At 41 years old, Chukwunonso Offiah (known as Chuk) knows firsthand what perseverance looks like.
A recent respiratory therapy student at Chippewa Valley Technical College’s River Falls campus, Offiah graduated on May 22, marking the culmination of a journey that began long before he entered the classroom. Originally from Nigeria, he moved to the United States in 2016 with a goal of building a future in health care.
“I have always wanted to be in the medical field,” Offiah said. “When I arrived here, I had to start from where I could.”
That starting point was as a certified nursing assistant, where he worked in nursing homes and traveled across states. It was there that he saw patients struggle to breathe and the critical role respiratory therapists play.
“Breathing is life,” he said. “Helping someone who is short of breath, scared or critically ill felt meaningful to me.”
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Offiah began prerequisites at CVTC in 2023 and entered the respiratory therapy core program in August 2023. Along the way, he balanced clinicals, coursework, night shifts and family life as a father.
“There were times I went 24 to 48 hours without sleep,” he said. “But I reminded myself I was doing this for my family and my future patients.”
His determination recently earned him recognition as the Student of the Year from the Wisconsin Society for Respiratory Care.
“This award represents my journey, my struggles and my commitment,” Offiah said. “It reminds me that perseverance matters and that my children are watching.”
Kirsten Holbrook, CVTC Respiratory Therapy program director, said Offiah exemplifies the qualities the program strives to instill in its students.
“We are thrilled to have Chuk (Offiah) be recognized as the Wisconsin RT Student of the Year,” Holbrook said. “Chuk (Offiah) embodies the CVTC core abilities and high expectations that the CVTC Respiratory Therapy program is known for. He consistently demonstrates a level of maturity, accountability and quiet leadership that positively influences his peers. He leads not through recognition-seeking behaviors but through reliability, integrity and a strong work ethic, qualities that are essential in the field of respiratory care.”
Offiah credits his instructors and clinical preceptors for helping him grow professionally and personally. He says hands-on clinical experiences were especially impactful in connecting classroom learning to real patient care.
After graduation, Offiah plans to continue his education with goals of earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees and eventually moving into a leadership role in respiratory therapy.
His advice to future students: “Stay focused, be willing to learn and never give up. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.”
