Annaleis Sloan was the first student in 2025 to participate in Miles Community College’s (MCC) Student Success Pathway, a program to help promising high school seniors prepare for the demands of nursing school. The pathway provides early mentorship, hands-on exposure to simulations, and a reserved seat in the MCC nursing program once prerequisites and entrance requirements are completed. That worked for Sloan, who in 2025 enrolled as a freshman at MCC. While most students spend their first year completing required general courses before applying to the competitive MCC nursing program, Sloan has already secured a pre-accepted seat through the Student Success Pathway.
The opportunity has helped Sloan begin her journey toward becoming a nurse with confidence, support and hands-on exposure to the profession.
“I’ve always been a natural caretaker,” Sloan said. “A lot of my personal beliefs align with what nurses do every day — empathy, compassion and service. Those are the three pillars that really led me toward nursing.”
Her interest in healthcare deepened during her junior year of high school after suffering an ACL injury that required nearly a year of recovery and rehabilitation.
“I spent about 12 months in and out of healthcare settings during my recovery,” Sloan said. “I loved the physical therapy side of things, but I realized I wanted to do more than just rehabilitation. Nursing offers so many different pathways, and it’s a great foundation for building a career in healthcare.”
Sloan first learned about MCC’s Student Success Pathway while attending a job fair during her senior year of high school. There, she met MCC Director of Nursing Dani Hudson, who introduced her to the program and encouraged her to consider applying. As the application deadline approached, Sloan received additional encouragement from MCC Nursing and Allied Health Programs Advisor Jill Olson, who helped guide her through the process.
“I wasn’t completely sure where I wanted to go to college or which direction I wanted to take,” Sloan said. “Jill reached out to me right before the deadline and helped me through the entire application. She was so supportive and gracious, and that made a huge difference.”