Nursing Alumnus Fulfills Dream of Becoming VA Nurse

Mike Twigg while deployed overseas.

Mike Twigg '14 joined the army at age 38, then used his GI benefits to fulfill his dream of becoming a VA nurse.

Twigg was deployed to Iraq in 2007 and later to Kuwait/Qatar in 2012, acting as an army medic, according to a cleveland.com feature story on his mid-life career journey. After his service, Twigg came home and earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) through BW's one-year, accelerated BSN program.

Twigg now works with 35 veterans as a medical and surgical nurse at the Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center and told cleveland.com he has forged a special connection with his patients. "I understand where they're coming from, these men and women, because I've been there with them."

Twigg also volunteers to be a mentor for the Veterans Treatment Court, a program designed to divert veterans from typical punishment for felonies by placing them in a special mentor/mentee program.