Ever since she was a student at Oshkosh North High School, Katelyn Bertrand has been interested in going to college. Though she wasn’t able to start her higher education right after high school, she was eventually able to pursue this goal at Bay College’s Iron Mountain campus.
After graduating from high school in 2017, Katelyn spent a few years working as a certified nursing assistant.
“I wanted to go to nursing school, but life just happened—affordability was difficult,” she said.
However, things started to change for Katelyn a few years later.
“Then COVID hit, and I moved up here to be closer to my mom,” she said.
While being closer to family was a significant factor behind Katelyn’s decision to move, she also hoped to take nursing classes at Bay someday.
“I’ve been interested in nursing for as long as I can remember … part of my reason for moving up here was to get access to nursing school,” she said.
Katelyn started seriously thinking about this possibility in the spring of 2022.
“I was working in a factory setting, and I wanted to move forward from that,” she said.
She felt Bay would be an excellent place to study nursing for several reasons, including its affordable tuition rates and small classes.
“The small class sizes appeal to me because I feel like I always have someone cheering me on, whether it’s an instructor or a classmate that I interact with all the time,” Katelyn said.
The location of Bay’s Iron Mountain campus was another perk for Katelyn.
“I live about 10 minutes away from campus,” she said.
Katelyn began taking classes at Bay during the Fall 2022 semester. Today, she’s a college sophomore—and though her classes haven’t always been easy, she hasn’t had to face any obstacles alone.
“Nursing school is definitely a challenge, but I always have people supporting me,” she said.
As part of this, she said her instructors were still there for her when she had to retake a few courses.
“My teachers were very encouraging when I came back to their classes for a second time,” Katelyn said.
Katelyn also said she has continued to have positive relationships with her teachers after finishing their classes.
“I feel like my teachers are available for me for future letters of recommendation, or even if I need help figuring out my next steps in education,” she said.
Furthermore, Katelyn has made meaningful connections with her fellow students during her time at Bay.
“My experience on campus has been very inviting—I’ve made some awesome friends,” Katelyn said.
In addition to her studies, Katelyn is a tutor at the Student Success Center. There, she tutors anatomy and physiology through the college and works as a peer mentor through the TRIO Student Support Services Program.
“Tutoring is very fun. It connects me with other students on campus, which also motivates me to get my degree,” she said.
Outside of classes and tutoring, Katelyn has had opportunities to express her artistic side as a Bay student.
“I enjoy doing creative things here at Bay College. In fact, some of my art that I made is in the counselor’s office,” she said.
As part of this, she has gotten involved with creative events around Bay.
“I’ve been asked to help lead crafting events here on campus, and I’d like to encourage my fellow classmates to go to those events,” Katelyn said.
Currently, Katelyn expects to graduate from Bay in 2026 with an Associate Degree in Nursing.
“I have so many dreams of what I can do beyond Bay,” she said.
Specifically, she hopes to earn her bachelor’s degree and find work in the research or education fields.
For the time being, Katelyn is focused on earning her associate degree. She said her teachers and other people at Bay have gone a long way in helping her work toward her future in nursing.
“Being at Bay College has helped me understand that it’s okay to ask for help and search for resources if I need them,” she said.