Tamir Batchuluun

Making a U-Turn
Coming to Oakton gave Tamir Batchuluun, ’11, the confidence she needed to switch career paths.

I am a planner. After getting my bachelor’s degree in French from Missouri Western State University in 2009, I intended to get a master’s degree and embark on a career in international affairs. However, things didn’t work out the way I planned.

After graduation, I moved from Missouri to the Chicago area and I began having some doubts about my future. I realized that I really wanted to help people directly and I didn’t think that would be possible if I continued on a path in international affairs.

The nursing profession had always been in the back of my mind as my mom is a doctor and many of my friends are nurses. I decided to enroll in some pre-nursing and chemistry classes at Oakton to see if I would truly like to pursue a career in medicine.

At first, I doubted myself because I lacked a strong background in science. However, I gained self-assurance by working as student employee in the Division of Science and Health Careers. Faculty and staff taught me what to expect from a nursing career and also provided moral support. Being a student employee didn’t seem like a fair trade for all the encouragement and help that I received.

Now that nursing is something I definitely want to pursue, I’m excited that I’ll be transferring to Loyola University Chicago with plans to become a surgical nurse. Though I may have lost some time, I’m mature enough to understand what’s important in life.

Thanks to Oakton, I am sure of what I want to do professionally and that gave me the motivation to work that much harder. Oakton was a great fit and now I have so many people rooting for me as I move on!

Tamir Batchuluun, ‘11