After raising four children and supporting her husband as he earned a high-level degree, now it’s Martina Taylor’s time to focus on her own ambitions.
Originally from Germany, Taylor moved to the United States in her early 20s. Although she had wanted to be a nurse after finishing high school, she instead worked as a procurement manager.
“I always worked a high-powered, corporate job, and then for the last 14 years, we’ve had horses and goats, so I’m pretty busy with that,” said Taylor, who lives in Fauquier County. “I always had a little side game going on, but my children are all grown now. They have their master’s degrees. Greg has a doctorate, and it was time to reach for my own stars.”
She enrolled in Laurel Ridge in January 2022, using the educational benefits earned by her husband of 29 years, Greg, a U.S. Army veteran. After taking prerequisites, she has applied to the college’s nursing program.
“I’m trending towards the ER, or critical care,” she said. “That would be my dream.”
Taylor’s husband is “fully supportive” of her pursuing her goals.
“He has been encouraging me for years, ‘Go back to college,’” she said. “But, I made sure that the kids were all done and set, and he was done and set. You know, as a mom you always step back and make sure that everybody else is OK.”
While she was nervous to go back to class for the first time since the 80s, Taylor has enjoyed her courses.
“I thought people were going to think, ‘Oh, what does she want here,’ but nobody does,” she said. “I have an amazing Anatomy and Physiology professor, Butch Austin. He really has made a difference. It’s been a good ride so far.
“I always told my kids to reach for the stars and never let go, and I called my kids last year and said, ‘Your mama is going to go reach for the stars,’ and they’re very supportive. It’s OK to start when you’re older.”
Laurel Ridge Community College was known as Lord Fairfax Community College until June 2022. For consistency purposes, the college will be referenced as Laurel Ridge going forward.