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Returning to college is never easy, especially after earning your first dual degree over a decade ago and returning home from the military. Gregor Rose, age 36, was determined to do more with his life and find a way to help his fellow service members dealing with physical and mental health issues.
While on active duty in the Navy, he was trained to work as a combat medic, which set him on a path to nursing. “Military training is excellent, but I wished that I could do more in emergency situations. I just felt like I didn’t have the knowledge just yet – I needed more training and the right tools.”
It wasn’t until he joined the Navy Reserves and moved to Lakehurst, NJ, with his young son, that his dreams started to become a reality. Already holding a dual degree in Economics and Statistics from the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, he knew he wanted to pursue a different path.
“After seeing what my friends went through in the military that could have been avoided, I knew I wanted to go back into the military and be a nurse,” he said. “If anybody could make a change, it should start with me.” His decision was also shaped by his close relatives, specifically his mother and sister, who are both nurses.
Gregor noted that the clinical experiences he had at GCU were amazing, including working with top-tier patient simulators. “The nursing program has great advanced technology tools, the manikins we used for simulations gave us hands-on experience, and when we went to the hospital to do actual clinicals, I was well prepared, and it made for a seamless transition.”
According to Gregor, the values practiced in the military and the Mercy core values were similar; the only difference was the attention to empathy, a skill GCU helped him hone.
“I realized I was lacking empathy when it came to medical practice in the military. I never considered the emotional turmoil of what they [Sailors/Marines] were going through,” he explained.“One of the greatest things I took away from GCU was learning how to put myself in people’s shoes in a more personal and emotional way, and how to maintain an emotional connection and nurture it.”
Gregor noted that going back to school and caring for a child at the same time has been challenging, but his fellow classmates motivated him. “Being with a younger population and seeing them strive to be in a greater position with so much more energy is something that is motivating. It gave me the extra push to continue to compete and step up my game.”
He also received a lot of support from the university community. “There are committed faculty members who dedicate their time and energy to making sure you’re getting the knowledge you need in order to be successful in the field.”
And, he found inspiration from Dr. Jennifer Bradle, M.S.N., a Clinical Lecturer/Coordinator at the Hackensack Meridian School of Health and Wellness at GCU, who taught the labor and delivery course. “She showed me that sometimes it’s not necessarily about what your interests are, but knowing that information can come in handy later on in the future,” he explained. “I would love to be like her: inspiring.”
Gregor also praised GCU’s focus on helping military members and their families through the Office of Military and Veterans Services, led by Director Dr. Joshua Burns.“He was always there for me and ready and willing to help with whatever I needed; books, financial aid, questions about the GI Bill. I truly appreciated his help.”
Now that he has earned a B.S. in Nursing, he is preparing for the NCLEX in July 2025. He plans to continue participating in the residency program at Hackensack Meridian Health for a year to gain more experience. He also has high hopes of going back to school to become a Nurse Practitioner in Psychiatry. Then, he hopes to return to the military as a nurse to provide resources to sailors and marines.
“At this stage of my life, earning this degree is one of the most monumental achievements for what I intend to do with my experience and my degree,” he said. “This has been life-changing.”
