Sandra Jones

Thanks to some extra persuasion from her daughter, Sandra Jones is pursuing her dream career at Pueblo Community College Southwest.

“She told me the deal was, ‘If I do it, then you're going to have to do it with me,’” said Jones.

A family crisis ended up bringing Jones and her daughter, Cheyennon Baloo, to the Mancos campus of PCC Southwest. Several months after Baloo’s husband died unexpectedly, mother and daughter were driving toward Durango and saw the PCC sign. Jones suggested they take a look at the programs offered.

Jones has worked in the medical field for more than 20 years and always wanted to become a registered nurse. At age 53, the opportunity finally arrived.

Both women are enrolled at PCC Southwest – Jones in the Associate Degree in Nursing program and Baloo in the Licensed Practical Nurse program.

“The faculty here are just absolutely amazing and the other students that I've been able to interact with here are just amazing and it's going to be all worth it,” Jones said. “If you put your mind to it and you're willing to do it, anything is possible.”

Jones, who is Navajo, hopes to work with Utah Navajo Health Systems after graduating.

“I want to go and help my own people,” she said.

She’s grateful for the day trip that ended up helping her and her daughter create new life roads for themselves.

“I think it was the best decision that we ever both made because it saved (Cheyennon) from going into a depression state. She wasn't sure what direction her life was going to take her,” Jones said. “Now she's on an open, clearer path and her mind is occupied. … and I am finally pursuing my dream of being an RN. I'm enjoying every minute of it.”