Houston City College grad trades overnight shifts for the operating room and evenings with her children

Ferdonna Crossgrove, a single mother of two, earned an associate degree in surgical technology from Houston City College Coleman College for Health Sciences in May 2026. That same month, she received a job offer from Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, where she had completed her clinical training. 

Crossgrove used to lay out her daughter’s school clothes so she could get dressed on her own in the morning. Crossgrove would be coming off an overnight shift and heading to class or clinical training. Her children’s grandmother handled school drop-off and pickup. 

Now, as a surgical technologist at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, Crossgrove works days. She can come home to cook dinner, help her daughter with homework and attend her son’s football games. 

“I want them to see that it’s possible,” Crossgrove said of her children. “I want us to have a better life. I want to provide more, do more.” 

Before enrolling at Houston City College, Crossgrove spent 10 years working at a state facility in Richmond, Texas, where she rose from staff member to supervisor. She had taken college classes but had yet to earn a degree. She knew she wanted to work in health care, and seeing how much her cousin enjoyed his career as a surgical technologist helped her decide on a path forward. 

During the two-year program, Crossgrove worked full time on the night shift. On some mornings, she finished work at 6 a.m. and had to report to clinical training by 6:30 a.m. At home, her children followed a routine she had established. Her 17-year-old son helped look after his younger sister, and Crossgrove credited their father, grandmother and extended family with helping her get through the program. 

“I think without my village, I wouldn’t have been able to do it,” she said. 

At HCC, Crossgrove found encouragement from an instructor who had also balanced college coursework while raising children. Crossgrove said the instructor understood how difficult it was to juggle school and parenting and regularly reminded her that she could finish. Some of her instructors still check in with her today, she said. 

Crossgrove said she became emotional during graduation week after taking her certification exam and attending commencement and a pinning ceremony on consecutive days. After getting to know the hospital’s staff and surgeons during clinical training, she had hoped and prayed for an opportunity to work there. 

“I’m doing something that I love and worked so hard for,” she said. “So that’s a reward in itself.” 

Crossgrove said her new job has given her greater financial stability. She is also continuing her education at HCC, pursuing an online bachelor’s degree in health care management to expand her career opportunities. 

“You want to keep the momentum going,” Crossgrove said. “I don’t want to stop now because, you know, once you stop, you get complacent.”

Ferdonna Crossgrove was all smiles as she was honored during the HCC Surgical Technology Pinning Ceremony in May.