Nontraditional students are WCTC students: Sherry Drinan '23, Nursing
At Waukesha County Technical College, more than 40 percent of students are nontraditional, meaning they are older than age 25. Their road to education may have been postponed or interrupted for any number of reasons, among them full-time work, caregiving responsibilities or a change in career. Recent Nursing graduate Sherry Drinan '23, is one of those students. Learn more about Drinan and the path that brought her to WCTC.
When Sherry Drinan divorced in 2015, she had spent most of her married life managing her household and caring for her four children as a stay-at-home parent.
"I did not have an impressive business work history, nor the retirement to go along with it. I knew if I wanted to create the life I desired, I needed to go back to school," she said.
Drinan earned two associate degrees (Advertising and Marketing) and a bachelor’s degree (Graphic Design) in 1995, and she became certified as a personal trainer in 2014. The latter focused on anatomy and physiology, and she developed a love for helping people become healthier. "Nursing seemed a very logical next step," she said.
In 2019 at age 48, she enrolled at WCTC. It was a new, but challenging, start. A few months before her general education classes began, Drinan suffered a minor stroke – but she persevered.
"I was determined I was going to have a viable and rewarding career," she said. "I needed to show my kids that you can grow and evolve at any point in your life, and sometimes you have to dig deep into your soul to find your strength."
Unfortunately, that strength would be tested again. As she was about to start Nursing courses, she was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer; treatment involved multiple surgeries and rounds of chemotherapy. Her health, plus school and other responsibilities, left Drinan feeling overwhelmed and defeated.
"I (went) through my entire Nursing school career waging the cancer battle," she said.
Despite wanting to give up, Drinan’s children raised her up, and she received tremendous compassion and support from WCTC faculty and staff. This collective encouragement shifted her mindset, helping her move forward.
Thankfully, Drinan’s cancer is in remission and she’s embracing her role as a labor and delivery nurse at Waukesha Memorial Hospital.
"If given the opportunity to do it all over again, I would choose WCTC again – without a doubt," she said.