After years of teaching in the classroom, Sarah Jenkins ’25 is hanging it up and putting on the scrubs as she earns a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree through Elon’s accelerated program.
As a former teacher, Sarah Jenkins ’25 says she’s always loved to learn, so when it came time to jump into Elon University’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program after being out of school for 20 years, she was ready.
“I was using parts of my brain that I hadn’t used in a long time,” said Jenkins. “I would tell people I felt like I could actually feel the neurons connecting.”
For years, Jenkins was a teacher for children with dyslexia, but as a single mom of two teenagers, the career became financially unsustainable, and she began looking for something she could get started with quickly.
“I didn’t have a science background and never would have gone into anything in medicine the first time through,” said Jenkins, who has a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s in teaching. “But just through life experience, I’ve had the opportunity to see medicine in a different way.”
Jenkins’ son is a type 1 diabetic, which has meant multiple interactions with health care professionals.
“When I think of my son being diagnosed with type one diabetes, and the times my daughter has had different health issues as well, the nurses made a huge difference to our family, and I wanted to be a part of that,” she said.
So, Jenkins enrolled in Elon’s ABSN program, an intensive 16-month program for students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree in any field and want to earn a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in a shorter time frame. The program also requires 18-24 hours of prerequisite coursework before admission.
“The professors are fantastic, and I’ve felt that so many of them have made an extra effort to be there for us both academically and personally, to encourage us and support us,” Jenkins said. “Especially coming from a teaching background, I know all of the different aspects of what it takes to be there for your students, and I’ve seen those professors show up and work hard to provide opportunities for us to learn.”
Jenkins completed her prerequisites online, all while still working as a teacher and being a mom. Then, she transitioned to Elon’s full-time ABSN program, with in-person classes requiring her to commute from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It was hard work, she says, but she wouldn’t trade it.
“I’ve always been somebody who appreciates education and learning, as well as trying new things So, for me, it was really stimulating, even though it was exhausting,” she said.
Her hard work paid off through several scholarships, including the Tina Filoromo Scholarship through the National Student Nurses Association, the Donna Lynn Eaton Memorial Scholarship, the Twin Lakes Scholarship and recognition on Elon’s President’s List each semester. Now, Jenkins will walk across the stage during the Winter Graduate Program Commencement, which also recognizes the ABSN program, on Dec. 12 in Alumni Gym.
“I appreciate every bit because being a working mom in school is challenging. The financial aspect with all three of the scholarships was definitely helpful,” she said, “and it meant a lot to be recognized for my work and my story.”
Before graduating, Jenkins has already accepted a position as an operating room nurse with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist.