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In February 2024, Jennifer Byrkett was three months away from graduating when she had to take a break.

“I was working nights, and I would sleep 20 minutes in my car,” Jennifer reflects. “I’d bring my clothes, grab a coffee at Bon Bon’s, change in their bathroom, go straight to class, and get home in time to pick my daughter up off the bus.”

Lack of childcare and juggling a full-time job as a full-time student became difficult to balance. But even as she started to walk away, her instructor, Surgical Technology Program Chair Colby Allen insisted she would be back.

Now, here she is more than a year later, finally walking across the stage to grab her surgical technology degree—and share the 2025 ������Ƶ Fort Wayne & Kosciusko County Student Commencement Address at the ceremony.

“Some people just want to hear, ‘I’m proud of you.’ We all went through some stuff, but at the end of it, you should be proud.”

In her speech, Jennifer talks about the decision to try. It’s a central theme that’s gotten her through college, even while struggling to find childcare, a cancer diagnosis, and having to start all over.

“There are rewards for trying. And I want my kids to see that.”

Choosing ������Ƶ

Jennifer has worked in healthcare for more than 20 years, with a brief stint in an RV factory around the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was during that time, she felt the itch to do something different.

“I was always interested in surgical technology. During the pandemic, ������Ƶ Fort Wayne got the program, so I started taking classes online.”

In the beginning, Jennifer had to get used to pigs and other tool kits being delivered to her home as she completed anatomy prerequisites, with her husband and children watching. After several months, she was grateful to begin her in-person classes on Coliseum Campus.

But, as she inched closer to graduating last year, the walls started to close in. She made the decision to step back. It was hard watching her class graduate, so, when she came back again, she knew this was it.

“I got through February this year. I told myself that if I get past February, then I can do it.”

But this second time around involved starting over.

Last summer, there was a curriculum change. And Jennifer decided to take the courses from the beginning instead of trying to test out.

“I actually enjoyed it. It was more of a refresher with new material. There were new students, different personalities. It’s been great.”

She began charging at full speed ahead, even serving as president of the surgical technology student organization planning fundraisers like the Halloween Trunk or Treat and a future trip to Chicago ahead of boards. Then, she hit her next road bump.

In December 2024, Jennifer was diagnosed with stage 2 uterine cancer.

A new hurdle

This new hurdle was diagnosed over winter break. Even facing this news, she knew she wasn’t going to give up.

“My kids motivated me 100% to get through. I preach to them everyday to stay in school, so am I going to be that person that’s going to say I dropped out?”

This spring, she started back with clinicals, chemotherapy, work, school, and being a mom. It wasn’t easy, but every day she made the decision to try.

“Colby has been very understanding. He always checked in to ask how I’m feeling and see what I could handle. That helped me through it.”

Over spring break, Jennifer had a total hysterectomy. It was recommended she take two weeks to recover, but she was determined to make it to graduation. She only took four days off, then she was back on her feet—albeit limping—committed to making it through.

As of April, Jennifer is cancer-free. If it wasn’t for her strong support system, she’d have been hard-pressed to make it here.

“If I could give my husband the biggest award in the world, I would. He has been sacrificing everything while I’m gone. I’m only home about three hours a day to be a mom and a wife.”

In her clinicals, she has found a community of peers that help the days pass by quickly.

“Xavier, Logan, Gabby, and I are going through this together. We lean on each other.”

Suiting up

While pushing through the challenges life threw at her, Jennifer enjoyed her classes and labs. She felt like they helped make the transition into clinicals much easier.

A typical day in clinicals begins at 6:30 a.m. She’ll walk in and check the Operating Room board to see what surgeries she’s been assigned to—four to five on average. The techs prep the room for each procedure, which looks different depending on the type.

“Everything has a place. You have to think about not only what you’re organizing, but you have to think about what side the surgeon will be on, what side will you be on, what type of surgery it is.”

Jennifer stresses the importance of anticipating the surgeon’s every move. She says it’s better for the patients, the surgeons, and the flow of the procedure.

“A big misconception about surgical technicians is that they just pass instruments. But it’s not only that. You have to know what the surgery is just as in-depth as the surgeon.”

She says that Colby’s teaching and empathy has been phenomenal and has prepared her for what comes next.

“Colby has been great. He’s the biggest reason why I’d recommend this program.”

He invited her to sit on the Surgical Advisory Board with other alumni, a surgeon, and other practitioners in the field. She’ll continue to participate after she graduates.

What’s next

On her graduation cap, Jennifer will be displaying a photo of her dad. He was one of her biggest supporters and best friends and encouraged her to join the surgical technology program. Unfortunately, he passed from prostate cancer soon after she began taking classes.

“He didn’t get a chance to go to college. He was a huge advocate for me, and he didn’t get to see any of it. So, he’s going to hang with me on my graduation cap. This is for him, too.”

Her father will be with her as she walks in the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, holding the School of Health Sciences flag high in the air. He’ll be with her as she’s recognized as a Melvin L. Curtis Award nominee, as she shares her commencement speech, and when she finally gets to move that tassel over her heart.

Her husband and daughters and son will be cheering her on from the stands.

After graduation, she’s hoping to enter a program with Lutheran that allows her to try out different areas of surgical technology. From there, she can choose what she would like to specialize in.

To everyone, she offers this advice:

“When you have that chance to look back and reflect at the end, you’re like that one little thing I thought was rough, I got through it. You push through it. Then you’re here and you’ve graduated. It’s worth it to keep going.”