Student Profile

James Brausch - 45 James Brausch is a 45-year-old father of four from Latonia, Kentucky who, after being unemployed for 14 months following a downsizing layoff, decided to seek a new career in nursing, because he heard the field was stable. About the desire to succeed in school, he said: "Being out of work and having four children to feed and clothe was a huge motivator." About his experiences: "I'm looking forward to going back and taking some more classes and getting another degree. I am extremely happy the way this has turned out."

Twenty years working in the printing industry served James Brausch well until three years ago.

"I got caught up in a downsizing layoff and was out of work 14 months," the 45-year-old Latonia resident recalled.

Divorced and financially responsible for four children, it became apparent to Brausch that a career change was needed.

"At the unemployment office and in searching for a job, I kept seeing a lot of nursing positions advertised and very few printing positions advertised," he said.

"That gave me the impression nursing might offer some job security."

So, Brausch made a pair of important decisions two years ago.

He took a job at St. Luke Hospital as a nurse's aide and enrolled at Gateway Community and Technical College in the nursing program.

Tonight, Brausch will receive an associate degree in nursing at Gateway's graduation ceremonies at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in downtown Covington.

"I am excited and a little bit nervous," he said. "I feel I am as prepared as I can be to set out in a new career and be a success.

"I had an absolutely wonderful experience studying nursing at Gateway. I had a good relationship with the instructors and grew into a good relationship with my classmates."

Brausch has already arranged with St. Luke to continue working there as a nurse once he passes a certification board exam.

After graduating from high school in 1979, Brausch attended college three years but didn't graduate.

He said he had plenty of motivation to graduate the second time around.

"Being out of work and having four children to feed and clothe was a huge motivator," he said. "I was much more focused in my college work than I was the first time. I knew where I was going.

He said his biggest challenge was juggling the demands of family, school and a part-time job.

"Sometimes there just didn't seem to be enough time in the day to work and study and sleep and eat," he said.

Brausch said he received a lot of support from his four children.

"They were intrigued that I was going back to school to learn a completely new profession," he said. "They thought it was great that dad was going to be a nurse."

Brausch said his experience at Gateway was positive and he would recommend the school to others.

"I'm looking forward to going back and taking some more classes and getting another degree," he said. "I am extremely happy the way this has turned out."