Candie Genesis Daniel
For Candie Genesis Daniel, the dream of a healthcare career first took shape at home.
“I knew from when I was a little girl that I wanted to be a nurse,” said Daniel. “I come from a family of nurses on both my dad and my mom’s side and, naturally, I wanted to do it.”
Triton College, near her home in Bellwood, brought that dream closer to reality.
Daniel earned her Nursing, Associate in Applied Science degree at Triton in December 2025 and was honored along with her peers at a Nurse Pinning Ceremony.
Now, Daniel is preparing for her National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) while looking at Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs to continue her education and considering a future specialty in wound care.
Triton became part of Daniel’s nursing journey after she researched local, affordable Registered Nurse (RN) programs after attaining her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and Licensed Registered Nurse (LPN) credentials through another college.
Her choice of Triton felt right, especially when one of the first people she met on campus was Nursing Faculty Member Dr. Cheryl Davis, who also taught at Daniel’s previous college.
“That’s a big reason why I stayed,” said Daniel. “I saw somebody familiar that remembered me after probably a decade or longer. And I thought, ‘She remembered me. There had to have been a reason.’”
Triton’s holistic approach to student support and success was another reason she stayed. The college embraced not only Daniel, but her family.
While Daniel attended classes, her children, now aged three and five, were learning at the nationally accredited Triton College Child Development Lab School.
“It worked with where life was at the moment, to be able to get my kids situated and also be able to fulfill school. We were both at the same place, at the same time, and that was really beneficial for me,” she said.
Through her Triton courses and clinicals, Daniel gained essential knowledge and skills and came to recognize that some aspects of nursing can’t be learned from a textbook and need to be experienced.
Saying “good morning,” or introducing oneself to a patient, can have a life-enhancing or even life-saving effect.
“As nurses, we do something to get somebody else to their maximum potential,” said Daniel. “It feels nice to be able to be part of that.”
“Some people could be having the crummiest of days,” she continued. “They’re anxious about going to see a doctor. You’re that first line, as a nurse, to make them feel something different. The smallest interaction can make a world of difference for a patient.”
For anyone deciding if Triton is the right place to get closer to their own dream, Daniel recommends having an open mind and sense of curiosity. “Ask all the questions,’ she said. “That’s the only way you’re going to learn and get the information.”
Daniel also mentioned seeking out support systems from classmates to faculty to staff and extending to yourself the same grace and patience that you would share with others.
“Be compassionate and empathetic toward yourself, and also take chances and take risks,” she said. “You don’t learn unless you put yourself out there. Those things can be a little scary, but you come out so much better on the other side when you realize you can do it.”
Learn more about Triton College Nursing Programs at triton.edu/nursing