Vela grad’s passion for nursing leads to early success thanks to STC
Photo above: From accelerating her college education through South Texas College’s Dual Credit Enrollment program to obtaining a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing at only 21 years old, Robert Vela High School graduate Victoria Moron has made the most out of everything that STC has to offer and now enjoys her dream job as a nurse.
By Selene Rodriguez
Edinburg TX, May 10, 2023 – From accelerating her college education as a South Texas College Dual Credit student to obtaining a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Nursing at only 21 years old, alumna Victoria Moron has made the most out of what the college has to offer, and now enjoys her dream job as a nursery nurse.
“I knew from early on I wanted to work in women’s health, and then I found a natural affinity for nursing. I’m very grateful to have found a path early in my life, I never saw myself doing anything else,” she said.
Following in her aunt’s footsteps, Moron started studying at STC as a freshman at Robert Vela High School in 2016, enrolling in dual credit courses that would give her college credits while still in high school.
“I’m the second nurse in my family. An aunt of mine that also graduated from STC inspired me to choose this career so, with the help of my advisors, I enrolled in dual credit classes,” she said. “I just wanted to start a career in nursing as soon as possible.”
By the time she graduated in 2019, Moron had completed all the prerequisite classes necessary to apply for the Associate Degree Nursing Program.
She officially started college in 2020, just a couple months before the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the nursing field, a new challenge that far from discouraged her. She said it reminded her why she dreamed of a career in patient care.
“We’re here because we want to help people, during that time I saw a need for nurses like never before, it just motivated me to keep going,” she shared. “It wasn’t until my very last semester of the two-year program that we were allowed to do clinical rotations in hospitals, that’s when I realized the exceptional job that our instructors did on teaching us how to put theory into practice and translate it into a real-life skill.”
After graduating with her associate degree in nursing in 2021 and becoming a licensed registered nurse, Moron started STC’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, which is 100% online, allowing her to also work as a full-time nurse.
“Even before finishing the associate degree program, our instructors were advocating for us to continue because they really wanted to see us succeed and encouraged it; their passion for nursing is truly inspiring,” she shared.
Moron added that obtaining a bachelor’s degree while working would not have been possible without STC’s flexible online program and instructors.
“Our instructors always maintained a welcoming environment and allowed us to do schoolwork around our work schedule. I could be working three or four shifts and still have the chance to study at my own pace,” she said. “I was amazed at the nursing program and faculty that were fully online, but still close enough to reach out if I needed help.”
Today, Moron found her dream job working as a nursery nurse for DHR Health Women’s Hospital, aspiring for a leadership role through her advanced education, and looks back at her journey with STC positively.
“It’s well known that STC truly prepares students on the hands-on part of the job, that’s what makes STC different,” she said. “Now that I have my bachelor’s degree, I can work toward a position in administration. I want to be a leader in my unit because the leaders I’ve seen right now are shaping me into the nurse I want to be. I want to be that role model for somebody else.”
Moron said she enjoys encouraging the next generation of nurses to keep striving for higher education.
“There are so many flexible options for us to grow professionally, by continuing your education you’re already doing the population a favor. You’re offering yourself as a service, that is valuable. So just keep striving, keep going.”
For more information on STC’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing or other Nursing and Allied Health programs, visit nah.southtexascollege.edu or call 956-872-3100.
Registration for summer and fall 2023 is underway. Summer classes begin June 5.
For more information or to register, visit southtexascollege.edu.