LAURINBURG — Even though one might expect a mother and daughter to have much in common, Dr. Dorothy Miller and her daughter Shaquita Bandy have noticed uncanny similarities in their career paths.
Both grew up to become registered nurses. Both graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing on May 7, in different years, from a small liberal arts college. Finally, each woman passed the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) first try with a score of 85, which is required to receive a nursing license.
Miller, the founding program chair of nursing at St. Andrews University (SAU), wanted to add some context to the story before revealing what she feels is one of the most important parallels in their lives.
“I had my daughter at 15,” Miller said. “After that, my father told me I would never be anything. Then, when I told the guidance counselor at school that I wanted to be a nurse, she told me to choose a different career because I’d never make it.”
Miller recalls going to her church pastor and crying and telling her that she didn’t know how to take care of and raise a child.
“I told her I was afraid of failing my child,” Miller said.
The pastor gave Miller some sound advice.
”She looked at me, hugged me, and said, ‘Daughter, God will give you everything you need to raise that child,’” Miller said.
A few years later, Miller served in the Army. Upon discharge, she decided to pursue her dream of becoming a registered nurse.
“I earned my associate degree in nursing in 2001 and my Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in 2005,” Miller said.
Miller furthered her education, obtaining her Master of Science in Nursing Education in 2007, her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration in 2014, and a second Masters in Public Health in 2021.
The culmination of accomplishments led to Miller now serving as the department chair for Heath Sciences and the founding program chair of Nursing at St. Andrews University after developing the nursing program there.
Coming full circle, Bandy was the first nursing student to walk the stage and graduate from the very same nursing program her mother founded. She was also the first student from St. Andrews University to take and pass the NCLEX.
“I believe that the pastor’s words came true … God gave me everything that I needed to raise that child,” Miller said.
Leave a Reply