Forging Connections Becomes Key Link to College Success

Rosemary Gonzalez sitting in nursing scrubs posing for the picture

Forging Connections Becomes Key Link to College Success

Forjar conexiones se convierte en un v铆nculo clave para el 茅xito universitario

First-gen Nursing major Rosemary Gonzalez know attending college without her parents fully understanding all the steps it takes to get there would create some obstacles and adversities. Facing those is when she realized that for her to be successful in higher education, she needed to find a new support system. 鈥揟ambi茅n en espa帽ol

April 27, 2023

Looking at the number of programs and organizations Nursing senior Rosemary Gonzalez has been involved in during her time at 麻豆传媒, it is hard to imagine how she felt first moving to Greeley 鈥� an imposter who didn鈥檛 belong.

鈥淚 am a first-generation student, so I had to navigate college on my own, which proved to be very difficult,鈥� Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez grew up on the outskirts of Denver in the Montbello neighborhood. Her parents migrated here from El Salvador, a small country in South Central America.

鈥淏oth of my parents did not make it past high school in their education, so they were very adamant about me pursuing higher education,鈥� Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez never pushed back on the goals her parents set for her. She was always a good student and enjoyed academia, but attending college without her parents fully understanding all the steps it takes to get there created some obstacles and adversities. Facing those is when Gonzalez realized that for her to be successful in higher education, she needed to find a new support system.

鈥淚 joined a lot of programs, a lot of organizations throughout my time here and that was the best decision I made,鈥� Gonzalez said.

With a full courseload in the College of Natural and Health Sciences School of Nursing, Gonzalez鈥檚 schedule quickly filled up. She joined the Honors Interdisciplinary Program (HIP), which includes attending workshops, events and meetings with academic advisors. She also joined the Center for Human Enrichment (CHE), which provides care, encouragement and support to first-generation students. And she added the Student Nurses Association and a sorority to the list.

鈥淚 wanted to embrace my Latina roots, so my freshman year I joined Pi Lambda Chi Latina Sorority, Inc. and ever since I鈥檝e been holding many positions like president, secretary and I joined the Multicultural Greek Council Board as secretary and treasurer,鈥� Gonzalez said.

Her participation in different programs introduced Gonzalez to new people, resources and opportunities. During her sophomore and junior year, Gonzalez was a Reisher Scholarship recipient, which awards first-generation students who demonstrate academic and leadership potential as an undergraduate.

鈥淚t was really great to connect with yet another community of first-gen students who were in the same spot as me,鈥� Gonzalez said. 鈥淩eisher was really able to lift that financial burden off my back and allow me to join all these extra-curricular activities and not have to worry about working as much as I already do to meet my needs.鈥�

Even the jobs Gonzalez decided to take on expanded her roots in 麻豆传媒鈥檚 community. She worked at the Center for Career Readiness helping out with resumes and mock interviews with students looking to enter the professional world.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really exciting to be able to connect one resource to another resource,鈥� Gonzalez said. 鈥淚 can connect my sorority sisters to the Center for Career Readiness. For my friends at Reisher, I can connect them to Greek life, and for the people in CHE, I can connect them to the Honors Program. I think it鈥檚 really great that I have all these different relationships that can help other people out because, at the end of the day, all we have is each other while we鈥檙e away from our families."

Four 麻豆传媒 students holding up their hands mid shout

麻豆传媒 students posing by their altar

Group of sorority girls posing together

Above: Some of Gonzalez's college experiences with her peers

Arriba: Algunas de las experiencias de Gonz谩lez en la universidad

After graduation, Gonzalez plans to continue building her community as a pediatric trauma nurse.

鈥淭rauma is my calling,鈥� Gonzalez said. 鈥淚 really enjoy the adrenaline rush and the intensity of it. It gives me something new every day and it鈥檒l push me in ways that I'm probably not even ready for yet.鈥�

While Gonzalez may be experiencing some nervousness about her future, as most people do when starting their professional career, she knows she has core values she can rely on.

鈥淢y personal nursing philosophy stems from the life values instilled in me as a child,鈥� Gonzalez said. 鈥淪o, resilience, compassion, honesty and empathy. I want to form a nourishing relationship with patients and ensure that I provide quality, selfless and equal individual care for everyone. I do believe that鈥檚 not a skill that everyone possesses. It鈥檚 a commitment and a privilege to be able to be with these patients in the hospital during what could be really the worst moment of their life.鈥�

Gonzalez鈥檚 experience at 麻豆传媒 has given her plenty of practice in developing the relationships she鈥檚 seeking professionally. It has taught her the valuable lesson that you get out what you put in.

"If you come to 麻豆传媒 to get your degree and just go to class and go home, then that鈥檚 what will happen. You will get your degree,鈥� Gonzalez said. 鈥淏ut if you come to campus and you go to events and you support your community and you find connections, you will leave not only with a degree but with friendships and relationships. Whether personal or professional, you will leave with so many more connections and just more tenacity and perseverance to continue to grow as a person.鈥�

So, while Gonzalez had to adjust to college life seemingly on her own, she took the necessary steps putting herself out there to discover that she is not an imposter and that she belongs.

鈥淢y journey here has been difficult, it鈥檚 been memorable, but most of all, beautiful,鈥� Gonzalez said.

Along with the Reishner Family Scholarship, Gonzalez is also a recipient of the Courage to Excel Scholarship.

鈥� written by Sydney Kern

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Nikaiya Lawson

For Nikaiya Lawson, an Art and Design student graduating from 麻豆传媒 this spring, art is a safe place. After a suicide attempt at age 14, it has been the space where she finds meaning and can freely express her identity without limits.

Al ver la cantidad de programas y organizaciones en los que ha participado Rosemary Gonz谩lez, estudiante de 煤ltimo a帽o de Enfermer铆a, durante su estancia en la 麻豆传媒, es dif铆cil imaginar c贸mo se sinti贸 al llegar a Greeley: una impostora que no pertenec铆a a la universidad.

"Soy una estudiante de primera generaci贸n, as铆 que tuve que navegar por la universidad por mi cuenta, lo que result贸 ser bien dif铆cil", dijo Gonz谩lez.

Gonz谩lez creci贸 en las afueras de Denver, en el barrio de Montbello. Sus padres emigraron aqu铆 desde El Salvador, un peque帽o pa铆s del sur de Centroam茅rica.

"Mis padres nunca pasaron del bachillerato, y por eso insistieron mucho en que yo estudiara la universidad", explica Gonz谩lez.

Gonz谩lez nunca se opuso a los objetivos que sus padres le recomendaban. Siempre fue una buena estudiante y disfrutaba con los estudios, pero ir a la universidad le cre贸 algunos obst谩culos y frustracion, ya que sus padres no sab铆an muy bien todos los pasos que se necesitaban para estar ah铆. Fue entonces cuando Gonz谩lez se dio cuenta de que, para tener 茅xito en la educaci贸n superior, necesitaba encontrar un nuevo sistema de apoyo.

"Me un铆 a muchos programas y organizaciones durante mi estancia aqu铆, y fue la mejor decisi贸n que tom茅", afirma Gonz谩lez.

Con una carga de materias completa en la Escuela de Enfermer铆a de la Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y de la Salud, la agenda de Gonz谩lez se llen贸 r谩pidamente. Se uni贸 al Programa Interdisciplinario de Honores (HIP), que incluye la asistencia a talleres, eventos y reuniones con asesores acad茅micos. Tambi茅n se uni贸 al Centro de Enriquecimiento Humano (CHE), que proporciona atenci贸n, est铆mulo y apoyo a los estudiantes de primera generaci贸n. Y a帽adi贸 a la lista la Asociaci贸n de Enfermeras Estudiantiles y una hermandad.

"Quer铆a abrazar mis ra铆ces latinas, as铆 que en mi primer a帽o me un铆 a Pi Lambda Chi Latina Sorority, Inc. y desde entonces he ocupado muchos cargos como presidenta, secretaria y me un铆 a la Junta del Consejo Griego Multicultural como secretaria y tesorera", dijo Gonz谩lez.

Su participaci贸n en diferentes programas introdujo a Gonz谩lez a nuevas personas, recursos y oportunidades. Durante su segundo y tercer a帽o, Gonz谩lez recibi贸 una beca Reisher, que premia a estudiantes de primera generaci贸n que demuestran potencial acad茅mico y de liderazgo como estudiantes universitarios.

"Fue realmente fant谩stico conectar con otra comunidad de estudiantes de primera generaci贸n que estaban en la misma situaci贸n que yo", dijo Gonz谩lez. "Reisher fue realmente capaz de quitarme esa carga financiera de encima y permitirme unirme a todas estas actividades extracurriculares y no tener que preocuparme por trabajar tanto como ya lo hago para satisfacer mis necesidades".

Incluso los trabajos que Gonz谩lez decidi贸 aceptar ampliaron sus ra铆ces en la comunidad de la 麻豆传媒. Trabaj贸 en el Centro de Preparaci贸n Profesional ayudando con curr铆culos y simulacros de entrevistas con estudiantes que buscan entrar en el mundo profesional.

"Es realmente emocionante poder conectar un recurso con otro", dijo Gonz谩lez. "Puedo conectar a mis hermanas de hermandad con el Centro de Preparaci贸n Profesional. Para mis amigos en Reisher, puedo conectarlos a la vida griega, y para la gente en CHE, puedo conectarlos al Programa de Honores. Creo que es muy bueno que tengo todas estas relaciones diferentes que pueden ayudar a otras personas porque, al final del d铆a, todo lo que tenemos es el uno al otro mientras estamos lejos de nuestras familias ".

Despu茅s de graduarse, Gonz谩lez planea seguir construyendo su comunidad como enfermera de traumatolog铆a pedi谩trica.

"Trauma es mi vocaci贸n", dice Gonz谩lez. "Me gusta mucho la adrenalina y la intensidad. Me da algo nuevo cada d铆a y me impulsar谩 de maneras para las que probablemente a煤n no estoy preparada."

Aunque Gonz谩lez pueda estar experimentando cierto nerviosismo acerca de su futuro, como le ocurre a la mayor铆a de la gente cuando empieza su carrera profesional, sabe que tiene unos valores fundamentales en los que puede confiar.

"Mi filosof铆a personal de enfermer铆a proviene de los valores que me inculcaron de ni帽a", dijo Gonz谩lez. "Por tanto, resiliencia, compasi贸n, honestidad y empat铆a. Quiero establecer una relaci贸n nutritiva con los pacientes y asegurarme de que ofrezco una atenci贸n de calidad, desinteresada e igual para todos. Creo que no es una habilidad que todo el mundo posea. Es un compromiso y un privilegio poder estar con estos pacientes en el hospital durante lo que podr铆a ser realmente el peor momento de su vida."

La experiencia de Gonz谩lez en la 麻豆传媒 le ha dado mucha pr谩ctica en el desarrollo de las relaciones que busca profesionalmente. Le ha ense帽ado la valiosa lecci贸n de que uno obtiene lo que se propone.

"Si vienes a la 麻豆传媒 para obtener tu t铆tulo y s贸lo vas a clase y te vas a casa, eso es lo que pasar谩. Obtendr谩s tu t铆tulo", dijo Gonz谩lez. "Pero si vienes al campus y vas a eventos y apoyas a tu comunidad y encuentras conexiones, te ir谩s no s贸lo con un t铆tulo sino con amistades y relaciones. Ya sean personales o profesionales, te ir谩s con muchas m谩s conexiones y simplemente con m谩s tenacidad y perseverancia para seguir creciendo como persona".

As铆 que, aunque Gonz谩lez tuvo que adaptarse a la vida universitaria aparentemente por su cuenta, dio los pasos necesarios para descubrir que no es una impostora y que pertenece al mundo universitario.

"Mi viaje hasta aqu铆 ha sido dif铆cil, memorable y, sobre todo, hermoso", dijo Gonz谩lez.

Adem谩s de la Beca de la Familia Reishner, Gonz谩lez tambi茅n ha recibido la Beca Coraje para Sobresalir.

鈥揺scrito por Sydney Kern, traducido por Carlos Jos茅 P茅rez S谩mano

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