Story: Lisa Sollie | Photo: Cody Ingram

For Meridian resident Tanesha Slocum, the belief that “nothing worth having comes easy” is more than a saying鈥攊t鈥檚 a way of life.

Pursuing an associate degree in nursing at the University of West Alabama, Slocum balanced service in the Army Reserve鈥檚 828th Battalion in Livingston with full-time college鈥攁ll while raising three children, welcoming a new baby and building a new marriage. On May 8, she added another title to her list: college graduate.

鈥淚 had a great experience at UWA, and I really loved my instructors and professors,鈥� Slocum said. 鈥淭hey invest so much time and energy into their students鈥� success. Even after I failed a class and had to sit out a year, they worked with me. They are always open to questions and willing to go over material when you don鈥檛 understand something, and I appreciate that so much.鈥�

That belief鈥攖hat nothing worth having comes easy鈥攈as defined every step of her journey and guided one of her most difficult decisions: choosing not to reenlist at the end of her contract and instead transition to full-time college.

鈥淓ven though I started the nursing program after I got married and welcomed my third child, I believe transitioning from the military was probably my greatest challenge,鈥� she said. 鈥淕oing from the consistency and stability of a steady paycheck to not working at all was difficult. Then we moved off the Naval Air Station in Meridian. It was a lot of change in a short period of time.鈥�

Curiosity about the university near the Reserve Center ultimately led Slocum to UWA. Her interest in nursing began earlier, while working in home health after an initial attempt at college in Florida didn鈥檛 work out.

鈥淟ife got in the way back then, but I had a grandfather who was a nurse, so I decided to apply at UWA and was accepted.鈥�

Slocum says discipline and her faith are what have carried her through鈥攁nd her husband and two older children helped as well.

鈥淚 was pretty young when I had them. My daughter is now 14 and my son is 13,鈥� Slocum said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e come a long way together. Throughout this whole process, they constantly tell me how proud they are of me. They let me know on test days that they鈥檝e prayed for me and that I鈥檓 going to do well. My daughter acts like a little mama, asking me if I studied, and then asking for my notes so she can quiz me.鈥�

Slocum has already completed a few prerequisites for the bachelor of science in nursing program at UWA and hopes to enter the program in October. Now she鈥檚 focusing on preparing for the NCLEX, the national licensure exam for registered nurses, and finding a job closer to home.

鈥淚鈥檝e been commuting for the past several years, first for work, and then for school. I鈥檝e applied to a few places here in town, and I鈥檓 just praying for direction on where to go,鈥� Slocum said. 鈥淚 know things are going to crank up for me now that both my older children will be at Meridian High this fall鈥攎y daughter in color guard and my son playing football. But I鈥檓 not stopping yet鈥擨 still have more to accomplish.鈥�