Chad DeShazo received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Kansas. After working at the Reading Eagle for almost 30 years as a photographer and systems specialist, he says he wanted a change. “I wanted to make a difference and make a deeper connection with people.” That is when Chad enrolled at RACC to become a nurse.
 
For Chad, RACC was his first choice. He was working full-time, had no medical experience and was even squeamish of blood and needles. “I wondered if I was really built for nursing, but after two semesters, I was able to put my fears behind me and run full steam through the program.” Chad was able to attend night classes and evening clinicals while obtaining his associate degree. “This was no easy task. The support I received from the entire nursing department was invaluable. They take their students under their wing and develop them into competent novice nurses.”
 
Chad, now a registered nurse at Tower Health Reading Hospital on the Heart Failure/Cardiac Telemetry floor, looks forward to mentoring RACC students when they do their clinicals. “During my clinicals, I was repeatedly told that RACC students are well trained and have a great work ethic. I understand that now more than ever and really enjoy working with RACC students. They are always well prepared, and it’s clear their instructors are teaching them well.”
 
Looking to the future, Chad has been accepted into an RN to MSN  degree program. Already having a bachelor’s degree benefits Chad and puts him on track for his graduate degree in nursing. Without the solid education Chad received at RACC none of this would be possible. “RACC’s faculty trained me to become the patient-centered, critical thinking RN that I am today. I can’t say enough about the great experience I had and without hesitation I would recommend RACC to anyone wanting to enter the field.”