Third-generation sailor discovers career path through CCRI's nursing program
Third-generation sailor discovers career path through CCRI's nursing program
Jan. 8, 2020
Fate has brought Brandee Trotter down many different roads in life, some more winding
than others.
From snow-covered mountains in Utah and military bases in Japan to the cozy confines
of CCRI’s Newport County Campus, the 24-year-old first-generation college student
is pursuing her passion to become a neonatal nurse, a dream she’s had since witnessing
the birth of her youngest niece.
Her journey began in the small town of Roy, roughly 30 miles north of Salt Lake City,
the youngest of four children in her family and the daughter and granddaughter of
former hospital corpsmen.
Though Trotter never envisioned herself as the military type, she decided after high
school she wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps, but the wait list for boot
camp to become a hospital corpsman was too long. Rather than take time off and risk
losing interest, she signed up to become an Interior Communications Electrician in
May of 2013 less than a week after graduating.
Four months later, Trotter entered basic training. Her initial plan was to serve for
four years – “a stepping stone,” as she put it – but joining the Navy opened many
doors. While developing new relationships and exploring paths she never knew existed
in high school, she spent the next six years fixing and repairing her ship’s communications
equipment, everything from telephones and monitors to alarm systems and routers. The
journey brought her all over the world, including the Philippines, Singapore, Australia,
Hong Kong, Washington, and Japan.
“The military forced me out of my shell. Not only do I not recognize myself now, I
don’t think I knew who I was before,” Trotter.
“I truly found myself in the Navy.”
She found love, too. While stationed in Japan, Trotter met her soon-to-be wife, Jay,
a sailor from Gautier, MS. The two hit it off instantly and married in Virginia Beach
this past December.
Fate continued to play a role in Trotter’s journey, even after her honorable discharge
in July. When her wife was assigned to shore duty at Naval Station Newport, the two
relocated to Middletown, where Trotter discovered CCRI and its nursing program while
researching potential colleges.
With a campus conveniently located near her new home, jumpstarting her career as a
neonatal nurse at CCRI made perfect sense. The college’s “veteran-friendly” staff
helped her maximize the benefits of her GI Bill® and offered guidance as Trotter reacclimated
to the civilian lifestyle six years removed from the classroom.
“While I was still in the military, I kept saying I wanted to be a nurse, but it didn’t
always seem within reach,” Trotter said. “Now it does.”
Fate brought her this far. The rest is up to her. Motivated to pursue her dream job,
Trotter has found her path to success at CCRI and will apply to the nursing program
in February. Her journey, like the view on the open seas, is nothing short of amazing.
“My goal is achievable,” she said. “I’m glad I joined the Navy and I’m glad I took
the time I needed to make sure I was ready to pursue my career. My school work has
all my focus and CCRI has helped make the transition seamless. I’m grateful for this
opportunity.
The Community College of Rhode Island announces its Spring 2025 Dean's List. Students enrolled in a degree program who have completed 12 credits with a grade point average of 3.25 or higher thissemester with no grade lower than “C” are eligible for this scholastic honor.
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When an opportunity presented itself, Max Hayden took it and ran with it. Hayden initially focused on behind-the-scenes work for CCRI’s theater program. But after accepting and thriving in the lead role for the school’s Yellowman production in 2023, Hayden became a fixture of the school’s theater program over the last two years.
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If you love art or science, and especially if you love both, you’ll want to visit CCRI’s Lincoln Campus this month. Throughout the spring, CCRI Art & Design students collaborated with CCRI STEM professors and students to create original, science-inspired art projects. Funded by a $15,000 grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation’s EPSCoR initiative, this collaboration highlights creative potential that emerges when these two disciplines meet.
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The Community College of Rhode Island announces its Spring 2025 Dean's List. Students enrolled in a degree program who have completed 12 credits with a grade point average of 3.25 or higher thissemester with no grade lower than “C” are eligible for this scholastic honor.
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Warwick, RI -- Samantha Lescarbeau knew she would experience one life-changing event at CCRI commencement. But she never expected what would happen after she walked across the stage at Amica Mutual Pavillion on May 15.
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Warwick, RI -- The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) proudly announced the winners of its 2025 Student Film Festival following a weekend of cinematic talent and storytelling. The festival kicked off with a red-carpet gala on Friday, May 10, and continued on Saturday, May 11, with a full day of student film screenings. The event drew students, faculty, and local film lovers to celebrate the achievements of CCRI’s talented filmmakers.
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The Community College of Rhode Island Players’ 2025 Summer Rep is just around the corner. The annual theater season begins Thursday, July 31 with CCRI Players’ adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors”, which will be directed by Karen Carpenter and run through Sunday, Aug. 3. The performance, rehearsals for which began this week, is the first of a two-part series that will conclude with a four-day run of Shakespeare’s “Richard III” premiering Wednesday, Aug. 20.
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The Community College of Rhode Island Alumni Association has elected a new President. Cumberland native Malida Khim, a 2019 CCRI graduate and Impact Coordinator for Corporate Social Responsibility and Philanthropy at CVS Health, will replace Jeffrey Wright Jr., a Woonsocket resident who has held the role since 2023.
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The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) proudly announces the hiring of Chef Kenneth Watt, CEC, MBA, as Assistant Professor of Culinary Arts. Chef Watt will lead the college’s all-new Culinary Arts program, which is unique to CCRI’s Newport County Campus.
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The Community College of Rhode Island is proud to announce that longtime coach and athletic director Vin Cullen has been named a recipient of the NJCAA Coaches Association Legacy Award, a national honor recognizing individuals who have made a lasting impact on two-year college athletics and demonstrated an unwavering commitment to student-athletes throughout their careers.
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WARWICK, R.I. -- The Community College of Rhode Island’s Cybersecurity Club is riding high after succeeding on a national scale during the spring. Thanks to a strong showing at the National Cyber League (NCL) spring competition, CCRI placed 27th nationally out of 510 colleges and universities in the final Cyber Power Rankings for the spring season. The performance was commended by David Ziechick, commissioner of the NCL, which has students perform real-world cybersecurity tasks that translate to the workforce.
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June 23, 2025
Johnny Villella needs to clear more space in his trophy case. Villella, a CCRI alum, won an Emmy at the 2025 New England Emmy Awards in the category of News Feature: Serious Feature (Multiple Reports). The award is one of many for Villella, who’s enjoyed a long, decorated career at WPRI-TV (Channel 12 in Rhode Island).
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The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) is pleased to announce that it has joined the network of Achieving the Dream (ATD), a national organization committed to advancing community colleges as accessible hubs of learning, credentialing, and economic mobility.
On February 24, 2025, the International Astronomical Union Working Group for Small Body Nomenclature (WGSBN) recognized CCRI alumni Francine Jackson’s contributions to astronomy education and outreach by naming an asteroid in her honor.The designation was announced in WGSBN Bulletin 5, No. 3, under new names of Minor Planets.
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When an opportunity presented itself, Max Hayden took it and ran with it. Hayden initially focused on behind-the-scenes work for CCRI’s theater program. But after accepting and thriving in the lead role for the school’s Yellowman production in 2023, Hayden became a fixture of the school’s theater program over the last two years.
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June 04, 2025
If you love art or science, and especially if you love both, you’ll want to visit CCRI’s Lincoln Campus this month. Throughout the spring, CCRI Art & Design students collaborated with CCRI STEM professors and students to create original, science-inspired art projects. Funded by a $15,000 grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation’s EPSCoR initiative, this collaboration highlights creative potential that emerges when these two disciplines meet.
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Nearly 30 years after beginning his CCRI education, 76-year-old Ed McGuirl is about to check the final box on his long, fascinating résumé. In the mid-1990s, the Jamestown resident studied at CCRI to pursue a social services degree that would complement his work as a substance-abuse treatment professional. But a busy work schedule forced McGuirl to indefinitely pause his studies – until now.
The Community College of Rhode Island announces its Spring 2025 Dean's List. Students enrolled in a degree program who have completed 12 credits with a grade point average of 3.25 or higher thissemester with no grade lower than “C” are eligible for this scholastic honor.
'Overjoyed' CCRI Graduate Opens Up On Getting Engaged At Commencement'
May 23, 2025
Warwick, RI -- Samantha Lescarbeau knew she would experience one life-changing event at CCRI commencement. But she never expected what would happen after she walked across the stage at Amica Mutual Pavillion on May 15.
CCRI Announces Winners of 2025 Student Film Festival
May 22, 2025
Warwick, RI -- The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) proudly announced the winners of its 2025 Student Film Festival following a weekend of cinematic talent and storytelling. The festival kicked off with a red-carpet gala on Friday, May 10, and continued on Saturday, May 11, with a full day of student film screenings. The event drew students, faculty, and local film lovers to celebrate the achievements of CCRI’s talented filmmakers.