Hailing from Chesney, Corentyne, Berbice, Nickesha has spent more than 13 years caring for others as a Registered Nursing Assistant. Nursing, to her, is not just a job, it’s a ministry of compassion. “I am very hands-on with my patients. I try to advocate for them, especially those who have attempted suicide or struggle with mental health challenges,” she shared. Her deep concern for the wellbeing of others inspired her to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology at the University of Guyana, even while studying at the New Amsterdam School of Nursing, where she is now completing her final year of the Registered Nursing (RN) programme.
Her journey back to school was not without challenges. Married at just 21 years old, and now in her 30s, Nickesha knew that balancing school, work, and family would be demanding. “It was
hard at first. My grades weren’t where I wanted them to be. I doubted myself,” she said. But she was blessed with encouragement from her sister, Mrs Natoya Ross-De Santos, a lecturer at the University of Guyana’s Turkeyen Campus, who never stopped believing in her.
“She kept telling me, ‘You are smart, you can do this,’” Nickesha said with a smile. “Some days I thought she was too hard on me, but now I see that it was exactly what I needed.” That encouragement, coupled with her faith in God, gave her the courage to keep going when things became difficult.
Nickesha’s academic path began with a Diploma in Psychology, but her lecturer, Ms Kendall, saw her potential and encouraged her to continue to the degree level. Taking that advice to heart, she enrolled in the Bachelor’s programme, just as she finally got accepted into the Registered Nursing course she had been applying to for years. “Both opportunities came at the same time. I decided I wasn’t giving up either of them. So I did both,” she related.
Balancing two demanding programmes was a challenge on its own, but Nickesha didn’t stop there. She was also required to complete a six-month GED programme through Amity University, which was fully online but still required focus and commitment.
Her schedule was packed: Thursdays were for RN practicals, weekends for intense studying for nursing school, and weekdays for UG. It was an exhausting routine, but she managed it through prayer and determination. “I was only able to do this because of God. There were times I wanted to quit, but God kept me going,” she said with pride.
Her husband, Kurt, played a key role in that journey. Even though his job has him stationed overseas, his love and support were constant. “He provided the finances for my travel from Corentyne to Turkeyen. When he realised how often I had to travel, he bought a car to make it easier for me to attend classes in Georgetown and return home safely. And whenever I said I felt like quitting, he told me ‘no’, reminding me that I could finish.”
Their children, Kiara (16) and Keifer (12), also became a part of their mother’s academic story. “They demanded good grades from me, because I demand good grades from them,” she said with a smile. Kiara often made sure her mother had a meal ready when she got home late at night, while Keifer would call her during her long drives to keep her company.
There were moments of guilt as well. “When my son was preparing for his Secondary School Entrance Examinations, I couldn’t help him as much as I wanted to. I got him a tutor, and he did well”. Now, she spends her evenings helping her daughter prepare for CXC next year. Through it all, her mother, Ann, was also a steady source of help and love, always ready to assist wherever she could.
Nickesha also found support outside her family. At work, her supervisor made special arrangements for her to take night shifts so she wouldn’t miss classes. “I worked strictly nights so I won’t miss any class during the day. I was going to work at nights and attending class during the day and I hardly slept,” She said. Among her classmates, she also found a small but strong circle of friends who encouraged one another and studied together.
As she prepares to celebrate 17 years of marriage next month and looks forward to her graduation, Nickesha’s heart is full of gratitude. “I thank God for everything. For my family, for those who encouraged me, and for giving me strength when I felt weak. It wasn’t easy, but with faith and support, all things are possible.”
Her story is one of love, discipline, and divine grace, a living example of how faith and family can carry a person through life’s most demanding seasons. And when she steps onto that stage in her graduation gown, she will do so as a woman who trusted God, leaned on her loved ones, and never gave up on the dreams placed in her heart. (Feature by the Department of Events, Conferences and Communication (DECC), Office of the Vice-Chancellor, University of Guyana)
