Erin J. Sullivan. Courtesy photo
By SULLIVAN FAMILY
Los ALamos
It is with immense pride and joy, that Joni Sullivan and her family announce the graduation of her daughter Erin J. Sullivan, on Saturday May 16, 2026 from Northern New Mexico College. She graduates with an Associate’s Degree in Nursing.
She will be taking the NM Board of Nursing licensure exam this summer to obtain her license as a Registered Nurse, and will then begin working at Christus St. Vincent’s Hospital as a RN. She plans to continue her education to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from the college as well.
As far back as any member of the family can recall, Erin has had one vision, and ONE true life’s goal. To follow in the steps of her single mother, who years before as a young woman herself had done, and become a nurse. She started college with this in mind, but as many do, she tried her hand at other varying pursuits as well. None of the others truly stuck. After experiencing a difficult and disheartening personal time in her early 20’s that forced her to shift her life’s plans and start over closer to home, she began working at the Aspen Ridge Assisted Living Facility as a Nurses’ Aide. Over the years she has worked in several different medical specialties that strengthened her love of the nursing profession. During those years, she made several attempts to enter a nursing program; all of which were unsuccessful.
In the fall of 2022, due to the failing health of her grandparents and a promise she had made to them as well as herself, she put school and her life on hold. She moved in with, and became a full-time care giver for them. Sadly after about a year, her grandmother passed away, with her grandfather following shortly thereafter.
In an example of beauty coming from sadness, the loss of such important people in her life came with the gain of the greatest dream of her life. After these losses, Erin had to decide where to go from there. What was she going to do with the remainder of her life? In all this time, that love, drive, and passion for nursing hadn’t gone away.
In an effort to try her hand at nursing school, ONE last time, she applied to Northern New Mexico College in the summer of 2024 and that attempt fell perfectly in place. It fell like a series of Dominoes, laying down a path, one after another, after another.
Everything from getting accepted, successfully moving from one semester to the next and all other hurdles, ultimately lead her across the stage to a life-long effort earned. Erin enters this field with a full heart of compassion, empathy, kindness, and understanding. Our family has no doubt that this was and always will be EXACTLY what she was meant to be doing. We could not be more proud of our girl! And we know that Grandma & Poppy are and have been her guardian angels, and they will be cheering her on the loudest! Congratulations, Erin. We love you!