Working on Her Dream:
Camiel Finger’s Story with ANU
Current Medical Assisting program student, Camiel Finger, is earning her education at American National University not only for herself, but to better the life of her son and to excel in her career. Loyal to her clinic, coworkers, and physician, Camiel travels over an hour and a half to get to work and has fast-tracked her education at ANU to graduate sooner so that she can rise in her career. Despite having work with a long commute, a son, and extra class loads, Camiel has consistently kept high grades and success throughout her educational journey.
Upon the insistence of her friend, Camiel found ANU and joined our ranks as it fit well with her son’s schedule – and she never looked back! Her professors have helped her a lot and are setting her up for success in her career. Professors Paula DeVore, Laura Diggle, and Abigail Chelstowski are some of the instructors Camiel named as being influential to her time at ANU. “[They] really have put a passion into their students, the work, and really show [we] can do these things.” She goes on to describe how her seven-year-old son will sit with her to listen in on her classes, and Paula DeVore even went out of her way to answer questions that he asked. “Every class, she’d be like ‘where’s my buddy?’. She involved him! Those are the teachers [I] appreciate.”
ANU’s shining faculty and staff have helped Camiel navigate through a lot of her education. Her student services advisor, Mary Oxenrider, has made her journey to graduation much easier. “She goes above and beyond, and she takes on so much in her heart. I really believe she is one of the best student advisors [ANU has].” Mary reaches out to Camiel to check in on her, and makes sure she has everything she needs in order to achieve her educational goals. “She really has made a difference.”
After she graduates from our Medical Assisting program, Camiel hopes to move up in her career at Integris Baptist Hospital. She will be going for her nursing degree in August. “Hopefully in ten years, I can reach back out to [ANU] and say ‘look! I did it!’. Because it all starts here, [ANU] is the first step.”
Camiel recommends ANU to those looking to earn their higher education. “[ANU] would be a good school for students to go to, because it really has worked the best with my schedule, and I think [Medical Assisting] is a good program.”
Her advice for new students at ANU: “Work hard, go for it. Don’t give up on your dream just because it gets difficult. I’m a mom to a seven-year-old and I work in a specialty clinic that requires a lot of focus… push through it, climb these mountains, because when you get through this and say ‘I graduated,’ it’s going to be the best thing for your life.”
