December 17, 2020
Story and photo by Joe Vinduska
Registered Nurse Eden Mulligan of Great Bend used Barton's services all the way from her high school equivalency degree through nursing school, and she now provides for her family with a job she loves.
It wasn’t an easy path. Mulligan overcame many hardships to get to where she is today.
Tragedy struck at the age of 16, when she lost her father in a motor vehicle accident. The toll of the loss, compounded by dysfunctional home life and alcohol abuse, sent her down a dark path.
“I found myself caring less and less about attending or being involved with the school setting,” she said. “Dealing with conflict amongst peers also caused extra anxiety when I did attend classes. I knew about Barton’s GED program and I was about to get in trouble for truancy, so I made a deal with my mom that I would have my GED by the end of the year if she signed me out permanently to avoid a court date.”
Mulligan completed her high school equivalency degree through Barton in 2004 within six weeks, and this was the start of progress for the troubled teen, but there would be more roadblocks along the way.
She ended up in foster care at the age of 17 and enrolled at Barton, but fell back into living a risky lifestyle and didn’t even complete her first semester. Life changed drastically for her over the next few years. She tried college a few more times but was unsure of the path she wanted to take. She spent most of her time raising three kids as a stay-at-home mom.
In 2015, the bottom of the oil industry fell out and her spouse lost his job. She knew she had to do something.
“I heard that Great Bend Health & Rehabilitation was offering to pay for Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) courses with a signed contract to work for them for six months,” she said. “I passed my CNA courses at Barton and realized that was my calling. I immediately went to Barton’s Center for Adult Education and inquired about enrolling in the nursing program. They helped me work through my financial aid issues as well as enrolling me - all in the first visit.”
Mulligan said being a mother made her realize that she is a natural caretaker and nursing was the perfect progression for her career. She completed Barton's RN program in 2019.
“Barton did a great job between lectures and clinical work in preparing me for the real world and honestly the transition was not that rough,” she said. “The program can be demanding at times, but the instructors were all wonderful and personable. They made the learning process easy by being accessible for questions and always providing resources. I gained lifelong friends through Barton’s program. I promote Barton’s nursing program to everyone that’s looking to continue their education. I even tell my teenage sons to consider it as an option in the next couple of years.”
At the end of the day, Mulligan knows her work has an impact and that is truly satisfying for her.
“I enjoy helping people and advocating,” she said. “Working here at Heart of Kansas Family Health Clinic, we help a lot of people with medications and referrals who normally wouldn’t be able to afford it. It’s rewarding and makes me feel like I’m making a difference in people’s lives.”
Mulligan lives in Great Bend with her husband and four kids. She is currently enrolled at Grand Canyon University Online and is working toward her bachelor’s degree in nursing.
Applications for the 2021-2022 school year are now open. Priority deadline to apply for the Nursing program is January 31, however, applications can still be received until March 1. For more information visit nursing.bartonccc.edu or contact Ashlie Thomas at (620) 792-9355 or thomasa@bartonccc.edu.