Less than a week after Jana Duggar tied the knot (in – oh horror! – a strapless dress!), it was announced that the former Count on Star has gone against another Duggar family tradition by pursuing higher education.

Accordingly Peoplethe Duggars’ eldest daughter, enrolled in nursing school last year at NorthWest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) in Bentonville, Arkansas. Jana told the magazine that a career in nursing was “another interest” she had harbored over the years. This makes Jana the first of her 19 siblings to attend a secular college.

Jana, 34, said she began looking for a new purpose in life when she realized that marriage and having a bunch of children the size of the Duggar family were probably out of the question for her.

“…And I thought, ‘You know what? Maybe this is more of a calling for me and I can just throw myself into something,'” she said.

Recently, Jana’s “great effort” in her courses secured her a spot on the NWACC Dean’s List for the Spring 2024 semester. According to the website, “The Dean’s List includes students who have achieved a grade point average between 3.5 and 4.0 in at least six credits in an academic semester.”

After a brief relationship a few years ago, Jana got back together with her husband. Stephen Wissmanduring her second semester of nursing school. The two became engaged in June and married on August 15 in a ceremony in Prairie Grove, Arkansas.

Jana is not the first Jim-Bob And Michelle Duggars children are pursuing a higher education, she is certainly one of the first to do so in a traditional college setting. As those familiar with the Duggar family know, the former TLC family believes in raising their children through a religiously based homeschooling program rather than attending public or private school, and in most cases foregoes attending college.

Although neither Jim Bob nor Michelle attended college, both Jana and her twin brother John David Duggarcompleted some online courses in 2011 as part of a program called CollegePlus. Jessa Duggar Seawoods And Jinger Duggar Vuolo They also reportedly attempted to graduate from the program at one point, but it appears that neither of them followed through.

While the family claimed in 2017 that Joseph Duggar Although he completed a year of college courses at Crown Bible College, he eventually dropped out of school and returned home to work in the family construction business.

As viewers of Counting On may remember, Jill Duggar Dillard had once expressed interest in becoming a nurse. Although Jill ultimately did not pursue a nursing degree, did 2015 Graduated as a state-certified midwife.

After completing her nursing degree, Jana will be the second in the Duggar family to do so, alongside her sister-in-law Abbie Duggar– John-David’s wife – who graduated as a nurse from Pontotoc Technology Center, a vocational school in Ada, Oklahoma.

Coincidentally (or not), Jana has a close relationship with Abbie, who served as one of the bridesmaids at Jana’s wedding to Stephen last week. (Joining Abbie in the bridesmaids’ line were Jana’s sisters Jinger, Joy Forsyth, Johanna Duggar, Jordyn Duggar And Jennifer Duggar. Jana chose Jessa as her maid of honor.)

Jill’s husband, Derick DillardJessa’s husband, Ben Seewaldand Jinger’s husband, Jeremy Vuoloalso have college degrees. Derick graduated from the University of Arkansas with a law degree in 2021; Ben graduated from National Park College with a political science degree in 2015 before taking courses at Moody Bible Institute; and Jeremy graduated from Syracuse University in 2010.

As The Ashley has already told you, now that she is married, Jana plans to leave Arkansas – and the infamous Duggar Estate– and move to Nebraska, where her husband lives and works in the family business. This also means that Jana will likely no longer be taking classes at NWACC, but she has not revealed where (or if) she plans to transfer to complete her nursing degree.

RELATED STORY: Jana Duggar is married! 5 surprising things about the ‘Counting On’ star’s wedding to Stephen Wissmann

(Photos: Instagram; TLC)

Related