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Tatiana Bradley drives to ˮ���� from her home in St. Paul every Tuesday for her in-person Education classes. With other college options much closer to home, some might wonder why she chose ˮ����, but for Bradley, it was an obvious choice after a campus tour.

“When I started looking at colleges, I wanted to have an on-campus experience at first to get the feel of it,” Bradley explained. A friend of the family told her about ˮ����, and that prompted the tour. “I kind of just fell in love with the place. I love that everybody is so sweet and kind and nice.”

With a drive to help others, when she applied to ˮ����, she decided on a nursing major. At the time, Bradley was staying in St. Cloud, taking classes, and working toward a career in healthcare.

Her path changed when her grandfather caught covid and passed away in 2021. After that experience, she knew then that she wouldn’t be able to handle the losses that come with a nursing career; it wasn’t going to make her happy.

But staying in a field that helps other was important, and after reflecting on her time helping her cousins in after-school programs, Bradley decided that teaching elementary education was the right fit.

Teaching in Minnesota requires a bachelor’s degree, but Bradley would be able stay at ˮ���� for two of those four years: the Elementary Education Transfer Pathway was the perfect fit for her. Plus, she really enjoyed the atmosphere at ˮ����—it’d been an easier transition for her, getting the feel for college and classes in a smaller environment than a university.

She moved back home to St. Paul and took most of her classes online, coming to ˮ���� for her in-person classes. Now she’s set to start an internship in November and has already applied to Metropolitan State University to transfer once she’s finished the transfer pathway.

As for the transfer experience, Bradley said it has been really easy, especially with help from her Academic Advisor, Kelsey Stacken.

“It’s gone amazing. After nursing not going so well, Kelsey helped me step by step where I needed my classes,” Bradley said. “With transferring, it’s just been an easy process with her. It’s really not that hard if you want to transfer.”

After finishing her bachelor’s degree, Bradley is open to teaching anywhere in the state, but being a part of a community and offering a safe place for children is important.

Growing up, she struggled with ADHD and a speech impediment. With support from her teachers and Title I, her life was significantly easier. “I wouldn’t be here without my school’s help and these programs to get me where I’m at,” she noted.

 Along with her family “hype squad,” Bradley always knew she would succeed. She wants her students to have the same support and ability to flourish like she did.

“I don’t want them to feel like they’re alone. I just want them to know that as long as you put in the effort, step by step, you’re going to do amazing, amazing things.”