Future nursing major working as CNA and urgent care practice manager while pursuing RN career goal
Sully Afgarshe, 36, is working toward earning an A.S. in Nursing at Inver Hills Community College. Sully is already a healthcare professional. He serves as a practice manager at the Gargar Urgent Care & Clinic in Minneapolis, a position he accepted in November 2023. He started at GUCC in October 2017 as an administrative assistant.
Sully also works as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) at Good Samaritan, a Sanford Health long-term care facility in Stillwater, Minnesota. He took on that role this past spring. He holds two certifications, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) via the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and Basic Life Support (BLS) via the American Heart Association (AMA).
Although, he hasn’t officially started the Nursing program—he is currently waitlisted for fall semester 2025 and has reapplied for spring semester 2026, his experience as a CNA and urgent care practice manager have been foundational.
“I’ve worked on the front lines of patient care and behind the scenes in clinic operations,” he said. “These experiences have given me both compassion and perspective, and they’ve strengthened my communication, organizational, and patient advocacy skills. I know they’ll serve me well once I’m admitted and begin clinical coursework.”
After graduating from Inver Hills, Sully will be heading north to Bemidji State University to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.). He has centered his career goals on becoming a registered nurse (RN).
Inver Hills Scholarship Social Spring 2025 student speaker
Sully Afgarshe
The Inver Hills Foundation hosted its annual Scholarship Social on Thursday, May 1, 2025, in the Black Box Theatre of the Inver Hills Fine Arts building. This special event brings together student scholarship recipients and the generous donors who make their scholarships possible. Students and donors were joined by Foundation Board members, Inver Hills faculty, and staff in a celebration of gratitude for the support that helps students achieve their academic and career goals. Sully Afgarshe was the student speaker at the event.
Inver Hills News: What inspired you to be the student speaker at the Inver Hills Scholarship Social Spring 2025? Sully: I felt inspired to share my story as a non-traditional student. I know there are many others who have faced setbacks or detours and are still working to find their path. I wanted them to know they’re not alone—and that it’s never too late to begin again.
Inver Hills News: What was the topic of your speech? Sully: That learning and education are lifelong pursuits, and it’s never too late to invest in yourself.
Inver Hills News: Why did you choose that topic? Sully: I’ve faced plenty of challenges and detours in life, and I know what it feels like to fall behind or question your path. But those struggles don’t define you—they shape you. I wanted to emphasize the power of persistence, and how every one of us has the ability to grow, change, and ultimately leave a lasting impact.
Learn more about the Inver Hills Foundation by contacting:
Originally from Toronto, Canada, Sully graduated from Woodbury High School, Class of 2006. His father, Mohamud, is a medical doctor who has practiced medicine for more than 40 years; his service has been one of Sully’s greatest inspirations to pursue a career in healthcare. Sully’s mother, Deqa, is a homemaker. Sully has four siblings, each with unique qualities.
“We’re a close-knit family,” Sully said. “No pets yet, but maybe someday.”
Travel is one of Sully’s top passions. “I’ve visited several countries in East Africa and the Middle East, and have explored many cities across the U.S. and Canada,” he reported. “I love immersing myself in the food and art scene here in the Twin Cities. Basketball has been a lifelong love of mine; I’ve been a huge fan of the Lakers since 1995, and I played regularly in local gyms growing up.”
Sully resides with his family in Woodbury, Minnesota.
Sully family, college, and life gallery
Sully Afgarshe • Q & A
Sully Afgarshe
What motivated you to choose registered nursing as your career field?
After nearly a decade in healthcare—especially witnessing firsthand how systemic gaps affect underserved communities—I felt a growing desire to do more than manage care from the sidelines. Nursing allows for a more hands-on, human connection. I want to be at the bedside, helping people during their most vulnerable moments. That’s where I know I’ll make the most impact.
What are you enjoying most about your coursework at Inver Hills?
I haven’t begun the Nursing program yet, but I’ve enjoyed taking pre-nursing and science coursework. These classes have challenged me intellectually and helped prepare me for the rigor of nursing school. They’ve also confirmed how passionate I am about pursuing this path.
Three words that describe you as a college student:
RESILIENT. INQUISITIVE. DISCIPLINED.
What nursing specialty interests you the most and why?
Emergency or perioperative nursing. I thrive in fast-paced, dynamic, and high-stakes environments and enjoy critical thinking under pressure. I’m drawn to the ED for its unpredictability and urgency, and to the OR for its precision and teamwork. Both align with my desire to work directly with patients in life-altering moments.
What advice would you give students thinking about pursuing a career in healthcare?
Explore broadly, healthcare isn’t one size that fits all. Try volunteering or shadowing in different environments. Get your BLS certification early. Most of all, be ready to adapt, learn, and grow. The work can be hard, but it’s also deeply rewarding.
Three words that describe you as a healthcare professional:
COMPASSIONATE. RESOURCEFUL. RELIABLE.
What person has influenced your life the most and why?
My dad. He’s been a doctor for decades, and he’s always shown me the value of service, humility, and lifelong learning. He and my mom are both immigrants, and their journey has taught me resilience, gratitude, and how powerful it is to give back to your community.
If you could make one thing happen on Earth right now, what would it be?
End all wars and major conflicts. The world needs healing, and peace is long overdue.
One word that best describes your experience at Inver Hills:
WELCOMING
Sully Afgarshe • 12 Answers
Favorite sport or physical activity: Basketball
Place you would most like to visit: Italian Riviera
Most exciting thing you’ve ever done: Exploring Lake Victoria and the Nile River
Three things you would do if you won a $1 billion lottery: 1) Pay off all my family and friends’ debts 2) Buy a home (or three) 3) Donate lots of money to causes I care about
Best book or movie you’ve read or seen lately: Sinners
Time period you would explore if you could time travel: 1300s
One thing you most want to accomplish in life: Become a registered nurse
Your national bird if you were your own country: Flamingo
Dream occupation: Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN)
Person you would most like to meet: Barack Obama
Skill you would most like to learn and master: Intubating a patient / placing a central line
Most important issue or problem facing humankind: Climate change
Learn more about the Nursing program at Inver Hills by contacting:
Nursing is an exceptionally rewarding career where you can make a real difference in people’s lives. Our graduates exceed the national NCLEX-RN pass rate and go on to enjoy great job security as registered nurses (RNs) in this high-demand field.
Nursing is a competitive application process that requires a separate nursing application in addition to applying for admission to Inver Hills. Learn more on the Program Details page, linked above, along with new program curriculum starting Fall 2024.
The numbers tell the story.
Our student success is plain to see. Inver Hills nursing graduates are primed for success, achieving nearly 5 percent higher NCLEX-RN pass rates than the national average. More than 90 percent of our graduates find employment as RNs within one year of earning their A.S. degrees.
Be surefooted and confident on your pathway.
Many students enroll at Inver Hills and complete prerequisite courses before applying to the Nursing program, which is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and approved by the Minnesota Board of Nursing.
Nurses make a genuine difference.
Nurses give medicine a human face. They truly care about their patients. They go above and beyond to make sure their patients feel safe and secure during an often very difficult and frightening time in their lives. Nurses are kindness personified in the healthcare system.
You can enter the field in more than one way.
You can earn a Nursing Assistant certificate by completing one 5-credit course. You’ll get the training you need to enter the healthcare field as a nursing assistant or home health aide, and also be prepared to take the state registry exam for certification. The Nursing Traditional Track A.S. and Nursing Mobility–LPN A.S. are degrees that prepare you for a fulfilling career as a professional registered nurse.
Nurses are in huge demand.
The ongoing nursing shortage brings job security and great wages to this career path. Projected growth in the U.S. (2023–2033) is 6 percent, or faster than average. RNs in Minnesota on average earn $100,870 annually. The lower 10 percent of RNs earn $75,830 or less. The top 10 percent earn $128,200 or more.
Nursing is the job of a lifetime.
As a professional nurse, you’ll be able to focus your skill development on a particular specialty. RNs with career specializations expand their job opportunities, work-setting options, and scope of patient care.
Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management. Licensing or registration required.
Place you would most like to visit: Italian Riviera
Your national bird if you were your own country: FlamingoHot Technologies are requirements most frequently included across all employer job postings. See all 3 Hot Technologies for this occupation.
In Demand skills are frequently included in employer job postings for this occupation. See all 1 In Demand skills for this occupation.
