East Alameda News

After years of working at different restaurants while taking a few nursing classes at a time, Valencia T. knew she needed to try something different to achieve her goals.

“I’ve honestly been trying to pursue my bachelor of science in nursing for about 10 years now. I was taking a class here and a class there, but I really wasn’t fully committing,” she said. “I was determined this last go around, so I came to West Coast University and just went for it.”

Inspired by her grandmother, a nurse of over 30 years, Valencia always knew she wanted to work in healthcare.

“She was always helping people at work and outside of work, and that’s my character, that’s what I wanted to do,” she said.

Now, the WCU-Texas alumni says finishing her program and walking across the stage at graduation was “so surreal but a dream come true.”

While completing West Coast University’s accelerated program can be challenging, Valencia said she relied on the support of her professors and loved ones.

“There were times where it was a struggle and I was like, I don’t know If I can do this, but you have support from your family and your friends and they keep pushing you,” she shared. “Teachers and staff were very encouraging. All I heard the whole three years was ‘You got this.’”

For Valencia, the best part of her journey at WCU-Texas was the people she met along the way.

“I’ve made lifelong friends here and I wouldn’t trade that for the world,” she said.

Her advice to the next generation of West Coast University BSN students it to “buckle down and do the work.”

“Your teachers and staff are here to help you, but you have to be willing to do the work,” she said. “This is something you’re going to have to take with you and absorb so that you can be successful in your job.”

Original source can be found here.