Luci Matthews

Student

A few years ago, Luci Matthews went through Bay College’s Nurse Aide training program in order to become a certified nursing assistant (CNA). Now, she has since returned to the school with the goal of earning additional nursing credentials.

In 2015, Luci graduated from Marquette Senior High School. Then, she started her college education—but it didn’t take long for her plans to change.

“I went to Central Michigan University and dropped out; then, I took a year off from school before going to Northern Michigan University. After that, I took a couple more years off and did nursing assistant work. But I wanted to get paid more for it, so I went to Bay to get my certificate,” she said.

Luci went through Bay’s three-week training program for nursing assistants during the summer of 2020.

“I got hired at Norlite Nursing Center after I got my CNA, and I’ve worked there ever since,” she said.

Then, Luci returned to Bay for the fall 2023 semester to pursue a practical nursing certificate.

“Now that I have a job in place, I’m able to go back to school and do the things I want to do,” she said.

According to Luci, her current career goal is to find work as a dermatologist.

“My father is a pathologist—as part of his job, he studies skin under a microscope. I always found that interesting. Along with that, my grandma was an ICU nurse in New York for drug-addicted babies, so it kind of runs in the family,” she said.

She said Bay has already proven to be an excellent place to work towards her certificate, largely due to its class sizes.

“I like that they have smaller classes, so you’re able to get more information about things and your instructors pay attention to you more,” Luci said.

Luci hopes to obtain her practical nursing certificate at Bay in the relatively near future.

“I want to get into the LPN program and graduate after that—it’s a two-year program. Then, I want to get my degree in dermatology once I’m making enough to pay for it,” she said.

Once she has her certificate, Luci intends to seek work in the field, possibly at UP Health System – Marquette. But whatever the future holds for her career, she said she is glad to have an opportunity to build a life of her own.

“Me and all my siblings are adopted—I came from Russia, actually. It’s good to get a second chance,” she said.