Mosiah Wilson
Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing
Mosiah Wilson was born in Jamaica. After being abandoned as a child, he and his siblings were left in the care of an orphanage. Mosiah was not able to attend school until he was 16 years old. After being involved in a horrific accident where he was hit by a truck, Wilson had a lengthy hospitalization, an experience that would change his life. During his stay in the hospital, he began to see the care that nurses provided to patients and became interested in the field. “When I was hospitalized I received very good care from all of the nurses,” stated Wilson. “After being abandoned as a child I didn’t have anyone who cared for or advocated for me. These nurses provided care and all seemed very motherly with me,” he continued. He was intrigued by the profession but instead pursued education in business and the culinary arts; for Wilson, the Jamaican cultural view that nursing was a woman’s profession kept him from pursuing his true interest.
After meeting the woman who would become his wife, he migrated to Washington State on a fiancé visa and settled in the city of Stanwood. He worked as a chef but never lost his interest in nursing as a career, and soon discovered in his newly adopted country that both male and female nurses were respected. Wilson made the leap, enrolling at Skagit Valley College to begin his pre-requisite coursework. After completing his pre-requisites he was accepted to YVC’s Nursing Program.
Before Wilson started at YVC, he made the decision to undergo a surgical procedure on his jaw, to correct issues related to the injuries he suffered as a child. He began his studies unable to speak while recovering from the invasive procedure. After struggling the first quarter, he was able to overcome this adversity and succeed academically. He credits some of his success to the YVC faculty. “I really like the instructors in YVC’s Nursing Program. They are not just instructors, but our advisors as well, which makes it easy to connect with them. There are six instructors and all are very unique, which is good. They provide clear expectations about what you need to do to be successful in the program. The program is built in layers to help students learn material. I’ve felt like they have been preparing me every step of the way to become a nurse.”
Wilson graduated with his associate of applied science degree in nursing in March. He plans to return to Stanwood, where his wife and two young children live, and is applying for entry in a bachelor’s degree program. He is also working to bring his 14-year-old son to the US. He hopes to someday earn a doctorate in nursing degree and work in an emergency room. Ultimately, he dreams of returning to Jamaica and working with his brother to open a clinic in their homeland.
