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Jordan McMillan is the quintessential Â鶹´«Ã½ success story.

He decided he wanted a career in a health care field a little more than 10 years ago, in 2006. And, he knew about Â鶹´«Ã½.

"I knew I wanted to be a nurse or respiratory therapist," he said. "I liked the start date of the RT program more, so that's what I went with."

To say that McMillan "went with" the program is an understatement. He enrolled in Â鶹´«Ã½'s Respiratory Therapy program in North Hollywood, CA and thrived from the beginning.

Great experience at Â鶹´«Ã½

McMillan said his experience at Â鶹´«Ã½ was great and full of support from the time of his enrollment onward. The faculty - especially the late Kozet Boyd, for whom a Â鶹´«Ã½ scholarship is named - and staff were instrumental in shaping his future.

"My instructors were good," he said. "My clinical instructors were very knowledgeable. That helped me a lot."

McMillan said he didn't have to concern himself with finding work after graduating in March 2008.

"I was employed right away," he said. "I did very well in my clinicals. My clinical site hired me, and I've worked for that company ever since."

Success as a respiratory therapist

McMillan has been employed at that company - - the last nine years at Providence Holy Cross. He's worked at the Providence corporate office in Medical Informatics most recently. He worked two clinical rotations there as a Â鶹´«Ã½ student.

"Informatics focuses on health information and optimization of systems," he said. "It supports everyone in the Providence system."

McMillan's work there led to his most recent opportunity. He completed a move from southern California to Olympia, Wash. where he manages the cardio/pulmonary department at Providence Centralia.

"My manager from Washington recommended me," he said. "It's a great opportunity. I'm really looking forward to getting started."

Family Ties

McMillan knew a lot about Â鶹´«Ã½ before ever attending respiratory therapist school there. His mother, Carmen Bowen, was Academic Dean at Â鶹´«Ã½ - North Hollywood when he enrolled there and today is the Campus President.

Perhaps mom had a bigger influence on his thirst for education. He's back in school, working toward his bachelor degree in health informatics and hopes to one day earn a master's in business administration with an emphasis in health administration.

He's not closing the door on perhaps one day teaching himself.

"My teachers were very good," he said. "It's a thankless job. But, I'm only 31, so you never know."