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September 16, 2025
By: Janine Wine
Communications and Marketing Coordinator
Dickson, TN: TCAT Dickson is long noted for having a diverse population of freshly graduated high school students mixed with non-traditional adult learners who enroll to upskill and seek technical credentials or diplomas to earn higher wages in the local workforce. It is rare for family members to enroll in the same program simultaneously, but one mother and daughter duo enrolled together and crossed the finish line earning their Practical Nursing pins and college diplomas all in the same day.
Meet Lauren Cogdill and her daughter Madisen Smith – a duo whose unmistakable bond and mutual respect helped them to earn diplomas in a field where they can use their skills to help others.
Smith, Cogdill’s daughter, classmate, and one of her mom’s biggest fans, said initially she just knew she wanted to work in the medical field. Being homeschooled allowed Madisen the opportunity to evaluate options at an early age. “I didn’t really know where I wanted to end up at, but knew I wanted to end up in the medical field,” Madisen shared. At sixteen she earned her Certified Nursing Assistant certification and spent a year-and-a-half working at NHC.
Meanwhile, Cogdill had attended TCAT Dickson once before when she was enrolled in the Administrative Office Technology program. She earned a credential but did not complete the entire program. That training led to her holding good jobs locally before finally landing in the banking business where she spent nine years. “I liked my job, but I got tired of being sedentary. She talked me into going through the CNA program at NHC as well. I was valedictorian of the class,” Cogdill said.
From there the mother daughter duo became unstoppable. They worked in the same Memory Care Unit, on the same hall, and had the same work schedule while employed at NHC. “We absolutely loved our people,” Cogdill explained.
Then Smith decided she wanted to further her education by enrolling in TCAT Dickson’s Practical Nursing program. “I put it in her (mother) heart and she followed through,” Smith said. Cogdill enrolled, too.
As part of the Practical Nursing cohort, the two spent 1,296 hours or one year earning their diplomas. They studied topics including Anatomy & Physiology, Nutrition, Medical-Surgical Nursing, Pharmacology, Obstetrics, Pediatrics, and Mental Health. And they spent nearly half of their total program hours gaining hands-on experience and working with real patients in clinical settings.
Practical Nursing students spend numerous hours outside the classroom reading, studying, and preparing for tests. “We studied together, but differently. Mom has a photographic memory. Her grades were way better than mine,” Smith said.
Practical Nursing Instructor Amy Wuertz praised the two for how well they worked together. “I was very impressed at the support Lauren and Madisen provided each other throughout the program. They practiced together and really pushed each other when they were struggling to learn a skill. They are a shining example of how to successfully be there for one another,” Wuertz said.
Cogdill’s grades helped her land an invitation to the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) in August. NTHS inductees must have an “A” average, attend at least 95 percent of their total program hours, and be recommended by their instructors.
“The hardest part of doing it together,” Smith said, “Was motivating my mom. I wanted to keep her motivated, to get her to study, but not parent her,” Smith explained. “The best part was I always had someone there. At the end of the day, we could always come together and have someone who understood and someone to help focus,” she added.
“The hardest part for me was not trying to mother her but keeping school separate,” Cogdill said. “There was a lot of pressure for me. I was nervous that she wouldn’t pass a test, and we would be separated. I didn’t want us to be separated. You literally eat, sleep, and breathe this,” Cogdill added.
Practical Nursing Instructor Megan Tidwell was surprised at how the duo managed being in college together. “I thought Lauren, being the mom, would take over and “mother” Madisen but honestly, they pushed each other to be the best they could be. They held each other accountable. It was pretty cool to see them when we were hybrid sitting in the same room studying together and taking notes together,” Tidwell said.
Both Cogdill and Smith said they couldn’t have finished the Practical Nursing program and earned their diplomas without the help of Cogdill’s husband who worked and provided for the family so they could both focus on school full time. “He worked a lot. We had a huge support system. We couldn’t have done it without him. The financial aid also really helped us be able to do this too,” Cogdill said.
Latest statistics show 95 percent of TCAT Dickson’s full-time beginning undergraduate students receive some type of financial aid assistance. Many students attend the college for free receiving the Wilder-Naifeh Technical Skills Grant, Federal Pell Grant, Tennessee Student Assistance Award, Veteran’s Assistance, Tennessee promise, Tennessee Reconnect, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant, or local scholarships offered in the community.
Cogdill smiled and said, “The best part for me is I got to come back here to TCAT Dickson for a second time. I actually finished this time. I’ve thought about it a lot. It’s been memorable. I mean like ‘Who gets to do this?”
Sitting in the same room with Cogdill and Smith you realize how much they truly respect and admire one another. “I’m just so proud of her. She shaped me into who I am. Without her and the help of my own mom, I’m not sure I could have done it. She (Smith) raised me. Now, just looking at her, I’m just in awe,” Cogdill said of her daughter.
“I feel like she never puts herself first. Her doing this – she put herself first. It makes me happy,” Smith said regarding her mom.
Laughing, Smith said she and her mother did not always get along. “I told them they were an inspiration that neither of them harmed the other. They bickered like family but persevered,” Practical Nursing Instructor Kristen Moffitt said.
Now that they have earned their Practical Nursing diplomas, mother and daughter plan to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN) to become Licensed Practical Nurses, give themselves a little time, and work on the prerequisites to take the next step to continue their educational journey – together. They plan to enroll in Columbia State Community College’s Associate of Applied Science degree in Nursing in May 2026.
Eventually, Smith said she hopes to work in a hospital while Cogdill has her long-term goal set on being a labor and delivery nurse.
Cogdill and Smith both had words of wisdom to share with the next generation of practical nursing students or individuals considering enrolling in the program. “You don’t want to start out mediocre. You want to start out at a high level. Don’t be too hard on yourself and give yourself some room. You are going to have tests you are going to fail,” Cogdill said.
Smith added, “Don’t compare yourself to others or to the people around you. People think ‘If I don’t make all A’s I’m not going to be a good nurse.’ That’s not true.” Both mother and daughter agreed that the instructors at TCAT Dickson bring different attributes to the table making them an impressive teaching team.
“I wanted to do this too, because I wanted to reach out to the other moms out there who are struggling and let them know they can do this. If I could teach them, I would tell them that. You can do this,” Cogdill said.
TCAT Dickson begins a new Practical Nursing cohort at the Dickson campus each January, May, and September. A new cohort begins at the Clarksville campus each September and a new cohort begins at the Franklin campus each May. TCAT Dickson plans to begin a new Practical Nursing program in Houston County September 2026. For additional information please call 615-441-6220 or visit tcatdickson.edu.
TCAT Dickson is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution, is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education, and complies with non-discrimination laws: Title VI, Title IX, Section 504, and ADA. Located on Highway 46 in Dickson, the technical training college also has extension campuses in Clarksville, and Franklin. Additional information about the school is located at www.TCATDickson.edu.
Mother Lauren Cogdill (left) and daughter Madisen Smith were part of the same Practical Nursing cohort at TCAT Dickson earning their Practical Nursing pins and participating in summer commencement all on the same day.
Mother Lauren Cogdill (left) and daughter Madisen Smith take a minute to joke around after the pair earned their Practical Nursing pins and diplomas the same day from TCAT Dickson. The two were part of the same cohort and plan to continue their academic journey together by enrolling at Columbia State Community College May 2026.
Lauren Cogdill receives her Practical Nursing pin in August from third term instructor Kristen Moffitt as TCAT Dickson’s Director of Nursing and Health Careers Stephanie Murphy (left) observes.
Madisen Smith receives her Practical Nursing Pin from TCAT Dickson Instructor Kristen Moffitt as TCAT Dickson Director of Nursing and Health Careers Stephanie Murphy (left) observes her family’s reaction in the audience and Instructor Megan Tidwell (right) watches.
