Before Michael Taylor became a nurse, the idea had always been in the back of his mind. “My mom is a nurse, so I had that exposure growing up,” says the Illinois native. After high school, he went to college a few hours away, but wasn’t sure what he wanted to do. “I had fun but didn’t do well academically, so I returned home and began taking classes at the local community college.” An advisor had Michael take an aptitude test, which suggested he would be good fit for massage therapy.
From Health and Wellness to Nursing
Once Michael was a licensed massage therapist, he got a job at a multidisciplinary medical practice that combined traditional and wellness care, later earning his esthetician license as the office expanded its services. “The doctor ended up acting as a mentor to me and encouraged me to pursue nursing,” he says. After six years, Michael moved into the office clinical coordinator position and started nursing school. He became a licensed practical nurse (LPN) in 2014 and a registered nurse (RN) in 2015, transitioning into ambulatory surgery and interventional pain management where he assisted with surgical and minimally invasive outpatient procedures.
As a nurse, Michael immediately got to work strengthening his resume. He continued his education, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2016, and joined Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, Illinois, about 40 miles southwest of Chicago—as a part-time emergency services nurse. “I had a phenomenal experience at the hospital that informs my perspective now,” he says.
Expanding His Clinical Exposure
In 2017, Michael and his mom became travel nurses. “It’s something she’d always wanted to do, so we joined a medical staffing agency and headed to California,” he says. He worked in emergency departments and went back to school online at Regis University, enrolling in a Master of Science in Nursing with an emphasis in health care leadership. Michael also earned a graduate certificate in health care education at Regis. “I felt that education would open doors no matter where my career took me.” A little over a year later, Michael returned to Saint Joseph Medical as an assistant manager of both the ortho-surgical and inpatient surgical units.
A Natural Teacher
As the hospital rolled out a High Reliability Organization (HRO) Trainer program to optimize the patient experience and care delivery, Michael was asked to train employees after he finished the MSN. He ran into two former instructors from his associate degree program, who both suggested Michael consider teaching. “I enjoyed the teaching aspect of training, so seeing them was fortunate timing,” he says. In January 2020, he started as an adjunct instructor at Lewis University and Joliet Junior College, his alma mater.
That spring, Michael juggled teaching with working at the hospital, where he transitioned to the endoscopy department’s registry and quality team during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. When a full-time role arose at Joliet Junior College, Michael jumped at the chance to apply. He was hired as an assistant professor for the fall 2020 semester.
A New Chapter in Nursing Education
The tenure-track position also inspired Michael to take the next step in his education by pursuing a doctorate. “I did a lot of research and found that Post University had a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Educational Leadership,” he says. “The education focus aligns perfectly with where I want to grow personally and professionally. From day one, everyone I talked to at Post was supportive and helpful. It made the decision easy.” At the end of 2023, Michael started the DNP – Educational Leadership Specialization at American Sentinel College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
Now an associate professor at Joliet Junior College, Michael says he is well-positioned to shape the next generation of nurses. “With a terminal degree, I have a stronger voice in preparing future nurses to think beyond bedside care and advocate for wellness initiatives that support individuals, families, and communities,” says Michael, whose DNP capstone project examined the impact of a mindfulness-based self-care workshop on nursing students’ anxiety. “As we continue facing a nursing shortage, health literacy and prevention are more important than ever.”
Bonding Face-to-Face
Michael graduated from the DNP program in May 2026 with distinction and a 4.0 GPA. During commencement at Post University in Connecticut, he met many of his cohort peers face-to-face for the first time. “We’ve been together throughout this entire journey, so it was awesome to finally connect in person with people I’d built relationships with from different areas of health care,” he says.
Earning the DNP Educational Leadership, Michael adds, reaffirmed his decision to transition from hospital-based care to nursing education. “Already I’ve noticed my growth in understanding how to best serve students,” he says. “I know this doctorate will create new opportunities for the rest of my career.”