Warren graduate gives credit to Warren CC for successful academic and career path

Nate Carroll admits that while he loved learning as he left high school, he wasn’t an academic star.

“I just wasn’t a dedicated student. But after some time in the real world, I went to Warren, and things changed,” he said.

Carroll, now the national medical director for InSite Health, a fast-growing firm offering badly needed counseling services to young people throughout two states and soon several more, found that Warren County Community College provided him with encouragement about his potential and an opportunity to explore his path forward.

He went on to get two master’s degree (one from Yale) and his medical degree from Rowan University, gather 14 certifications in specialized areas of health care and counseling and develop a successful career with organizations offering the latest approaches to emotional health.

“I had a chance at Warren to figure things out. I also learned how to focus on one thing and then shift gears. I’d never been able to keep my attention on something and then move on and dedicate myself to something else.”

Carroll’s connection to Warren goes back to childhood, when in elementary school he attended a computer on campus. It continued in high school when he took more classes in computer science.

“My relationship with Warren early on kicked off a love of technology and learning.”

"He received his bachelor’s degree from William Paterson University and enjoyed his work as a counselor but found a passion for medicine and wanted to make a bigger impact, so he took a variety of classes at Warren – subjects in which he had an interest and would move him toward new career opportunities. He went on to finish his premedical and pre-MBA requirements.

“I would take a math class early in the morning, then go to work, and then take a science class in the evening. I did that for about two years to fulfill many of my premedical and MBA requirements,” he says.

Carroll has received lengthy list of scholarships and academic awards, including the emerging leader award from the American Psychiatric Association Foundation and two of the highest awards for residents at the Jersey Shore University Medical Center.

He’s advocated for improvements to health care and counseling within the medical community and in the state legislature and has been involved in a number of research papers and has authored and co-authored four books, including his latest about the mental health challenges brought on by technology.

His short-term plans include publication of another book and presentations at the American Psychiatric Association conference and addition of other professional certifications.

As the National Medical Director of InSite Health, Dr. Carroll is responsible for a large team of therapists, nurses, and psychiatrists who provide comprehensive virtual and in-person services to meet a growing mental health demand. His company also provides support to school counselors who often struggle with caseloads of more than 300 students.

“If you had told me I’d have this pathway and a medical degree back when I first enrolled at Warren, I’d have thought you were crazy,” he says. “But when I went to Warren, I challenged myself to get a 4.0 grade point average and figure out what I was going to do with my life. It afforded me an opportunity to learn at my own pace and in a way that matched my life situation at the time.”

Carroll says the faculty was well informed and supportive and the staff and students made him feel comfortable.

“I love Warren. I have such a strong connection to the college.”

He says students attending or considering Warren should learn all they can about careers that interest them – in their class work, from their professors and by getting involved in professional organizations where they can see what those careers are like and make valuable connections.

Pursue your dreams, he says, but be honest with yourself.

“Trust your gut. Explore the things you are passionate about but be willing to shift gears if you find it’s not for you. Warren offers you a great opportunity to do both those things – really learn about careers but not get locked in or waste too much time or money,” he says. “It’s a great place to start.”