David Hull has a long background serving in the military–both in the navy and in the army, where he served as a combat medic. It was this experience that led him to decide his next career would be in nursing. “In the military, we get people from all walks of life, all over the country. You have to earn their trust to work on them. I think I’m pretty good at that,” he says.

David says he feels well prepared after his nursing training at Moraine Valley. “I came here because I’d heard good things about the program. It’s very competitive and respected out in the field.” He also appreciates the opportunity to work with the actual tools and technology he’ll use in a professional setting. “We’ve got some really nice equipment that’s as realistic as what we’re going to use in a real medical situation.”

David has a strong commitment to helping others—both as a nurse and as a veteran. He was the vice president of Moraine Valley’s Combat to College Student Veterans’ Association and encourages veterans to visit the Veterans Resource Center to connect with other veterans. . “After you get out, you kind of lose the camaraderie you had in the military, so it’s nice to have the center,” he says.

While pursuing his degree,David was diagnosed with leukemia. As he faced this tremendous challenge, he says he had great support from his instructors and he got assistance from the Center for Disability Services. David says his cancer is being managed and, right now, he feels great. And he has decided to use his experience to encourage others by going in to pediatric oncology. “Hopefully, I can show kids or young adults that I pursued my nursing career after I was diagnosed, so they can do big things as well. That’s my hope,” he says.