Most people go through everyday life thinking their lives aren’t all that interesting. ƹƵ nursing student Emma Marett is one of those people. But the truth is, she’s had an unconventional path to RCBC.
Born in New Jersey, Marett and her family moved all around the country, starting when she was just two years old. She ended up living in San Francisco, California—it was a different city, a cool place, but amidst a homeschooling life, friends and connections were scarce. Still, she remained strong through a mental health journey and finally began to blossom into a different person when she enrolled in a small high school during her senior year.
After graduation, while most were planning their college career, Marett faced a roadblock. She was hospitalized for anorexia nervosa and had to commit to recovery through residential and partial hospitalization and an intensive outpatient program.
Marett postponed applying to schools during recovery, and when she finally got better, it was daunting to think of going to a big school right after her situation. Unfortunately, she seemed as if she had regressed again, back into her shell.
"Just as I’m starting and getting comfortable, I’m changing,” Marett said. “I was straight back into not knowing what to do.”
When the Maretts moved back to New Jersey, a local school seemed like her best bet. RCBC eased the transition into college life and schooling in general.
“RCBC was accessible and affordable while I was just getting started back slowly with prerequisites,” Marett said. “Just go and get started.”
At this point, Marett considered herself “behind” many of her college peers. However, almost immediately after stepping on campus, Marett was greeted warmly by all her classmates and professors, helping her forget all about it. In reality, many others arrived at RCBC after traversing different paths, especially among her nursing classmates.
“The students are all very different, you know; they range from different age groups,” Marett said. “One of my closest friends is a parent, we have people from the military. At RCBC, I realized I wasn’t behind at all. I was right on time.”
Troubled with fear and doubt all her life, Marett felt confident for the first time. She was so confident, in fact, that she applied for a student speaker position at RCBC’s spring graduation.
“I kind of sat on it. I was like, ‘What would I even say? Who wants to hear from me?’ My peers were the ones to encourage me,” Marett said.
When she speaks to these peers and the rest of the graduating Health Sciences students as the President’s Award winner, she hopes to awaken the potential in them.
“I hope that they don’t stop,” Marett said. “If they have more they want to do, whether with their education or career, they’ll find a way to do it without hesitation, as I’ve seen them do at RCBC. I hope they all continue to seek knowledge and growth in their lives. It’s human nature after all.”
Marett will speak as the President’s Award Winner at the Health Sciences, Science, Technology Engineering, and Mathematics, and Adult Basic Education ceremony at 1 pm on Wednesday, May 14 on campus and streamed on YouTube. For more commencement information, visit.
