Nikki is dedicated and passionate. “I’m the kind of person who sets her mind to something, and then I go accomplish it,” she said. She’s worked in healthcare for over eight years, first as a Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA) and then as a medical assistant.
Nikki currently works in the orthopedic department at Rutland Regional Medical Center, and she says she loves her team and the diversity of her days. Building on her success, Nikki plans to continue her education and is exploring two potential pathways: becoming an EMT or paramedic, or training as a radiology technician.
“I’m willing to work hard to get where I want to go,” she shared. “I love critical care, and the rush of triaging and helping people in those big, hard moments. I’m interested in radiology because I get to work with radiology techs in my current role. The science behind it is really interesting to me.”
“Martha ‘got’ me”
Nikki’s fascination with science is what first drew her to the healthcare field. She started working as a caregiver in a local assisted living facility in 2018, then worked toward her LNA license. She then set the goal of working at the local hospital, so she explored going back to school to become a medical assistant. That was when she connected with Martha McCaughin, a VSAC outreach counselor who helps support adult learners in her role at VSAC’s Educational Opportunity Center.
“Martha ‘got’ me,” Nikki emphasized. “There’s a whole different process when you’re an adult student, and she was with me every step of the way.”
Nikki described the process as seamless, thanks to Martha’s guidance. “She answered every single one of my questions,” Nikki added. “She was right there with me, getting me where I needed to go. She would call me, text me, email me to make sure everything was happening. I had the best experience with her and would recommend working with VSAC to anyone.”
“What struck me about Nikki is how enthusiastic she was,” Martha said. “She knew how she wanted to move forward in her career and she didn’t hesitate to do the hard work to get there.”
Help from the VSAC Advancement Grant and a Forgivable Loan
With Martha’s help, Nikki enrolled in the medical assistant training program at Stafford Technical Center. She was eligible for a VSAC Advancement Grant to help pay the tuition, but needed additional funding to cover the full cost. She was able to fund the balance of the program through VSAC’s interest-free Forgivable Loan, which is essentially a grant with a work component for students who have their sights set on high-demand careers. Recipients of VSAC’s Forgivable Loan work in their profession, in Vermont, for each year of assistance received. Then, the loan is forgiven.
Nikki says that the grant and forgivable loan has made a huge difference. She knew her income alone wouldn’t match her desire to go back to school. “Growing up, we didn’t come from a lot,” Nikki shared. “My mom is a single mom who raised my brother and I. We have to work for what we want, but I’m willing to do it because it gets me where I want to go. The support from VSAC, it’s supporting people who want to grow their education like me. It’s important to Vermont, and it’s important to me.”
VSAC is only a call or email away
Nikki is deeply proud of the hard work she’s put in to get this far and is looking forward to exploring her options as her future unfolds. And she knows Martha—and VSAC—are only a phone call or email away when she’s ready.
But first, she says, she and her husband would like to expand their family. They have one son, age two, and would like to have one more child. Nikki wants to focus on her family for a bit, and then return to school.
“I love spending time with my family and my son,” she said. “And they, and my mom and brother, are very supportive of me and my goals.”
Whatever career path Nikki ultimately takes, she has a great support system to help her get there.
The Vermont Student Assistance Corp. was created by the Vermont Legislature in 1965 as a public nonprofit agency. We advocate for Vermont students and their families to ensure that they have the tools they need to achieve their education and training goals. We create opportunities for all Vermont students, but particularly for those—of any age—who believe that the doors to education are closed to them. Growing families save for education with VT529, Vermont’s official 529 savings program. To help Vermonters plan and pay for college or job training, our counselors work with students in nearly every Vermont middle school and high school, and are also available to work with adults. Our grant, scholarship, and workforce development programs create opportunity, help students re-skill or learn new skills, and grow the economy. VSAC’s loan, loan refinance, and loan forgiveness programs provide competitive education financing to students and families. Find us at www.vsac.org or visit Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.
