Share the Dream: My Life, My Focus, My Goal Share the Dream: My Life, My Focus, My Goal: Chickering, Olivia

Talent Merit Scholarship Recipient

My name is Olivia Chickering, I am not entirely sure of my heritage, but I do know I possess French Canadian from my mothers side of the family. I grew up as a single child being raised by a single mom. Being very close to my immediate family my whole life. My mother and aunt are both nurses, primarily my mother was my inspiration to take the path of healthcare. I went to high school at a trade school titled GNBVT, and took the shop medical assisting. I officially became a CCMA in June of 2024, and now currently work at GNBCHC as a Pediatric medical assistant. I would consider this certification my biggest accomplishment, as it was my first step into the healthcare path I desire. Obstacles I have overcome are my chronic migraines. These debilitating migraines have consumed a large portion of my time, trialing medications, medical appointments, and nights spent in bed due to the pain of the migraines. I consider my work a community, we do mobile markets, and have CHW’s (community health workers) to assist those who are unable to provide for their family, and other resources, we all work together to help each family the best that we can. I also do dog walking, and 5k walks for awareness.

I chose to enroll at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth (UMASSD) mainly due to its proximity to my home and my family. As I am now enrolled, I am a commuter and see my family multiple times a week. I was accepted into the College Now program after being denied from the school's nursing program. Being accepted into this program made me feel extremely relieved as it was a second chance to get into the school’s program that I had been eyeing for years. As the end of my first semester in college now has come, I am incredibly grateful for the program, as my advisor kept me in check weekly, which made me hold myself more accountable for my work and efforts, as well as my peer mentor, seeing her weekly and seeing her experiences and how she is now doing after the program. My motivation was low when I first started the college semester, I was unsure what to expect, and how to handle to stress of the classes and the workload, I always had my family, and boyfriend supporting me, asking about school, assignments, and holding me accountable for each grade I got, and them trying to find a way for me to do better on the next assignment if one grade was low. Their support helped me navigate what it meant to be in college, and I am forever grateful for them. College Now was different than high school through the expectations that are placed on the students, I didn’t well the workload was unattainable, and I had completed every assignment throughout the semester, the only true difficulty I had was trying to learn how to properly study for an exam, in which I will truly retain the information. As the semester is over, it is decision time for the nursing program. I hope they accept me into their rigorous program, so I can obtain my R/N, B.S.N degree.

I want to use this degree to work in the emergency room, and help patients in distress, and pain, and do everything in my power to help them, and care for each patient. I hear bad things from the healthcare field, unpaid, neglect, prejudice from workers, and more. I want to make my mark on each patient's experience, giving them the care they deserve, and the respect they deserve no matter any circumstance. I want to take my time and ensure they are comfortable, and have been given anything they may need, even if the request is as little as an extra blanket. I don’t want anything to be sloppy, everything I do, must be done my absolute best. I eventually want to continue my education to become an anesthesiologist nurse, once I have created steady work, and a steady income for me and my future family, where I feel comfortable to take time off, or adjust hours, to be present in my education.