When Matt Allen walked into the awards ceremony at Ascension St. Thomas West, he was tired from working a 12-hour night shift and simply grateful to be nominated.
He did not expect to win.
What he also did not know was that several members of Trevecca’s nursing faculty were hiding in the room, waiting to surprise him.
“The only thing I could hear was, ‘Go Matthew,’” Allen said. “I was like, ‘I know that voice!’”
Allen, a Trevecca nursing student from Jamaica, received the Patient Care Technician (PCT) of Excellence Award at Ascension St. Thomas West, where he works as a PCT and nurse intern. The award recognizes excellence in patient care, overall nursing skills and interaction with patients and colleagues.
The recognition was meaningful for Allen. But the bigger surprise was seeing Trevecca faculty there to celebrate with him.
“That was the highlight for me,” Allen said. “It wasn’t even the award. It was them being there, honestly.”
Allen’s path to nursing started far from Nashville. He grew up in Jamaica and moved to the United States at 17 to attend Trevecca. His mother had lived in the Nashville area and knew of the University because it was along her route to work. Allen said Trevecca felt like the right place to continue his education while staying connected to his faith.
He originally intended to study engineering, following in similar footsteps to some of his siblings. That plan lasted about three weeks.
“I’ve always wanted to go into the medical field, but I just didn’t know where to start,” Allen said.
A conversation with Trevecca nursing advisor Ellen Musick helped him see nursing differently. Allen said Musick did not pressure him to choose nursing, but she explained what the profession involved and helped him understand how it could fit his desire to help people.
He switched majors and is preparing to graduate in December 2026 with a bachelor’s in nursing (BSN) and a minor in psychology.
Allen’s work with Ascension began through its nurse internship program, which is designed for students pursuing nursing degrees. Through the program, students work alongside nurses, learning hands-on skills such as drawing blood and starting IVs, but also how to communicate with and care for patients.
The PCT of Excellence Award honors a combination of these qualities that are integral to being a good nurse.
When Allen received the invitation to attend the ceremony, he almost decided not to go. The ceremony was on a Tuesday morning after Allen had worked Monday night. After a 12-hour shift, his plan was to go home and sleep. Then his manager texted him and reminded him he needed to be there.
“I was beat,” Allen said.
Then his name was announced.
Trevecca faculty members, including Dr. Natalie Hall, Professor Christy Twining, Dr. Brenda Patterson, Professor Cynthia Swanson and others, were there to cheer him on. Allen said their presence made the event even more meaningful.
After graduation, Allen plans to continue with Ascension St. Thomas West. He has accepted a job offer to work in the hospital’s critical care unit after he finishes his BSN and passes the NCLEX licensure exam.
For students considering Trevecca, Allen’s advice is simple. “Just do it,” he said.
Allen said he was skeptical before coming to campus and wondered how he would make friends. But over time, he found people who helped make Trevecca feel like home.
“You don’t need to hurry and make 100 friends,” Allen said. “Just find about three good people and it grows from there.”
Through nursing school, the internship and the award, Allen said his mother has been one of his biggest supporters. He remembers struggling during one semester of nursing school and joking with a friend that he had to keep going because he had already told everyone he was a nurse.
Now, with graduation approaching and a critical care job waiting, his mom is celebrating right alongside him.
“She is definitely over the moon,” Allen said.