Burn Survivor Makes RCC Nursing Graduation a Full-Circle Moment 

This article was written by Sara McCloskey, VCU Health News Editor, is reprinted with permission.

Eyes full of pride watched as Kendra Yates, 27, walked onto the stage in January (2024). It was Rappahannock Community College’s pinning ceremony for nursing students, and among the crowd were her fiancé, Michael, and her boys, 5-year-old Joseph and 3-year-old Josiah, who was born just weeks before Kendra enrolled in classes.  

But she wouldn’t have been there if not for one of the people pinning her. Katherine “Katy” Davis, M.S.N., R.N., a nurse clinician at the VCU Health Evans-Haynes Burn Center, was on the comprehensive burn care team that oversaw Kendra’s treatment after a serious motorcycle crash seven years earlier. 

“Your life doesn’t end because a tragic thing happens to you, right?” said Kendra, who had dreamed of returning to school to become a nurse. “[Your life] can continue and you can still accomplish your dreams. Even if it looks a little different than what you wanted it to be in the beginning, you can still accomplish it.” 

Kendra invited Davis and Michael Feldman, M.D., medical director of the Evans-Haynes Burn Center, to her pinning ceremony at graduation. The compassionate care she experienced at VCU Health, Kendra says, inspired her unending curiosity to pursue nursing. Today, it serves as an example for the kind of patient-focused care she wishes to give to others. 

Growing up in Middlesex County, Virginia, Kendra envisioned a career in health care, but after trying out school for a few semesters, she realized she wasn’t ready. While taking a break from classes, her dreams were nearly extinguished. 

A lover of motorcycles, Kendra, then 20, fell off a bike while riding as a passenger. The asphalt caused massive abrasions and cuts to her skin. The road rash covered most of her body, the lifesaving equipment of her helmet prevented injury to her face. 

“You know what it feels like to have a skinned knee. Imagine having that all over – all over your body,” said Davis, the nurse clinician. "You’re also losing a lot of fluids. It’s a lot of pain. [Kendra] lost a lot of blood.”  

The injury, which Kendra estimates covered 80% of her body, was so extreme it felt like a third-degree burn. She was admitted to the VCU Health Evans-Haynes Burn Center. While it wasn’t the injury the center typically sees, the clinical team knew exactly how to treat it. Click here to read the original article. 

Persistence Pays Off

Mariyah Bland, RN, credits Rappahannock Community College (RCC) for her success in nursing. “I learned so many great things while at RCC. Not just about nursing itself but about life overall and how to be well-rounded person,” said Bland.

 Mariyah shares that the biggest obstacle she had to overcome as a student at RCC was her own lack of confidence and feeling intimidated about applying to the nursing program. Instead of talking herself out of applying she finally decided it was worth it and if she wasn’t accepted, she could “get back up and try again.”

"Every instructor I crossed paths with wanted me to not just remember the   material but to really understand it and how it would make me a better nurse," she said. This holistic commitment to education highlights RCC’s dedication to nurturing not only competent professionals but well-rounded individuals. “The nursing program is very challenging, but I met with staff and fellow classmates to make sure I understood the information. I still use everything I learned in the program.”

Beyond academic and professional achievements, Mariyah acknowledges the formation of lifelong friendships that have evolved into a supportive family. “Graduating from RCC has brought me so many opportunities that I never saw coming,” said Mariyah. “I’ve been blessed to work in the two fields of nursing that I’ve always wanted to experience, one as a school nurse and now as a pediatric primary care nurse.”

From RCC to NN Shipbuilding

Fresh out of high school, Scott Pruitt, was unsure  which career path to pursue but he knew he needed some form of professional training or higher education. A resident of Lancaster County, Pruitt enrolled in nearby Rappahannock Community College to try his hand at different subjects. “RCC is a fantastic and cost-effective way to expose yourself to higher education and see what appeals to you,” said Pruitt.

Pruitt enjoyed taking classes and learning new things. Two years after high school he earned an Associate of Arts and Sciences degree in Psychology. Following up on his first degree, he spent another two years earning an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Electrical Engineering. He was also a member of RCC’s Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society. “The instructors at RCC are knowledgeable and passionate which enhances enthusiasm for the subject matter,” adds Pruitt. He found the coursework to be challenging with instructors willing to take time to help students work through problems, and share their wisdom.

His interest in electronics and engineering led Pruitt to pursue the Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) Design Co-Op program through a partnership with RCC while taking the classes for the AAS degree in Electrical Engineering Technology. That portion of his college education was paid for by the NNS Co-Op program. This opportunity and experience provided him an entry-level designer position at the Shipyard once he completed the degree. He worked as a piping system designer in the CVN21 aircraft carrier program (CVN79 Gerald R. Ford) for about five years he decided to apply to The Apprentice School as a pipe fitter. “I can say that the Apprentice School experience was transformative for me,” said Pruitt. “During my five years as a pipe fitter, I was able to work on the construction or overhaul of four submarines and seven aircraft carriers. The experience I gained and the connections I made along the way have been invaluable in my 15-year career at NNS.”

Pruitt’s advice to current and future students is to take time to get to know your instructors as people, especially those who have industry experience in a field in which you’re interested in pursuing. “If a college education is meant to propel you into a career, you should view your community college experience as the aiming portion of the launch,” he said.

NNS offers a wide range of career opportunities and as Pruitt attests, “You can do anything in the Shipyard.” Recently Pruitt was involved in the NNS Mobile Experience trailer showing high school students how ship building has evolved in using digital renderings and instructions and technology.

“The science and engineering faculty which I was fortunate to learn from all seemed to share a wonderfully dry sense of humor. Believe it or not, that probably helped as much as the coursework did in preparing me for a career in design and engineering,” said Pruitt. “Gain an understanding of the coursework but also of the actual work, and then you can confidently launch in the direction of your choice.”

More Alumni Stories 

RCC Baseball Players Return to Classroom 48 Years Later
 

Rappahannock Community College Student Fanning Wins Literature Prize 

RCC Alumni Damarius Pollard Receives Patent for Trailer Floor Protector