Meet Nour: You couldn’t guess how far she’s come

Nour first arrived in Minnesota as a teen immigrant in a forced, abusive marriage. The Lebanese young woman spoke little English, had no family or friends and no exposure to life outside the house. Today, however, it’s unlikely that her nursing patients at a local hospital would ever guess how far she’s come.

In 2013, Nour bravely left her marriage and moved herself and her children into a domestic violence shelter. She began improving her English and enrolled in the International Institute of Minnesota’s Nursing Assistant Training. Her first job as a Certified Nursing Assistant helped her become self-sufficient and support her family. She knew she could accomplish even more and went back to school to advance her nursing career. The Institute’s Medical Career Advancement program provided her with tuition assistance, one-on-one academic advising and employment support to encourage her journey toward success.

Nour persevered through school, studying, single motherhood and working full-time to first become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), and then to complete her Bachelor of Science to become a Registered Nurse (RN).

Through it all, with support and encouragement from the Institute, Nour learned to believe in herself. She wanted to show her children what was possible. And she wanted to prove to other girls, women and immigrants that they, too, can succeed.

“I get to choose my dreams,” Nour said. “I get to live them.”