Chandler Anderson saves lives. It’s a journey he began as an eight-year-old nervously adjusting to life at his grandmother’s because of his mother’s critical illness and subsequent six-month hospitalization. Chandler’s dad was nervous, too—so much in their family had changed.  Gone was the Monday night ritual of father and son watching TV wrestling together as young Chandler cheered excitedly—he was forced to take time off his job to help care for Chandler’s mother. Something else was gone, too—household income.

Enter the Life Savers—the nurses who were caring for Chandler’s mom. They realized Chandler’s dad was worried he couldn’t buy his son any Christmas presents, and they also knew how much Chandler missed watching TV wrestling with his dad on Monday nights. Their solution? They tag-teamed the dilemma with something more powerful than the strength of Hulk Hogan---the human spirit.  Chandler remembers, “They bought me so many wrestling figures and things my dad could not even carry them home. It was this compassion and the dedication to caring for the whole family that influenced me to become a nurse.”

That life-changing event sparked Chandler’s dream to make a difference in people’s lives by being a nurse. TBR Campus Collaborative is honored to help him realize that dream. Nominated in 2004 for the Tennessean’s Nurse of the Year Award, Chandler understands the need for flexibility. The flexible online format of the program is enabling him to complete his Master’s of Science in Nursing degree in far less time than it would have taken him work around the rigid schedules of traditional graduate school classes. Chandler smiles, “The online version has allowed me to achieve this success much earlier than a traditional program would have.”

“I have always been passionate about learning. As a child I devoured books and loved the places they could take me. The same is true with learning as an adult. True learning always takes you somewhere new. It opens doors to places you have dreamed about.” And for a time, becoming a nurse was only a dream for Tamara. Good thing Tennessee Board of Regents Campus Collaborative specializes in helping achieve dreams.

“As the first person to even graduate from high school in at least four generations of my family, let alone aspire to a university undergraduate and then a master’s degree, I faced not only the roadblocks of finances and time, but also the personal doubts and fears regarding whether or not I even had what it takes to learn the required material. I started out full of those doubts and fears and each step I took forward gave me more confidence. I amazed that I am one semester away from a master’s degree…it is huge to me!”

Has it been easy? No. Is it worth it? Just ask Tamara.  She was a single parent until just recently, but her new husband is in the military and is serving in Iraq. That still leaves her doing many things herself. So how does she cope?  “ When I am feeling overwhelmed and feel like giving up, I just picture all my children in the audience as I walk across the stage to receive my degree. That has carried me through some difficult times.”  As the mother of five boys and two girls, all under 16, she knows the meaning of time management.  She also knows about determination coupled with deep compassion, and it shows in her nursing.

Tamara loves her job as an RN in Skyline Medical Center’s state of the art Neuro Intensive Care Unit. She’s also excited about her upcoming internship there. She loves how she was able to work her school schedule around her job and family schedule.
What kind of program offered enough flexibility for Tamara to get her degrees, even with the impossible schedule of seven kids—one of whom is completely disabled, football practices, homework, a full time nursing career and a new husband? TBR Campus Collaborative.  What kind of person does all this?  The kind of person who adopts a young child who was left completely physically disabled and mentally impaired because of Shaken Baby Syndrome. Where others see hopelessness, Tamara sees inspiration. “Michelle has been the inspiration for the work I do in child abuse prevention.”

Some believe there’s a country song in each of us. Just ask RaChelle Bennett. This singer/songwriter met her future husband at Nashville’s landmark Bluebird Café while singing country music. Maybe she likes country music because it speaks to life’s experiences—both joys and disappointments.  And what you do with those disappointments often makes the difference.

RaChelle knows about that first hand. While working as a nurse, she injured her back and was in great pain. A neurosurgeon at the hospital warned her that continuing her work as a nurse on the floor may not be a good option because of the chance of re-injury. RaChelle remembers, “I really loved my job, so this was a big disappointment. But I also realized it was a great opportunity to finally pursue my advanced degree and work as a Nurse Practitioner and eventually become a Nurse Educator.” Faculty members had encouraged RaChelle, an undergraduate Presidential Scholar, to continue her education and pursue a graduate degree. Now TBR Campus Collaborative could help turn her disappointment into an opportunity.

RaChelle’s back injury wouldn’t allow her to sit for long periods of time or carry a heavy book bag, so online education became the obvious choice. When it came to choosing the right online program, she chose TBR Campus Collaborative. She knew the quality of instruction was outstanding and the flexibility was exactly what she needed. She does most of her classwork in the evenings, after her toddler is in bed. RaChelle knows that without the flexibility of TBR Campus Collaborative, getting her Master of Science degree in Nursing “ would have been much, much, much more difficult and I would have missed valuable quality time with my daughter.”  

Sharon Van Wicklin makes beautiful music wherever she goes. Whether it’s playing keyboards and singing with her musical ensemble or taking care of patients as a perioperative registered nurse, she always has a song in her heart. But when she tried to sign up for traditional college classes to complete her Master’s Degree in Nursing, she kept hitting a sour note—she often needed to take classes that were already filled to capacity, or she found the classes she needed were offered at times that were impossible to fit into her schedule.

But when her faculty advisor told her about  TBR Campus Collaborative, it struck a chord: “ I found the courses to be excellent and comparable in every way to those offered by the university,” Sharon recalls. And the flexibility offered by program really hit all the right notes for her.

Sharon loves the easy-to-use online format, because it “allows me to attend class after work, at home, in my PJ’s, with my dog on my lap.”

Something else that harmonized with her busy schedule: the diverse insight offered by faculty from all over the state “gave me a sense of what instructors from other universities are like.”

For Sharon Van Wicklin, TBR Campus Collaborative “was a wonderful reminder to me of all the reasons I became a nurse in the first place. It made me proud to be a nurse.” Her compassion really comes out when she talks about what nursing means to her: “I truly want to make a difference in the lives of my patients,” she says. 

Frank Horton's shoulders glisten as he punches the heavy leather bag suspended from the ceiling. Watching him box, it's hard to imagine him having anything but respect. But on his job as a computer programmer, that's exactly what he was experiencing. “I wasn't getting the respect I deserved,” he remembers. “When my boss came to me over and over asking basic questions about network makeovers and other elementary issues, I started thinking about moving up, because I knew the answers to the questions. I started thinking about my degree-that was my moment of determination. I had the experience, but no degree.” Frank knew that without his degree, particularly in the information technology field, he was going down for the count. But he wasn't about to let his lack of education be a knockout blow. He stepped back into the ring and into the Regents Online Degree Program-Campus Collaborative.

He found the flexibility to complete his education while still working full time. And he found even more than that–the respect he deserved from his peers and associates in the information technology field. “This is the best step toward getting your degree, furthering your education and self-gratification,” he smiles. “It gives you the edge when jockeying for that position getting a job,” he nods. And it helps to know that the online instructors are in your corner, too. “All my teachers were very responsive…they completely understand the online process,” he adds.

“I wouldn't have changed anything…it's one of the best experiences I've ever had. I loved it!” he says excitedly. Are you like Frank--ready to take another swing at college? Lace up your gloves and step into the ring with RODP-Campus Collaborative.