Soaring Recent Alumni Award recipient overcomes obstacles to provide for his family

At NWTC, we pride ourselves on offering the education you need to advance your career when and where you need it. For some people, that means taking online classes, changing their careers, or obtaining the skills necessary for the next promotion. For our Soaring Recent Alumni Award recipient, Ian Wilson, it meant getting the skills and credentials needed to support his family when they were struggling.

“After the recession hit, I started taking courses full-time,” said Wilson. “I had a young family, and we were living in extreme poverty. I needed to find a way to provide for them, and I was determined to figure it out no matter what.” 

Starting back at NWTC was his ticket to a new life. After trying Mechanical Design for a semester, he transitioned to the Architecture program, where he found the skills and support he needed to create a path forward and graduate with honors in 2012.

“I was always looking forward,” said Wilson. “The Architecture program was the tool I needed to get to the next level and support my family. It let me reach my goals.”

After graduating from NWTC, Wilson embarked on a professional architecture career spanning just three years before deciding to take another leap – starting his own business with his wife, Toni. The firm he was working at experienced financial difficulties, and he was unsure how he would continue to support his family. In a leap of faith, the Wilsons took the last of their savings and started their architecture firm, Nolan Carter Architectural Design. Named after their two sons, the firm is a daily reminder of what matters most.