Elle Wilkinson is graduating with her bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders. Her plan was to help people who have disorders of speech, language, and fluency, but life took a big turn, and Wilkinson decided to lean into it.
“During my junior year I found out that I needed a heart transplant,” she said. “While I was in the hospital recovering, I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in nursing.”
Wilkinson was born with congenital heart disease and had three open-heart surgeries prior to her transplant. In fact, she’d spent most of her life in some form of heart failure.
“By my sophomore year my symptoms got increasingly worse,” she said. “I had my surgery four days before my 21st birthday on July 15, 2023, at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.”
Wilkinson was in the hospital waiting on a heart for two months and then spent another three months there for recovery. She said the scariest part was right before she went into the hospital.
“I was still at school trying to finish the spring semester, and it was very hard to push through my days with my symptoms while being away from my family and doctors,” she said. “Once I went into the hospital, I knew I was in good hands.”
It was there that Wilkinson saw the impact nurses have as they gave it their all to provide her with high quality care. She built strong relationships with her nurses and came away from the experience believing that everyone deserves the same level of care and support she received. It’s her goal to provide just that for her future patients.
“Even when things are difficult, I truly think everything happens for a reason. Because of my transplant, I was able to find my true passion in nursing. I have grown so much as a person, and I’ve learned to never take anything for granted.”
Elle Wilkinson
Wilkinson, 22, plans to celebrate commencement with her family and then start packing. She is leaving the Midwestern winter for the tropical climate of Miami.
“After graduation, I will be moving to Florida in January to attend the University of Miami in the accelerated nursing program,” she said.
When she finishes nursing school, she plans to practice as a pediatric cardiac nurse with the long-term goal of becoming a nurse practitioner.
A native of Ottawa in LaSalle County, Wilkinson wanted to come to Illinois State ever since visiting her brother Cooper ’20 when he was a student here. Her parents, Mike and Sheri, who first suspected their baby girl was having troubles when they brought her home from the hospital as a newborn, have been her biggest supporters.
“They were always encouraging me to follow my dreams and supported my decisions along the way,” she said. “They taught me the skills I needed to be successful and inspired me to do my best every day.”
Outside of the support from her family, a key person in Wilkinson’s success has been Dr. Heidi Verticchio. As the clinic director of Illinois State’s Eckelmann-Taylor Speech and Hearing Clinic and as director of advisement in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Verticchio usually helps guide students in the direction of a career in her field. But this was different.
“Dr. Verticchio was very influential during my time at ISU, but particularly in my last two years,” Wilkinson said. “She was someone I always looked up to. When I found out that I needed a heart transplant and would potentially be taking time off school, I got very anxious about my academic future. Dr. Verticchio provided me with guidance and assured me that everything would be OK, and she was always there if I needed her.”
Once back at school, Wilkinson let Verticchio know that she’d changed her mind about what she wanted to do with her future.
“When I told Dr. Verticchio that I wanted to pursue a career in nursing, she not only supported and understood my decision, but she also guided me and provided advice while I was working on my applications,” Wilkinson said.
Verticchio described Wilkinson as conscientious, caring, and as a person who has faced adversity with resilience and a growth mindset.
“Both of those are foundational skills personally and professionally,” Verticchio said. “I remember thinking that Elle is one strong woman—and at a young age. She is mature, pragmatic, and realistic. Her positive mindset was admirable and heartwarming.”
Wilkinson said she will miss the Redbird community and all the relationships that she’s made here with friends and professors, but she’s grateful to be graduating.
“It is amazing to me that I was able to only take one semester off and now be graduating,” she said. “There was so much uncertainty with my circumstances. I’m so thankful for every day since my transplant but being able to graduate and look toward my future is particularly special. I’m so excited for this next chapter of life.”
Verticchio has no doubt that her former student will make a difference in the lives of others just as she always planned.
“Elle’s past personal medical experiences will serve her well as a nurse,” Verticchio said. “I hope she can share her story with others in a way that provides them with hope and strength. I admire her for pursuing the nursing profession.”
Wilkinson, who is now an expert on the subject, has advice for anyone going through a challenging time.
“Even when things are difficult, I truly think everything happens for a reason,” she said. “Because of my transplant, I was able to find my true passion in nursing. I have grown so much as a person, and I’ve learned to never take anything for granted.”
This story is one of a series of profiles featuring Redbirds who are graduating this December. For more information about how Illinois State is celebrating commencement, visit the Graduation Services website.
