Nursing program for career changers graduates first class: ‘I wanted more out of life’

There are many reasons to want to change careers and become a nurse. For Kate Herrera, it was the call to make a difference, to travel to parts of the world in need of better health care, and to follow in the footsteps of her grandmother, who worked as a nurse in Mexico.

"I wanted more out of life," Herrera said. "I had a sense of what a nurse could be and was inspired by the stories my dad would tell me of how my grandmother worked as a nurse when he was growing up. I've been in office jobs sitting all day, and realized I don't want to do this. I want to use my nursing skills to help people."

Herrera, 46, of Batavia, Illinois, was part of Aurora University's first graduating class in the Direct-Entry Master of Science in Nursing program. The graduate entry to nursing practice program, which debuted in fall 2022, is designed for individuals without a nursing background who have a bachelor's degree in another field and want to enter nursing with an advanced degree.

"AU's direct-entry MSN program is a great option for anyone with a bachelor's degree thinking about switching careers to nursing," said Zeb Koran, director of graduate nursing studies and assistant professor at AU (pictured above presenting Herrara with the Clinical Excellence Award). "Students not only receive a strong nursing education, but they also graduate with a master's degree, giving them an edge in the job market."

During the intensive, two-year accredited program, students complete coursework in leadership and healthcare policy and gain hands-on experience working alongside nursing faculty at top area hospitals. Upon graduation, they're qualified to seek licensure as a registered nurse.

Of the 22 students who graduated this summer from the program, 15 identified as first-generation college students and 20 were the first in their family to receive a master's degree. The students were from a variety of backgrounds, including business, the arts, and biochemistry.

Like many of her classmates in the MSN program at AU, Herrera was drawn to its flexibility, which allowed her to earn the degree while balancing other life demands.

"It was a sacrifice and stress on our family, but the way the AU program is designed, it worked really well for me," Herrera said. "I was able to juggle all these things-be a parent and work a part-time job and go to school-with my husband's support."

Herrera passed her licensing exam in September and starts in November as a pulmonary recovery nurse at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in downtown Chicago. Her goal is to eventually work in an intensive care unit and to get involved with an international humanitarian organization such as Doctors Without Borders to deliver emergency medical aid to people in crisis.

"I have a lot of respect for the profession," Herrera said. "Nursing for me is about lifelong learning and helping people."

Applications for fall 2025 are open. For more information, visit aurora.edu/msn.

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