Cumberland Campus Student of the Month

Carrie Creech

Carrie Creech’s decision to pursue nursing was shaped by two constants in her life: her family and her community.

A mother of four and set to graduate in May, Creech is the January Student of the Month for the Cumberland Campus. She entered the nursing program with a strong interest in biology and a desire to advocate for patients at her local hospital.

She credits instructors Rachel Brock-Childress, Kassandra Hampton and Stephen Morton for their support, but says her greatest motivation comes from knowing her children are watching her work through challenges.

“My kids are my biggest motivation,” Creech said. “Knowing they’re watching me push through hard things keeps me going, especially on the toughest days.”

That sense of purpose carried her quickly into clinicals, where she found herself drawn to medical-surgical nursing and the fast-paced nature of patient care. Along the way, there have been moments of intensity — and humor. During one early-morning clinical check-off, Creech and her classmates brought so much energy to the task that the bottom of a hospital bed came loose during setup.

“We brought a little too much energy to that early-morning clinical,” she said with a laugh.

Outside the classroom, Creech works as a nursing support coordinator at Harlan ARH, serves on the hospital’s Employee Advisory Council and balances school with raising four children. She has already accepted a position in the Harlan ARH emergency department after graduation and plans to begin her bachelor’s degree this summer.