This December, as families gather and graduates line up in their caps and gowns, Kathy Franco ’25 will take a walk that represents years of determination and hope.
She’ll cross the commencement stage at St. Ambrose University not only as a nursing graduate, but as a mother of five, a grandmother, a first-generation college student, and a woman stepping boldly into her second career in nursing.
“Walking that stage represents freedom to me. I’ve reached a milestone no one in my immediate family has experienced, and it truly feels like I’ve broken a generational mold,” Franco said. “This degree is opening a world of opportunity, and it’s only the beginning. So much is possible, which is great because I have big plans.”
That moment is the culmination of long nights studying after six-hour class days, early-morning clinicals, family dinners squeezed between exams, and a decision to return to school.
“If I can do something as hard as that, what can’t I do is kind of how I feel at this moment,” she said.
A Journey Years in the Making
Before pursuing nursing, Franco worked at Palmer College of Chiropractic. Her experience there led her back to school, and in 2015 she graduated from Palmer as a chiropractic technologist – a career she continued in for nearly a decade.
But even with a stable role in the chiropractic field, she felt a persistent pull toward something different.
“I’ve had a tug at nursing for many years,” she said. “When my parents both fell ill and ultimately passed away, there were moments where our interactions with nurses sat with me and still do until this day.”
Throughout her career, mentors encouraged her to keep expanding her skills. While working in chiropractic care, a doctor suggested she would make an excellent physician assistant. While completing prerequisite coursework to become a PA at Augustana College, her microbiology professor urged her to consider nursing instead.
“With their encouragement, I realized it would be the perfect time in my life to come to Ambrose,” she said.
Franco began her journey back to higher education by completing prerequisites at Black Hawk College and Augustana College. After fulfilling those requirements, she transferred to St. Ambrose in January 2024 to complete the final two years of her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. During that time, she also worked part-time as a patient care tech on a medical-surgical floor at a local hospital, gaining hands-on experience while balancing the demands of full-time coursework.
A campus tour confirmed she had found the right place. She met nursing advisor/recruiter Deb Frankie-Lasher, DC, and instantly felt at home.
“I fell in love immediately,” she said. “I toured the facility and just prayed about it and just knew that Ambrose was where I was supposed to be, and I have zero regrets.”
Finding Community as a Nontraditional Student
Franco admits she arrived on campus with hesitation.
“Some of these kids in my class are the same age as my own children,” she said. “I came in with this idea that I probably won’t connect with anyone. But nobody, not one person on that campus, has made me feel like I didn’t belong.”
Instead, she found deeper friendships than she ever expected. Her cohort became known for shared potlucks, study sessions, and showing up for one another through life’s challenges.
“My classmates were the unexpected, pleasant surprise. The friendships I made are something I will cherish forever,” she said. “I was able to have this really great college experience that I’ve always wanted to have and didn’t get 20 years ago.”
Faculty support was just as impactful.
“If it can be taught, I feel like it was discussed during lectures,” she said. “Faculty were phenomenal. I couldn’t have imagined a better experience.”
A simulation exercise last year helped her recognize her passion for emergency and critical care. In the scenario, a pregnant patient began hemorrhaging, and Franco instinctively stepped into a leadership role.
“Something just clicked,” she said. “It opened my eyes to the fact that I was really interested in that moment where you have to make split-second decisions in order to help save someone’s life.”
Balancing School, Work and Family
Franco completed her program as a full-time learner while raising her children, being an active grandmother, and holding a job outside of school.
“I have a very supportive family. I have a very supportive husband who would always step in when I needed him to,” Franco explained.
Nursing school required long days on campus and long nights at home.
“I’d spend all day in class and then come home and spend at least three to four hours every night studying,” she said. “Weekends as well. It took a majority of my time.”
Looking back, she marvels at how she made it through.
“Sometimes I don’t even remember how I did it,” she said. “It's a rigorous program that requires a very intense focus. It truly must have been by the grace of God.”
Her journey also inspired her children, several of whom have begun their own college paths.
“It’s a beautiful thing when your children can look at you and say they’re inspired,” she said. “It feels like I can really accomplish anything, and I’m inspired to do more.”
A Future in Emergency Nursing
Franco has accepted a position as an emergency department nurse at UnityPoint Health – Trinity Rock Island. She chose emergency care for its speed and daily challenges.
“I’m an adrenaline junkie,” she said, laughing. “I love that fast-paced, critical level of thinking you need in order to be a good emergency nurse.”
Working in the emergency department also supports her long-term goal of becoming a family nurse practitioner.
“Emergency care was the only floor that would expose me to learning how to assess everybody of all ages,” she said. “I plan on getting some much-needed experience before I begin my master’s studies.”
A Message for Adult Learners
Franco’s advice to others who feel pulled toward a new beginning is simple.
“Do it. Just absolutely do it,” she said. “There’s never going to be a moment where everything aligns 100 percent. But if there’s a tug and you can’t get it to go away, then it’s time for you to make the move. It’s worth it in the end, I promise.”
As she prepares to graduate, she reflects most fondly on the connections she built at St. Ambrose.
“I have found a sense of community that I didn’t think I would ever find, and that alone means the world to me,” she said. “Being able to walk away with the relationships I’ve built is truly everything.”
And as she steps into her future, she carries with her the confidence forged through challenge, faith, and community.
“If I can do something as hard as this,” she said, “there’s really nothing I can’t do.”
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