Emmy & Edwin’s Story

Mother and Son Chase Nursing Dreams Together

When Emmy and Edwin walk across the stage to receive their college diplomas, their biggest cheerleaders will be right there: each other. The mother-son duo, originally from Tanzania, encourage each other through the balancing act of working to pay the bills and long nights of studying as they both pursue the same dream of nursing careers.

“All the time we are a team,” Emmy said. “He always prays for me when I have exams. And I pray for him.”

Emmy, an ambitious mother, and Edwin, her soft-spoken 22-year-old son, attend different colleges, but they are united in their journey to join Minnesota’s healthcare workforce.

Finding their path through education

Emmy arrived in Minnesota with a college-level education from Tanzania, but like many immigrants, she needed to start her education and career over in the United States. Financial constraints and understanding new American systems, however, were barriers.

“I didn’t know how to start because I didn’t have the money (for classes). Then someone told me about the Institute and said the training is free!” Emmy said.

First, she practiced her English and learned job skills in the International Institute of Minnesota’s Nursing Assistant Training — the first step in making her nursing dream possible. After she began working as a certified nursing assistant (CNA), Emmy enrolled in the Institute’s College Readiness Academy.

She learned time management skills, how to write college-level papers and the importance of meeting deadlines. “It was a good class for me. College Readiness helped me a lot,” Emmy said.

It helped her so much that she suggested Edwin enroll, too.

“I told him, ‘You want to go anywhere in this world? Focus. You have to educate yourself,’” Emmy recalls. “My mom used to tell me ‘Education is a key of life.’”

Now, she passes that same motherly advice onto her son.

All the time we are a team. He always prays for me when I have exams. And I pray for him.

“She advised me and I listened to her. She said, ‘If you want to be a nurse, you can be a nurse. Nothing is impossible,’” Edwin said about his mom’s encouragement.

Emmy continues her work as a CNA in a long-term care facility while completing her associate degree to become a registered nurse. She plans to earn her Bachelor of Science next. Edwin is fulfilling his college pre-nursing requirements while working part-time in an Amazon warehouse.

Emmy plans to stay in the long-term care field after earning her nursing degree so she can continue taking care of seniors.

“I feel connected to them. I love my job. I love it,” she said. For now, Emmy enjoys CNA tasks like making sure a resident is clean and can fall asleep in a clean bed. “It makes me so happy.” She is excited to contribute even more once she is a registered nurse.

Supporting each other through the journey

Despite Emmy and Edwin’s success so far, continuing with college in a new country, in their non-native language, doesn’t come easy.

I love my job. I love it. It makes me so happy.

“Sometimes if you don’t encourage yourself to do better, you can lose hope and say ‘I’m going to quit. But I say, ‘no, I’m not going to quit.’ I have a goal. My goal right now is to become a nurse in the United States,” Emmy said.

Edwin shared that he, too, can become overwhelmed by the difficulty of living and studying in a new country. “It’s a different system. Everything is different. But when I came here, I just feel like, oh my goodness, I have to do it. Even though it’s hard, I can keep going.”

They turn to each other when they need extra encouragement.

“My mom, sometimes when I feel disappointed, she keeps reminding me ‘You have to do this. You have to be focused,’” Edwin said. “I really appreciate her. She’s the best mom.”

Emmy and Edwin also keep in touch with their Institute College Readiness navigator who helps them solve problems and stay focused on achieving their goals.

“International Institute is very good, very helpful,” Edwin said. “I didn’t know anything about courage, but now I’m encouraged, they help me a lot.”