In crafting her own obit, alumna found her purpose

Bianca Wilson got stumped writing her own obituary. What sounds like an awkward college assignment turned into an enlightening moment for the woman who would one day become the first African-American female train conductor at Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY).

The Tidewater Community College alumna and Navy wife shared her story with students during a keynote address for Women’s History Month on March 7 at the Norfolk Campus Student Center.

During her student development class, the instructor assigned students to write their own obituary as homework. Wilson jotted down being a stay-at-home wife and mother but yearned for some professional accomplishments.

“This was my aha moment. It changed my whole perspective,” she said. “I was unhappy as to how my children would view me as a mother and a woman and the legacy I would leave them.”

So she enrolled in TCC’s administrative support technology program and balanced motherhood with being a student.

“I checked into labor and delivery at Chesapeake General and still had to complete a writing assignment for a class. I brought my laptop and books and completed the work while in active labor,” she said.

Wilson was a student ambassador at Portsmouth Campus and a regional honors chair for Phi Theta Kappa, the honor society for two-year schools. While she took all but two of her classes online, she felt part of the college because of professors who invested in her success.

“The teachers made it easy for me and provided one-on-one help, often over the phone,” Wilson said. “We were a community of learners, even if we were doing it remotely.”

Business instructor Peggy Scott impressed her with her kindness. “She sent a letter to my home telling me that she was amazed at my work and the fortitude I’d shown, and offered to write me a letter of reference,” Wilson said. “She encouraged me when I wanted to give up. Even though I’ve never laid eyes on her, I feel as though I know her for years.”

While taking classes at TCC, Wilson went to work at NNSY, following the path of her great grandfather, grandfather and dad. Today she transports heavy equipment across the yard.

“A lot of what we move are the anchors, shafts for the carriers, and fuel,” she told the monthly newsletter for NNSY. “This is one of the most dangerous jobs – you’re dealing with tonnage. It’s heavy. We have to be very careful. We’re always making sure we’re safe. There’s a lot of traffic here, and people will walk right in front of the train. And we don’t have lights and bells ringing when we cross streets, so we have to be hype-aware.”

Wilson graduated from TCC in 2018 with an Associate of Applied Science in Administrative Support Technology. She would like to parlay her experience into a management position at the shipyard. She plans to attend Old Dominion University for business management.

Wilson also owns a photography business, Everlasting Pictures and Photobooth, LLC. She and husband Stanley have three daughters.

“Never give up, no matter how hard it gets, or how slow you have to go,” Wilson advises. “The only thing that beats a failure is not trying at all.”