by: Emma Fleming
Alexandra Wright-Butts, a nursing student here at Parkland College, was selected by faculty and staff as an outstanding black student for her academic excellence and involvement in the community. Wright-Butts is one of seven students selected for this award.
Wright-Butts said that she was shocked when she heard that she won this award. “I was honestly surprised when I got the email about the award,” she said. “I definitely wasn’t expecting it; it’s an honor to be nominated for black excellence and I am very much in awe.”
She also told the Prospectus how she celebrates black history. “I try to celebrate all the time and make sure that I am teaching my daughters about black history. I want them to know about the history of our country and the history of our family,” she said. Wright-Butts always wants to remind her daughters of their history; she believes it is important her daughters hear their story from her, rather than others.
The nursing student chose her field because of her daughters. “I’ve always been interested in the medical field and have never really known which direction I wanted to go until one of my daughters became sick,” Wright-Butts said. “I realized that nurses are the ones who are by the beside and provide support to the patient and patient’s family; I really thought that was something I would be good at.”
“I try to celebrate all the time and make sure that I am teaching my daughters about black history. I want them to know about the history of our country and the history of our family”
Wright-Butts has a specific nursing path in mind. She wants to work in a pediatric hematology and oncology department.
Currently, Wright-Butts works at Carle Foundation Hospital as a health care technician, where she has been working for a year and a half. “I work with the nurses to take care of the patients. I take blood sugars and vitals and make sure that patients are comfortable,” she said.
Along with working at Carle, Wright-Butts spends a lot of time collecting donations for the Ronald McDonald House. “The Ronald McDonald House provides a lot of support for families . . . I try to get donations every year on my daughter’s birthday; The Ronald McDonald House is near and dear to my heart,” she said.
Even though she stays busy with activities off campus, the Parkland student also stays busy on campus. Wright-Butts works for TRiO Student Support Services, a governmentally funded program that focuses on assisting students. “I try to get more students to apply and use the benefits we have like free tutoring, free printing, study spaces, and computers,” she said. “We [TRiO] also take trips to different colleges to give people the chance to see if that’s the college they want to attend.” Wright-Butts thinks that TRiO is a great service, and that more students should consider applying.
Although she’s loved working at TRiO, Wright-Butts’ favorite memory at Parkland involves her nursing community. “My favorite memory has been studying with my new nursing friends I’ve made over the last two semesters; it’s been the most fun,” she said. She mentioned that she gets together with her nursing friends for study nights, where they all meet at one person’s house, cook food, study, relax, and hangout.
As a recipient of the Outstanding Black Student Award, Wright-Butts has been acknowledged for her collegiate success. The Prospectus asked her to provide her tips for success: “I think that people need to realize that it’s not just about finishing, but about the journey and enjoying the little moments. School is stressful and you’re going to have moments where you feel like you can’t do it; if you concentrate on one thing at a time, and don’t worry about every little thing you have to do, you will achieve.”
Two people who have helped her achieve are her grandpa and grandma. “My grandpa was very much like a father to me,” Wright-Butts said. “He always told me to make sure that, no matter what I wanted to do, to try my hardest and give my best and that way I will never fail.”
The other person who inspires the nursing student is her grandmother, Shirley. “She was the sweetest person who would always show up to whatever event you had going on. She was really one of the nicest people I’ve ever known, and I look up to her in that respect,” she said. Her grandmother was also a nurse; Wright-Butts hopes to follow her grandmother’s example.
