Jaice Piper

Nursing Student Success in Garrett County!

Jaice Piper registered as a client with the Western Maryland Consortium in Garrett County in early 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic devasted the world. She was seeking assistance with funding for a Licensed Practical Nursing training program, and at the time not realizing the need and demand for nurses and other healthcare professionals that would soon be upon us.  Before coming to the Consortium, Jaice was underemployed, working as a Nursing Assistant in a local nursing home; she liked her job but wanted more.  Jaice needed assistance paying for training to become an LPN so that she could secure a better paying job and move up in the field of nursing. After her initial meeting at the Consortium, it was clear that Jaice was driven and ready to make this change in her life. She met eligibility requirements to become a client and qualified for WIOA funding to assist with her tuition and other fees for LPN school. Jaice continued her employment at the nursing home while she trained to become a Licensed Practical Nurse – all while overcoming all the obstacles presented by the Coronavirus pandemic. She worked hard and put the time in to graduate from her program on 12/19/2020. Before she graduated, she was offered a position as an LPN at the Western Maryland Health System in Cumberland, MD. It is Jaice’s goal to continue with her education at Frostburg State University to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and become a fully Registered Nurse. Jaice’s story is a reminder that with a little help and a lot of determination you can accomplish your goals and make a difference in the world.