Guided by Faith and Family: Lindsay’s Path Toward Her Dream Career
Inspired by a day in high school spent shadowing her aunt Carol, a postpartum and baby nurse, Lindsay A. has spent her life with the goal of becoming a nurse practitioner.
Originally from Kansas City, Lindsay’s path to becoming an NP has been anything but linear. Early in her 20s, Lindsay got married, had kids, and worked a demanding nursing job in a medical-surgical unit. Then, she moved to Springfield, Missouri and fell in love with working as a pediatric nurse.
Following another move — this time to Poplar Bluff, Missouri — Lindsay started a highly coveted role as a newborn nursery nurse. She loved taking care of newborn babies and their moms, but after a few years, she desired a change.
She started in a new position as a school nurse and found a passion for preventative care and helping junior high students learn how to care for their bodies. Lindsay became certified in school nursing. As she moved and advanced through each of these unique nursing roles, becoming an NP was always Lindsay’s end goal.
In December 2025, Lindsay graduated from Maryville University with an online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree, specializing in the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) concentration. By early 2026, she had successfully passed her board exams.
A huge congratulations to Lindsay! We spoke with her about what inspired her to choose Maryville University’s online nursing program to achieve this lifelong goal.
Describe the moment you knew it was the right time to pursue this program. Was it a specific event, individual, or idea that inspired you?
I'm a firm believer that God carves out our paths and guides us in ways that we can't see coming, and sometimes He changes our paths for the better in uncomfortable ways. In the spring of 2022, my husband got really sick, and I was afraid that one day I might have to care for our family on my income alone. Unfortunately, while school nursing is an excellent career, it does not provide sufficient income to support a family of six. That was the spark that lit the fire for me to go back to school. Thankfully, my husband was miraculously healed, and he has supported me wholeheartedly throughout this journey.
Why did you choose this program over others?
I liked that Maryville was a reputable program that was close to home. I needed a program that did not require me to visit campus, but I wanted a program from a school that I was familiar with. Also, selfishly, I wanted to be able to walk at graduation and wanted my family to be able to come celebrate with me.
How did you feel before starting your program, and how do you feel now?
I was honestly terrified before starting the program. I am a busy mom of four kids, and I didn't want them to feel like I was absent or distracted. I never wanted them to miss out on anything or feel that they weren't top priority for me. I was also afraid to fail. Looking back, I would say I have no idea how I did it. I was so blessed with a support system and faith that allowed me to succeed in the program. I'm thankful I persevered, and I'm glad to be done.
What challenges did you overcome during the program?
As a working mom with four busy kids, there were more than a few challenges along the way. However, nothing was more challenging than my final semester of the program. During the final semester, on top of the demands of the program, I struggled with anxiety over being successful in my classes, passing boards, and starting a new job.
My son broke his arm, had surgery for repair, and before he was out of his cast, he fell down the stairs and broke his leg! He couldn't go back to school due to being wheelchair-bound, so that added to the stress.
I started the semester working more than I had planned to cover for a coworker whose husband was terminally ill. On top of that, my "village" also had some major medical events, including hip repair and emergent open-heart surgery. I made so many trips to St. Louis I lost count.
All of this mounted to a devastating mistake when I missed an exam. I got confused on the date, and it was a major red flag that I needed to hone in and check my priorities. I immediately reached out to my instructor and the lead instructor. The lead instructor, Dr. Elbe, explained the policy to me and agreed to meet via phone. I also reached out to my advisor, who was so helpful and explained the process of re-enrolling in the classes the next semester.
Dr. Elbe was very kind, approachable, and patient with me as I explained my situation. She also advised that the best option for me would be to take the break, regroup, and restart the next semester. While I agreed that may have been the best option for my mental health, I knew that, financially, I needed to do everything possible to try to finish the program in December.
She referred me to the director of the graduate nursing program, Dr. Jenkins. With little expectation, I poured my heart into an email to Dr. Jenkins; not full of excuses, but explanation and a plan of action.
Dr. Elbe and Dr. Jenkins so graciously allowed me to take my test late. From that day on, I reviewed my priorities and put my plans into action. Simple changes I put in place included adding the Canvas and Outlook apps to my phone and enabling notifications, and keeping assignment due dates on my Google Calendar and on my kitchen wall calendar. I also prioritized and categorized my time and strategically planned my weeks around school requirements
How do you stay motivated and balance life's demands while achieving your goals?
My biggest motivation is my family, and my faith in the Lord pushes me and enables me to keep going.
How will you use your degree, and what impact do you want to have on the world?
I plan to be a family nurse practitioner practicing in an internal medicine clinic in my hometown. I hope to promote preventative care and wellness in my rural community.
Have you been able to apply what you’ve learned in your program to your career or life?
In my role as a school nurse, one of my tasks was to track immunizations and ensure that all students remained compliant with state laws. I was able to use skills gained from the program to help parents understand the importance of immunizations and also understand the disease processes which they were protecting their children against.
What has the process of earning your degree or certificate taught you about yourself?
I am fully dependent on God, and He gives me more strength and grit than I thought I had.
What advice do you have for future students?
Check your priorities. Plan every single thing and give yourself grace. Strategically plan breaks and take care of your mental health. Give yourself brain breaks and embrace your faith!