finding a creative way to spend her free time, or looking for ways to help someone else, she has always found something worth doing. Her family might call her a “professional student,” but for Latoya, learning has become more than a running family joke. It is a way of life. Now living in Tennessee with her teenage son, Latoya enjoys a quieter side of life, too. She loves spending time outdoors, going for walks, and relaxing on her porch with a cup of coffee. She also enjoys crafting, making decorative cakes shaped like everything from shoes to chicken wings, and creating baskets by hand. Her hobbies reflect a woman who likes to work with her hands and bring ideas to life, a quality that has followed her through a lifetime of learning and a career rooted in healthcare.
Long before she began pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at American National University, Latoya had already explored a variety of paths in the healthcare field. From her early training as a certified nursing assistant to her experiences in radiologic technology, laboratory science, and other areas, each new educational pursuit added another skill to her growing collection. And while her family may have a little fun with her continued studies, one thing is clear: Latoya doesn’t just start things. She finishes them.
“It’s funny how school is a small part of your life, but also you–especially going to school for something like this—never get to turn your brain off. You can’t turn it off. It’s like your antennas are up all the time,” she explains, smile on her face. “Matter of fact, yesterday I was at the airport, and I just couldn’t help myself! I just had to let this lady know her ankles were so swollen, she did not have to have ankle socks on, she needed compression socks.” Latoya describes this story with a smile, a brief shake of her head as if she couldn’t believe she’d done it, either. In a small moment of waiting for flights, she took the time to explain to the woman what she needed to do in order to help herself, because, as she said, she can’t shut off her drive to be a nurse even when she’s not in her classes.
Latoya spoke with American National University staff about the experiences that shaped her educational journey and her decision to become a registered nurse. Her nomination from nursing and clinical instructor, Danielle Hinkle, for Term 260 Term Trailblazer recognizes the dedication and teamwork she demonstrated during her clinical rotation.
“Our rotation with her was the most… fulfilling. You get a sense of fulfillment when things align with [what] you feel like your purpose is. And she just – the way that she instructed us and guided us, and even the things she exposed us to, it was the best clinical experience I’ve had thus far.”
“The maternity rotation was so eye opening for me. It was almost like if your ears have been clogged for a long time and [then] you can finally hear,” she explains, eyes bright, hands gesturing on each side of her head. “It was like, ‘woah!’ because I feel like I know myself – and you have to know yourself, and you have to be able to take inventory of yourself in order to know that you will be able to provide. Especially when people are sometimes in the worst times of their lives.” That same instinct prompted her to approach a woman at the airport and offer guidance. “When you feel like you’re doing something that’s innate, and something that’s a part of you, it just flows so naturally.”
When Latoya first began exploring her options for continuing her education, American National University’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program had not yet opened in Tennessee. In the meantime, she began pursuing practical nursing, as an unexpected opportunity soon presented itself: the chance to travel with the medical team for the Memphis Grizzlies NBA team. It was an experience she couldn’t pass up, adding another unique chapter to her already diverse healthcare journey.
“I do whatever I know God is calling me to do,” she explains, “and so I put it on the back burner of my mind because I still need to be able to work and most traditional programs, you cannot work – you can’t even think about work, you can’t think about anything but school!” She graduated from the program she was in, moved forward, putting the rest of her wants out of her mind for the time being so she could pursue what was in front of her. However, “not even a week later, I got a call like, ‘hey, Latoya, this is so-and-so from [American National University], and we have one spot left in the program, and if you want it, it’s yours!’”
At last, an opportunity to pursue what Latoya had long wanted—to become a registered nurse—was within reach. Even so, she hesitated. Not only had a spot opened for her, but she would need to be ready to begin classes within three days. She worried over obstacles that could stop her from joining the first cohort of this new nursing program, such as the fees that would have to be turned in before she could get her online connection into a Zoom classroom. “I’m like, ‘no, there’s no way, I can’t just abruptly take thousands of dollars to do this and do that,’” she explains, before she places her hands before her, a smile lifting the corners of her lips. “But I don’t know how, I don’t question God, but things worked out. And I got into the program. And I’m here. I’ll be graduating in December, if the Lord agrees,” she says. In a matter of just three days, Latoya learned that the program she had been waiting for was finally available. With help from American National University staff, she was quickly on her way to pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. “[American National University] was something that I ran across in my research and, at the time, it didn’t apply for me, I didn’t check all the boxes. And I put it on the back burner, but apparently they didn’t put my application on the back burner!”
“It was just a no brainer for me when I was told that I would still be able to work full-time, it wouldn’t be a requirement of the program to quit my job. Because I did still need to not only take care of my family but pay for my tuition also… It was so hard because of the schedule aspect of things – especially being an adult with children and bills and responsibilities. So ANU, in that regard, was my saving grace. I feel like this was definitely God’s plan – it had to be!”
As part of the first cohort in American National University’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, Latoya has shared a unique experience with her classmates. The connections she’s made with them, and with the new professors, stand out in the memories of her educational career. “Every person, whether I felt like they were a great fit for being a professor for me or not, everyone serves their purpose,” she starts with a quiet huff of laughter. As the new program took shape, both students and professors had to find their rhythm. Once they established it, however, things slowly began to snowball into better outcomes. “It made us appreciate them more and it made them regard us differently as well… We’re working together, we’re learning together, and we have better learning outcomes,” she explains.
She gave one example of how the professors worked with her and her cohort to ensure learning even when there are bumps in the road. “Even one term, there was a mix up with the books. But we had to—we’re an accelerated program, the terms are ten weeks long—we still had work that needed to be done,” she says, brow raised. Her attention focuses on professor and clinical instructor, Rachel Cone. “She was excellent, she was great. And Rachel, without a book, taught us everything—like whatever was on that syllabus, she found resources… and made sure we all had what we need to make sure we were not just checking answers, or figuring out how to pass tests, that we were also getting information we could retain.” Latoya’s expression shifts here, something into reflection, settling into respect.
“And seeing instructors like Rachel, and Angie [McDaniel], that like, I feel like you know these people were called to do what they’re doing. And Danielle [Hinkle] also! You know that they’re called to do what they’re doing because obstacles or little things coming up don’t make them say, ‘oh, well, I’m just paid to be here.’ You can tell by their attitudes towards things and the way their effort and time that they put into things—even after class is over—taking the time to put together documents to email us or text us information.”
Latoya smiles often as she recalls her experiences with her instructors and the close bonds she has formed with them and her classmates. But things change ever so slightly when she begins to speak about the Dean of American National University’s Nursing programs, Dr. Marie-Bernard Lazare. “My first encounter with Dr. Lazare, we were like bumping heads,” she says with a small chuckle. “And not because of anything she was doing, or anything that I was doing. I think it was just not knowing [each other].” She goes on to explain that Dr. Lazare keeps her classes strict, so her nursing students learn to be the very best. “Her reasoning behind doing the things she does, and her processes, it has really allowed me to look at things differently. It has allowed me to take better inventory of myself,” she says, “she’s not just badgering us with this because she wants to—like she knows what it takes! Because she’s been here.”
At this point, Latoya grows more serious as she reflects on her relationship with Dean Lazare, she says, “I want you to let her know this! She is exactly where God means for her to be.” She begins to explain one of the most profound moments she had with Dr. Lazare. “So with our Dosage Calculations exam, we have to get a hundred percent. At first, it was if you didn’t get a hundred percent after the second try, you got kicked out of the program,” she says, nodding her head, “I understand why it’s that serious. You don’t get a second to, like, kill someone!” Latoya explains that when she and her classmates struggled, Dr. Lazare reconsidered the approach and determined that additional instruction would better serve her students. “She took time out of her busy schedule and dedicated her time to remediating us to make sure we could continue in the program!” Dean Lazare took time to meet with these students so that they could pass the exam, studying with them for hours in an extra Zoom session.
“Having these nursing instructors and Dean who embody the passion of what nursing should be, and to see them demonstrate that not only in the patient care setting but also to us people, it showed me a different side.”
With years of healthcare experience behind her, Latoya is already considering where her degree might take her. “My plan, I hope God agrees, is to work in either the ED (Emergency Department), Psych, or Mother and Child!” She says with a slight chuckle. This comes from an earlier mention of her clinical rotation with Danielle Hinkle on the maternity floor. “I’ve always been open to every aspect we’ve been to with clinicals, even if I knew that’s not where I saw myself in the end. I’ve always been open to trying to see if, maybe, things will change. For the longest, my mind was psych. Psych, psych, psych. And I did my psych rotation and I loved it! But the maternity rotation was… it ignited something different in me. I’m like, ‘who knows?’” She explained earlier.
Even as she considers those possibilities, Latoya hopes to continue her education, as expected, to continue her education as a lifelong learner, to hopefully become a nurse practitioner in psychology, though she is open to more specialties.
Would she recommend American National University to others? “I would, and I have!” She smiles, acknowledging that there have been times when she has advised someone against enrolling. However, it’s not that she wouldn’t for the school, but for whoever she was talking to about American National University. “I’ve got a couple of coworkers. And one of them, she has a personality type where she lacks determination and autonomy—like she needs to be guided. So I told her I don’t think it’ll be a good program for you,” she explains. “I have another one who I felt like would! And I just told her as long as you understand your purpose and why you’re here, you can get through it.” She said this is for a person who is “willing and determined, I feel like this is the absolute best program that anybody could be a part of.”
Speaking of the aforementioned passion and determination, Latoya recounts the very moment she not only knew she was interested in psychology, but in becoming a nurse who can be there for the vulnerable. In a previous occupation, she was working on a behavioral health team. “A patient came in—and she wasn’t for us, she was for the other [team]—but I noticed her. And I just kind of paid attention to her. You could see the sadness on her,” she says. Her brow furrows at the memory, but she continues, “I went out there, just chit-chatted with her. And she was stand-offish at first. I didn’t do too much, I just spoke to her. I noticed she was watching me—every interaction, when I got up to call a patient back—whenever she could see me in the back office, she was watching me,” she says, gesturing slowly. She goes on to explain how the woman apologized for the staring and her demeanor, and Latoya began to assess her with her experience in behavioral health.
Latoya recalls that the conversation went on for over two hours before the patient left. As time passed, Latoya became absorbed in her work, and the encounter faded from her immediate thoughts. Then, about three months after their initial conversation, the woman returned to the office with her son. She had something important to tell Latoya. “So I went to the front and she told me, ‘I just want to thank you. You taking the time to just speak to me made the difference of life and death for me.’”
This is when Latoya’s voice grows tight and her eyes start to shine. She explains the woman had been in the lobby with suicidal thoughts. But Latoya took the time to talk to her and walk her off of that ledge—which later meant the woman was able to meet her first grandchild. “I felt like that was when God really allowed me to see that sometimes it doesn’t take a whole lot. Sometimes it can just be being present,” she says, smiling now. Latoya had been considering leaving her job and the healthcare field altogether. But the encounter reminded her how much a simple act of compassion could matter, reinforcing the sense of purpose that would continue to guide her toward nursing.
“After that, I’ve been extremely intentional about spaces that I occupy and people that I encounter because you never know.”
Having lived a life where she has already stepped in to help patients, strangers, her classmates, and her family, Latoya has advice for new students: “I feel like the most important thing, after you decided to be dedicated, is to give yourself grace by making sure that you are planning things. Because if you don’t have a plan—my grandma used to say, ‘if you don’t have a plan, you don’t have a purpose’—and you have so many things going on, it’s easy to get derailed.”
For someone her family affectionately calls a “professional student,” Latoya’s journey has never been about learning just for the sake of another credential. Each experience has added to her understanding of healthcare, the people she serves, and the difference one person can make in another’s life. As she prepares for the next chapter of her nursing career, she continues to approach the future as she has approached so many things before: with curiosity, determination, and a willingness to keep learning.
