Hauwa Bashir builds a future in nursing at Clover Park Technical College

By Jean Borst

Since coming to the U.S. from Nigeria 20 years ago, patient care has been a constant thread in Hauwa Bashir’s career. Now, she’s building her nursing future at Clover Park Technical College (CPTC) – while balancing full-time work, motherhood and college coursework.

Bashir began prerequisites for CPTC’s Practical Nursing Certificate in 2023 and entered the program in 2024. By January 2025, she was completing additional requirements for the LPN-RN Associate Degree in Nursing program, which she began that fall. She’s on track to graduate in December 2026.

“I’ve been at the college for four years – but not because I’m failing and retaking classes,” she said with a laugh. “I keep coming back because Clover Park Technical College offers so much more than academics.”

Growing through every role

Bashir entered the Nursing program with extensive experience across multiple roles.

She started as a home care aide, helping older adults manage medications and daily living tasks. From there, she trained as a phlebotomist, working in laboratories drawing blood. She later returned to school to become a clinical medical assistant before eventually working as an emergency room technician.

“As a tech, I was doing some of the things nurses were doing – but with limitations,” she said. “I thought, why not just go back to school?”

A college that stood out

When Bashir began contacting nursing programs, she initially thought she would attend another college near her home in Puyallup. But CPTC’s responsiveness and support were clear from the beginning.

“They got back to me immediately, and I was able to get an appointment right away,” she said. “The staff was available, approachable and willing to help me navigate the enrollment process.”

That support continued after she enrolled – and it extended far beyond academics.

“Across campus, everyone is willing to help,” she said. “When you need answers and people are there to assist, it goes a long way.”

But it wasn’t just the people. Campus resources proved crucial when Bashir faced challenges.

After class one day, she stayed on campus to finish coursework because her home internet service had been disconnected after she was unable to pay the bill. A fellow student told her about student emergency assistance at the college. After applying and providing documentation, her bill was paid.

That support has also covered other expenses, including her water and power bills. She has also used the CPTC Food Pantry and other campus services.

“There were times when it got so overwhelming I felt like quitting school,” she said. “But knowing that there are people out there who believe in students like me – and knowing that resources exist – gave me the strength to keep going.”

For Bashir, it’s been far more than financial help.

“It’s recognition and a vote of confidence that says, ‘We see your hard work, we see your struggles, we believe in you. Keep going – you’ve got this,’” she said.

Long days, bigger goals

Bashir’s schedule would challenge anyone.

She balances evening and Saturday classes with her full-time job as a practical nurse at Nisqually Corrections Center in Olympia. Working inside the jail’s medical clinic alongside doctors and nurses, she cares for people experiencing a wide range of medical and behavioral health issues, including injuries, detox symptoms and other urgent concerns. She also picks up shifts as needed at a rehabilitation hospital affiliated with Franciscan Health System, often putting in 12-hour days.

It’s a demanding rhythm of work and school that rarely slows down, but Bashir continues to meet with steady determination.

“It’s like the Bob Marley quote: ‘You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice,’” she said. “I have to provide for my children. I have to get up and do it.”

That drive hasn’t gone unnoticed. Bashir was selected as the student speaker to represent the Nursing program at the recent CPTC Foundation Scholarship Celebration – an opportunity she saw as a reflection of both her persistence and the critical assistance she has received along the way.

“It hasn’t been easy,” she said. “But the help I’ve received – the flexibility, the support – it’s made a difference.”

Learning together

Education has become a family pursuit. Bashir’s daughter is currently completing prerequisites for a nursing program at Pierce College.

“It’s exciting,” Bashir said. “She comes home and asks questions. She uses my books and notes — and even her friends tell her, ‘Ask your mom.’”

Advice from experience

After she earns her LPN-RN associate degree, Bashir plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing at the University of Washington, with the long-term goal of becoming a nurse educator. She hopes to one day teach at CPTC as part of giving back to the college.

Those goals are rooted in everything she’s learned over time – and in what she hopes to pass along to others. Her message to students who may be considering a pathway at CPTC is simple: “You can do it.”

In that same spirit, she encourages students to ask questions, stay curious and build connections with others – something she said was a huge help in her own journey.

“No one is an island,” she said. “You need people. Information is key, and someone might share something that really helps you.”

And even when it isn’t easy, Bashir said the biggest challenges often carry you through.

“For me, challenges became opportunities, setbacks became lessons, and persistence became my compass,” she said.