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Stories and Testimonials

Josh Pierce

Retooling for a New Career

Josh Pierce
Josh Pierce

Josh Pierce got laid off from his construction job and was ready for a change. He had been let go before, but this time seemed different. "I wanted to be doing something else," he said. "I didn't have to work the next day so I headed up to the college."

At Western, Pierce found an environment that was less intimidating than high school. "I was worried about being the 'old guy' on campus," he said. "It wasn't like that at all. In fact, high school seemed more intimidating than WNC. Everyone has a common goal at the college that they're working toward and the faculty are so welcoming and willing to help."

After working in construction for 12 years, Pierce now has a solid goal of getting admitted into the college's nursing program. When he came to Western, he took an aptitude test that pointed him in this direction. He had always wanted to be a history teacher and that career also scored high on the test. However, he saw more opportunity in the nursing option.

Pierce was initially worried about making it financially while going to school. He was amazed at how all the student services departments worked together, from admissions to counseling to financial aid. "People actually left their department and went into another one to help me," he said. "You don't see that all the time. Everything just fell into place."

He now serves as a peer mentor at the college, assisting students who are struggling academically. "I just go down a list and call people to see how they're doing," Pierce said. "I can help them with time management, math, or anything they're having a hard time with. A peer mentor really helped me with Math 120 and I wanted to pass that along."

Pierce also has a mentor - Dean of Student Services John Kinkella. "When I'm frustrated with something, I go to John," he said. "He's a cool guy and always tells me that anything worth getting, takes work."

The result: Pierce now has a window of opportunity that he hopes his 14-year-old daughter sees. "Maybe she'll get an earlier start on college than I did," he said. "Life has changed a ton for me, and being laid off turned out to be a blessing. Now every day is a grateful day."

For additional information, please contact:
WNC Information and Marketing Services
2201 W. College Parkway
Carson City, NV 89703		 Phone: 775-445-3234
Fax: 775-445-3198
E-mail: info_desk@wnc.edu


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