It’s been a busy three years for a woman who is nearing the end of her Master’s program at QU, and starting her journey as a mother of two.
One woman from Wallingford is in for a rewarding Mother's Day.
Rebecca Iannucci will be getting her master's degree as a family nurse practitioner from Quinnipiac University this Sunday.
"I am so excited. This has been a long time coming," said Iannucci.
But along the way, she reached a few other milestones, becoming a mother not once but twice.
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
"The balancing act is definitely tricky," said Iannucci.
Iannucci got into Quinnipiac's family nurse practitioner program in the fall of 2021. A couple days later, she found out she was pregnant with her first child, Juliana, who is now two years old.
"So, I was like, I guess we're doing this, you know," said Iannucci.
Local
The mother of two - who comes from a long line of nurses - was determined to get her degree. At the time, she was also working as a middle school nurse in Hamden. However, she says putting her education on hold wasn't an option.
"There were definitely times where I thought about it. You know, life gets chaotic, but I never took any steps in that direction. A lot of weekends, I would go sit at Panera or the library and study, and kind of take my time that way," said Iannucci.
And she stayed the course - even when she got pregnant a second time. Her daughter Ryleigh was born just last month.
"You know funny enough, she came 10 days early, and I was expecting to make it to finals and the rest of my schooling stuff, and she kind of, you know, on her own time said, 'Mom, I'm ready,'" said Iannucci.
The balancing act continues as Iannucci finishes up her last few assignments. But she'll be at her commencement ceremony Sunday with her family there in support.
"I never really imagined that I'd go this far, but here I am, and two babies later," said Iannucci.
