A gift to herself: Nursing graduate finishes degree in celebration of turning 40

May 16, 2025

Heather Yuill’s completion of her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree is not only a milestone in her academic career, it’s a 40th birthday gift to herself. 

Yuill’s spring 2025 graduation from Georgia Southern University is an investment in her future and the completion of a journey that began nearly two decades ago. 

“I think it was a combination of too much freedom and not enough responsibility — those things just did not mesh,” Yuill said of her first attempt at college. “I prioritized socializing, staying out late, not studying and things like that instead of academic aspects.” 

After taking a few years off, Yuill hadn’t given up on her dream of becoming a nurse. Drawing on inspiration from family members who worked in the health care industry, she decided to go to Savannah Technical College and pursue a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) degree, which she’s held for nearly 13 years. 

“An LPN was at least something — it was starting,” she said.

But it was around age 35, she recalled, when her dream of getting her BSN really began to take shape. 

“I was reflecting on how life had been and how I thought it was going to be, and I’m unmarried, so I thought about who would take care of me later in life. I thought ‘You know what, I need to take care of me,’” she said. 

“Going back to get my BSN was something I always wanted to do,” she continued. “I knew that I was the reason I didn’t get the first go around, so I wanted to rectify that. I felt like 40 is a pretty big birthday, so what can I give myself for turning 40? I’ll give myself that degree I always wanted.” 

Yuill began her time at Georgia Southern by completing her core classes online and then shifted to in-person classes on the Armstrong Campus in Savannah for major-specific, in-class lectures and labs. As the oldest member of her nursing cohort, she embraced a mentor role. 

“I have liked it because it kind of let me step into that caring, motherly role,” she said. “It’s about helping people out and showing encouragement because when we’re in our early 20s, big, big life events happen. I would say, ‘You know what? You will get through it.’”

Being a mentor in her cohort aligns perfectly with what Yuill enjoys most about the nursing field — helping others. 

“I love the aspect of being able to help people especially at difficult times,” she said. “Knowing that I can be that comfort person they can come to with problems. I like that nurses treat the person along with whatever else is going on.” 

Working full time as an LPN at a primary care medical office in Savannah presented challenges and benefits for Yuill. Balancing work with class was often difficult, but she had the support of her employer and a motto that got her through on tough days.

“I knew going into it that it was going to be hard, but I also knew there would be a timeline,” she said. “In retrospect, two years is a short timeline. It’s something that was going to be uncomfortable and it was going to be hard, but it wasn’t going to be forever. The benefit I am going to get from completing this is going to be a whole lot more important than the discomfort it took to get here.” 

Reflecting on her career and educational journey, Yuill feels confident about her future in health care.

“It’s a big accomplishment because it’s a hard program, but it needs to be a hard program because it is a challenging profession,” Yuill said. “We have to have the best of the best, you have to be able to know what you’re doing. And, personally, it validates that I could do it. I knew I could always do it.”