Just weeks before graduating from New England Institute of Technology, Alexis Gilchrist secured a position at Rhode Island Hospital, where she will begin working in the oncology unit. It鈥檚 a milestone that once felt far out of reach.鈥淏eing able to say I’m a nurse is just something I wouldn’t have imagined I would’ve actually been able to accomplish,鈥� she said.
For Alexis, commencement wasn鈥檛 just the completion of a degree. It was the realization of something that, for a long time, felt uncertain. As a first-generation college graduate, the moment carried weight not only for her, but for her family. “I think when they see me cross the stage, it’ll really solidify it,鈥� she said.
Growing up, Alexis faced challenges that made it difficult to see a clear path forward. Even as she found success in high school, she often felt held back and questioned what her future might look like.
Her sense of purpose began to take shape through early experiences in healthcare settings, where she found comfort and a feeling of being truly heard. It was there that the idea first took hold鈥� not just of being helped, but of becoming the person who helps. She reflects, 鈥渁s soon as I realized that I could help a little girl like myself, I knew that was exactly what I needed to do.鈥�
After high school, she took the expected next step, enrolling at another local university while working full-time and living on her own. But instead of gaining direction, she found herself feeling increasingly disconnected. Without the support system she needed, the experience became overwhelming, and eventually, unsustainable.
Stepping away from school was difficult but it also clarified something important. The goal hadn鈥檛 changed. The environment needed to.
That realization led her back to a place she had first encountered years earlier during a high school field trip to New England Tech. She came across an ad for the accelerated nursing program, attended an open house and from that moment on, everything changed.
At 果冻传媒, Alexis found the structure, support, and hands-on learning environment she had been missing. The accelerated nursing program gave her a clear path forward, while small class sizes and engaged faculty created a sense of accountability and belonging. 鈥淭hey just create a support system here that is unmatched,鈥� she says.
That support translated into confidence. Through early clinical exposure and immersive lab work, Alexis quickly developed the skills and nursing mindset needed to succeed in a fast-paced healthcare setting. 鈥淭here was nothing to be scared of. They had me every step of the way.鈥�
Just as important was the community she built along the way. Surrounded by peers with a shared goal, she found connection, motivation, and a sense of place. 鈥淵ou become such a big family,鈥� she says. 鈥淚f you don’t belong anywhere else, you’ll belong here.鈥�
Now, as she begins her career, Alexis is stepping into a role that reflects not only her training, but her purpose.
