Tulsa Community College honored its most recent class of nursing graduates, celebrating the achievements of 115 students during a pinning ceremony in December.
TCC’s Nursing program continues to add capacity each semester through Fall 2027 to strengthen the nursing workforce in Northeast Oklahoma. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for registered nurses is expected to grow 6 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations. Demand for healthcare services is expected to increase due to an aging population that has more complex medical needs.
Among this year’s TCC nursing graduates is Rachel McCain. McCain returned to school in her 30s to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse while raising her young daughter. Through personal loss and life challenges, McCain found strength in her professors and classmates at TCC, many of whom became her lifeline during tough times.
Originally from Southwest Missouri, McCain earned her GED while living in Florida, where she was caring for a biological parent. When that relationship came to an end, she moved to Oklahoma to be closer to family. She met and married her husband, and they had a daughter.
“I really wanted to go back to school, and I was talking to my husband one night and he said, ‘For as long as I’ve known you, you’ve wanted to be a nurse’,” says McCain. She soon enrolled at TCC.
During her first semester, McCain was adopted by her aunt and uncle, who had helped raise her in Missouri. But shortly after, her uncle, whom she regarded as a father, tragically passed away during finals week.
“It rocked me to my core. But I’m so happy he got to adopt me and see me get into nursing school,” says McCain.
Amid this difficult time, McCain found strength in the community she built at TCC. Classmates brought her meals and professors checked in on her regularly.
“Nursing school got me through the hardest time of my life,” she says. “The friendships I’ve made at TCC have been life changing. They’ve shown up in times when I didn’t know if anyone else would.”
Rachel’s passion for nursing comes from her deeply held belief that everyone deserves care and love.
“I want people to know they are loved,” she says. “I think when most people hear the word ‘love’, they think of a romantic love. But you can love somebody just because they’re human and they deserve common decency.”
This fall, McCain accepted a position at Tulsa Spine and Specialty Hospital, where she will work with patients recovering from surgery. Her next goal is to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing by 2026. She hopes to one day become a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), caring for survivors of sexual violence.
McCain has embraced opportunities to grow as a leader and mentor at TCC. In addition to being a True Blue Lead student ambassador, she’s a member of Phi Theta Kappa and graduating from TCC’s Nursing program with honors.
Her advice to perspective students is simple. “Don’t be afraid to try something new. Don’t let fear hold you back from the community you could be a part of,” says McCain. “Push through the fear, and you’ll find people who will support you every step of the way.”
As she prepares to start her career as a nurse, McCain hopes her journey inspires others to pursue their dreams, no matter their age or circumstances.
