Pasco-Hernando State College Volume XIV, Issue II Fall 2020 | Page 21

STUDENT
PROFILE
Tiffany Wykle knows how to multi-task. As
a mother to two daughters ages one and
three, a full-time student, and a veteran, she
is always busy. But it’s the most rewarding kind
of busy. “Having a support system is important to
do it all. Having at least one person to remind you
why you’re getting up early, why you’re going to
school. It makes a world of difference,” she says.
Wykle has accomplished a lot for a 23-year-old. Her
love of helping others began early in life and as a
teenager, she found herself working as a certified
nursing assistant. While many other teens were
balancing high school with a part-time job, Wykle
was balancing school with a job that tested her
emotional strength. “I still remember being 17 and
having to be there when the first patient I worked
with passed away. You see the beginning and end of
people’s lives. It’s important to be resilient.”
That resiliency led her to a four-year commitment to
the Marine Corps. She retired as a sergeant radio
operator and then decided to return to
college. Wykle credits her success to
her supportive professors and her VA
representative at Porter Campus.
She said this opened the door
for her to join many clubs and
become an advocate for other
veterans and working mothers.
THE BALANCING ACT
Nursing is not for
everyone but I love the
feeling of being there
for others.
She received her degree in human services and is
now planning to begin her nursing degree in the fall
of 2020. Her passion for nursing runs in the family.
Her mother was a nurse and it inspired her. “Nursing
is not for everyone but I love the feeling of being
there for others.”
When Wykle returned to the classroom, her anxiety
came along with her. Something she has battled
her whole life. But with the support of her VA
representative and professors, she’s pushing back
that barrier. “Dr. Davina Jones helped support me
with my public speaking confidence and now every
time I see a volunteer opportunity to empower and
support other moms, I do.” She also gives back to
her community, donating personal hygiene items
to those who need them, and offering support to
mothers struggling with breastfeeding, something
she is very passionate about.
Wykle is an excellent example of a young woman
who has figured out how to balance
motherhood, school, and being a
servant leader in her community.
She attributes some of that to
PHSC, her college home. “The
professors have impacted
me in a professional and
personal sense, and I love
the atmosphere. If I need
something on the veteran side,
I know there will be someone to
help me balance it all.”
And balance it, she does. With
grace and a smile.
Tiffany Wykle in uniform.
Tiffany and her family.
FALL 2020 19