Nicole Wells

COVID-19-related life changes caused many to struggle to find balance with their children being at home, but Nicole Wells, mother of five and grandmother of three, found it to be the opportunity she needed to complete the Central Ohio Technical College (COTC) degree she originally began in 2013.

“I chose to pursue my degree so I can be a better role model to my children, and I really wanted to finish what I started,” said Wells.

She chose COTC in 2013 for many of the same reasons others do: proximity to home, affordability and convenient online learning. However, she has gotten much more from being a COTC student.

“It has been a great experience for me. I enjoy the interactions with staff and students,” Wells said. “It is a very comfortable place to be. The teachers are so helpful, and there are so many resources available to students that if you are ever struggling, there is always help.”

Wells specifically credits accounting Instructor Ralph Giles for the above and beyond teaching he did with her to ensure she understood the vital material she’ll need to run a successful business. 

“I struggled understanding a lot of the accounting concepts and he (Giles) would have Zoom meetings with me regularly to make sure I was understanding and grasping the concepts. If you put the effort in, he will not let you fail,” said Wells.
She also took advantage of tutoring services available for free on campus. Wells has visited the Tutoring Center frequently and had good experiences working with both peer and professional tutors to help her with subjects like pre-calculus and more.

She is on track to complete her Associate of Applied Business in August. She will be continuing her education through a unique partnership with The Ohio State University that will enable her to complete her bachelor’s degree within a year and a half. Wells hopes to one day open her own dog training, kennel and daycare facility.

“I love working with dogs, training, caring, basically everything to do with dogs. I currently have one service dog and a service dog in training,” Wells said. “Dogs offer so much passion, kindness and love. I am very passionate about my animals and would love to help others understand their pets better. I want to be essentially the next Cesar, dog whisperer.”