With help from the Polk State College Foundation, Kaitlyn Wright is building a future in nursing and setting a new path for her family.

When Kaitlyn Wright received her acceptance letter to Polk State College’s Nursing Program in the summer of 2024, she was stunned. 

“I could not believe it,” she said. “The day had finally come … I was finally going to become a nurse.”

Wright, now in her third semester, is on track to graduate in April 2026 as the first college graduate in her family. Her journey to this point has been shaped by years of caregiving, personal loss and financial hardship. 

But those experiences ultimately led her to pursue nursing as a career.

Originally from St. Cloud, Florida, Wright moved to Polk County in 2020 with her husband, Justin and their two sons, William and Ethan. She describes her life as “beautiful,” but admits that something felt incomplete. 

“I knew that I wanted more for my family; to serve them in a different capacity, mostly from a financial standpoint,” Wright shared at an August event celebrating a $35,278 donation from the Florida College System Foundation for nursing scholarships.

Her decision to return to school was not taken lightly. Wright began taking prerequisite courses one at a time, funded entirely out of pocket. 

Once accepted into the program, Wright faced a new challenge: the higher cost. 

“The tuition for the Nursing Program was much more expensive,” she explained. “There was also a higher cost for books, supplies, uniforms … the list kept growing and so did my anxiety.”

She applied for scholarships and financial aid, and the support she received changed everything. 

“It made my dream a possibility to be a reality,” Wright said.

Today, Wright is thriving in the Nursing Program and serves as Treasurer for the Florida Nurses Student Association at Polk State. She credits the Polk State College Foundation for helping her reach this milestone without incurring student debt. 

“As I am standing in front of you today, I do not have a single student loan,” she exclaimed. “The trajectory of my family’s life has been changed and it’s due to the aid we’ve received.”

Wright plans to continue her education in the RN-BSN program in fall 2026. 

Reflecting on her journey, she shared, “The Polk State Foundation has been a blessing to me and my family. Their investment in me is also an investment in my kids, and for that I am forever grateful.”