Blog summary: Congratulations to our Dreambound scholarship winner, Lakresha Ferguson. Lakresha shares her inspiring journey, aspirations, and the driving force behind her chosen career in midwifery at the Midwives College of Utah.

Introduction

At Dreambound, our mission is to connect aspiring individuals with the right vocational training opportunities. We help people shape their dreams into reality. Today’s inspiration comes from Lakresha Ferguson, the winner of the Dreambound Scholarship, who is on a path to becoming a certified professional midwife. It’s an incredible story that we’d like to share with you.

Following a childhood dream

Lakresha's passion for healthcare and childbirth started in elementary school when her school took her class on a tour of a brand new hospital. “They had taken our class into the labor and delivery room and did a whole mock setup,” she shared. “I got to be the doctor that day, the person prepared to deliver a baby. And I can remember going home and telling my mom, ‘I want to deliver babies’!

Her path to labor and delivery wasn’t a straight one, however. Lakresha became a single mom when she was young, derailing her career plans. She ended up in banking, eventually climbing to the state treasurer’s office and supporting their back office. Despite her career success over 10 years with the bank, she still felt the pull towards the healthcare field. “I had to have an honest conversation with myself and then an honest conversation with my employer to say, ‘Hey, I’m just telling you I recognize I am not showing up 100% and it’s because I feel like something else is calling me.’”

Choosing the path of midwifery

Inspired by her mother who is a nurse, Lakresha applied for a nursing program to become a nursing midwife. Upon acceptance, however, she had second thoughts: “[Nursing is] a wonderful route, it just didn’t feel right for me.” Late one night, she asked herself ‘Is there midwifery school? Like just midwifery school’? Her journey of self-discovery led her to the Midwives College of Utah. Immediately, she felt a strong connection. “It felt like the route that I want to go into,” she said. Another key factor in Lakresha's decision to choose Midwives College of Utah was their flexibility in learning. This institution's approach, which combines support and flexibility, was the perfect fit for her. She needed a program that allowed her to balance her studies with her responsibilities as a single mother.

Lakresha’s dream

Lakresha's dream doesn't stop at becoming a certified professional midwife. She envisions creating the "Alpha and Omega Birthing Facility," which originally came from her mother’s idea of having a hotel inn. Her vision is to create a holistic birthing facility, combining both education and comfort for the birthing process. “We can reformulate how birth is happening, so that moms don’t have to come in and be afraid of it. They can trust their bodies, they can trust their minds, they can trust their babies to do what you’re naturally supposed to do—bring life into this world,” she said. She envisions an environment that empowers mothers and their families, with rooms tailored to different birthing preferences, such as water birthing and movement-based birthing.

A message of hope and inspiration

Reflecting on her journey and the changes she's embraced, Lakresha offers advice to individuals contemplating a career transition. She encourages individuals to evaluate their paths and take the first step, even when it seems daunting. , “It's scary, but…we can never soar unless we take that first step off,” Lakresha advised, “But the anticipation of soaring is what you have to look forward to. Not the failure, but the soaring.”

Takeaway

Lakresha's journey is an embodiment of the Dreambound spirit – the spirit of turning dreams into reality through education and vocational training. Her story is a testament to the power of perseverance, self-discovery, and finding your true calling. Lakresha's journey reminds us that it's never too late to pursue our passions and create a life that aligns with our true calling.