Before he was a Spoon River College student, Ted Eifert of Rushville served five years in the US Marine Corps as a Ground Radio Repairman 2841, and obtained the rank of sergeant. He’s now using his veteran benefits to prepare for a nursing career.
“College wasn’t my first thought after separating from the Marines,” Eifert said. “I just wanted to return to work and get back to enjoying home.” Returning to college came after he began working part-time for the Rushville Police Department.
“Initially I thought I would enjoy a program focusing on psychology, more specifically, criminology. It was wasn’t until I decided to obtain my NREMT that I found a passion for healthcare and decided to pursue nursing.”
Although still unsure of where a nursing career might lead, one thing Eifert is considering is a career as a pre-hospital registered nurse, which would allow him to practice within an EMS system as a medical services worker for pre-hospital and inter-hospital emergency care and non-emergency medical transports.
“I loved my time in the military, and I love being a police officer and an EMT. I loved serving my country and now my community. I don’t know what my ultimate goal will be, but I know I will keep improving my skills every day.”
Despite the rigors of the nursing program, Eifert is a member of Healthcare Enthusiasts and Leaders (HEAL), Health Occupations Advisory Committee, Phi Theta Kappa, and TRIO at Spoon River College.
When not studying or working, Eifert enjoys spending time with his wife LeeAnn and their two children, five-year-old Chloe and one-year-old Lincoln. “LeeAnn has been so supportive of me pursing my nursing degree, as is Chloe, who gives me big hugs and always asks me how school went.”
“I am very fortunate for the instructors that I have in the nursing program, the amount of time they put into us and the knowledge that they pass along to us. I know we have early days but the instructors’ days are even earlier than ours and their days are longer than ours. I cannot say thank you enough to all of them for what they do for us. “
Spoon River College is approved for veterans’ education benefits through the Illinois State Approving Agency, and participates in the Illinois Veteran’s Grant, Illinois National Guard Grant, and the MIA-POW Scholarship.
For more information about veteran’s benefits offered at Spoon River College, visit https://www.src.edu/student-services/financial-aid/veterans, call 309-649-6267 (Canton), or 309-833-6073 (Macomb), or email Charlie.cox@src.edu or Teagan.markham@src.edu.
