Southwest Tech Spotlight: Taylor Alt
Southwest Tech Spotlight: Taylor Alt
Taylor grew up in the country with three horses. When Taylor was six, her mom was studying for her LPN and Taylor was her best study buddy. By the time she was in first grade, Taylor had already memorized all of the medical terms for the bones in the body.
“It wasn’t a big deal to me that I knew all this stuff. Studying with my mom just seemed normal and I didn’t even realize the impact it was having on my life.”
From the time she was a young girl until she was in high school, Taylor loved gymnastics and volleyball. However, as a sophomore, Taylor tore her ACL during a gymnastic tournament which brought her involvement to a halt.
“It was hard, not being able to perform and be involved with the sports I love, but I think tearing my ACL is what really moved me to pursue a degree in the medical field. Helping my mom study was fun, but I had been doing it for her, not to become a nurse myself someday. Now, it had become personal and I wanted to follow in her footsteps toward a medical career.”
When Taylor graduated from River Valley High School in 2012, she went straight to a private college to pursue her bachelor’s degree in nursing.
“The thought of going to a technical college didn’t even enter my mind. I assumed if I wanted a medical career, I had to begin at a public or private university. By the end of the first semester, I was homesick, overwhelmed, and ready to quit. My classes were huge and I had a hard time understanding the lectures.”
Taylor decided to take a semester off. Her boyfriend, Austin, was enrolled in the Electro-mechanic Technology program at Southwest Tech, so Taylor visited him on campus a few times.
“I remember hearing about Southwest Tech in high school, but I never even thought of it as an option for myself. When I visited the campus though, I really loved the whole environment and the friendliness.”
Taylor met with an advisor and learned about the Nursing-Associate Degree program. She applied right away.
“It really worked out well. My instructors are super helpful and I love their hands-on teaching style.”
Taylor’s family is important to her and they often can be found taking the boat out to fish on Avoca Lake. Ethan and Evan, Taylor’s ten-year-old twin brothers, are a huge part of her life. When she isn’t studying for classes, she is often either cheering for Ethan at a game or encouraging Evan with his music.
After graduation, Taylor plans to further her education and earn her master’s degree as a nurse anesthetist.
“I was able to tour a hospital once and witness a surgery. I think it would be so awesome to be able to help patients by monitoring them and making sure they are fine throughout surgery.”