Amid the challenges of relocation and the trials of balancing family life, Atika Byrd’s journey at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College has been a testament to resilience, determination, and unwavering support.
Originally from Indonesia, Atika, along with her husband Roy and their children, embarked on a new chapter in their lives when they moved to Gulfport during the COVID-19 pandemic. Determined to pursue her educational aspirations, Atika found her path to success at MGCCC, thanks to encouragement from her husband and the reputation of MGCCC’s nursing program.
She dove into her studies, navigating the complexities of academia while shouldering the responsibilities of parenthood. “Without my husband’s support,” she reflects, “there is no way I could run a family this big and attend school successfully.”
Throughout her academic journey, MGCCC proved to be another source of support, offering invaluable assistance through student services and VA benefits, easing her path toward academic success.
“MGCCC has been a great support for me since the beginning of my prerequisite courses for the ADN program,” she said. “The student services and VA benefits office have been extremely helpful to me throughout this journey. They have provided me with guidance on how to process my documents in order to receive the benefits from the VA. MGCCC also offers an installment plan for tuition, which has been a great help for me.”
Her dedication and academic excellence were rewarded with her receipt of two scholarships: the Career and Technical Tuition Plus scholarship and the Claude and Mary Ann Boykin Nursing Scholarship.
At MGCCC, she was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, she participated in a nurse externship program at Singing River Hospital, and she also participated in activities with the Mississippi Association of Student Nurses. In addition, alongside her fellow nursing students, she educated students at Biloxi High School about the dangers of e-vaping, a program that was sponsored by the Alpha Delta Nu Nursing Honor Society at MGCCC.
As she prepares to embark on the next phase of her career, Atika landed a position as a Nurse Intern in the ICU department at Memorial Hospital in Gulfport. Reflecting on her journey, Atika expresses profound gratitude to her instructors for their unwavering support and guidance, acknowledging their pivotal role in her success.
“I cannot thank my nursing instructors enough for the encouragement and support I have received during my time at MGCCC,” she said. “They have looked out for me during the past two years and have even written me reference letters to help secure my job. I can’t say enough about how wonderful an experience it has been at MGCCC.”
