Not every U of A student studying in an online degree program serves on a state board governing their profession.

Lakisha Young of Little Rock didn't hesitate when her principal at Little Rock Christian Academy, where she works as a school nurse, nominated her for a position on the Arkansas State Board of Nursing.

The board's mission is to protect the public and act as their advocate by effectively regulating the practice of nursing. Thirteen members are appointed by the governor to serve four-year terms. They meet regularly to set regulations for the nursing profession in Arkansas, assist with the development of nurse-education programs and hear disciplinary cases involving nurses.

Young is enrolled in the L.P.N. to B.S.N. online degree program offered by the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing in the College of Education and Health Professions at the U of A. She credits staff at the private school where she works for the flexibility she needs to balance work, school and family responsibilities — and now serve on the Arkansas State Board of Nursing.

Young finds serving on the state board rewarding, she said, because of the feeling of serving both her profession and the public. Board members are committed to moving the profession forward, she said. At the same time, they want to be fair when nurses come before them for disciplinary hearings, she said.

"I'm seeing it from a different side now," she said. "It's a learning experience. It makes you appreciate how hard nurses work in their careers."

Young earned her LPN in 2008 from Baptist Health School of Nursing in Little Rock. She worked in pediatric nursing for 10 years before joining the nursing staff of Little Rock Christian Academy.

She wanted to be a nurse since she was a young girl, Young said. After becoming a licensed practical nurse, she always wanted to further her education.

"I knew that wasn't my stopping point," Young said.

But she couldn't find the right time to go back to school while raising five children with her husband, who is a teacher and coach. Then, when the COVID-19 pandemic started in early 2020, she decided it was time.

"Online was perfect for my family and my life," she said. "It worked with my schedule."

Fernanda Zayas, a clinical nursing instructor who coordinates the online B.S.N. program, has taught Young in two classes.

"She is very dedicated, determined to reach her goals and has an amazingly positive attitude," Zayas said. "She is a great example of the tenacity that I see in our online students."

Young plans to walk across the stage at the U of A commencement in December 2025. She will feel "accomplished, but not finished," she said.

"I get emotional thinking about it," she said about the milestone. "It has not been an easy journey, and I want to walk because this is a dream I have wanted to fulfill, to get a degree. And, I will keep going. I will continue my education. Some things got delayed but not denied."

She plans to immediately go into the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, also offered online by the U of A.

When she first pondered an online nursing degree, Young said, she was skeptical.

"I thought, 'How am I really going to learn,' but the experience has been wonderful," she said. "The faculty have been really so, so helpful. I encourage anyone interested or having second thoughts, to try it. They really help you. They want you to succeed."