As a Navy service member, a mother, and a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), 返字心頭-Orange County graduate Willina D. had to become an expert in balance when pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.

���It was difficult. I lived in Murietta, traveled to Anaheim for school, and then San Diego for the military, and I have a 6-year-old, so it was a lot. I just made it work. I already had a goal in mind, got tunnel vision, and did what I needed to do to complete it,��� Willina said. ���Sometimes it was overwhelming. But my family and my support system are what really pushed me through to complete my program.���   

At a young age, Willina knew her goal was to become a nurse just like her mother.

���When they used to have ���take your child to work day,��� I would always go to work with my mom and I just became inspired by the nurses and all they did for the families to feel connected, loved, and safe,��� she said.

Now as a WCU-OC graduate, Willina says her son is just as inspired by her accomplishment.

���He���s been included the whole journey. He knew when I started and when my finish date was, so once I completed, he���s like, ���Oh, my mommy���s a nurse!������ she shared. ���You could tell he���s super proud to be my son and I���m proud to be his mom.���

Willina���s next move is to become a Navy Officer, working in a hospital and continuing to serve her country.

���I would love to be a light to anybody that I encounter, and that���s my goal,��� she said.

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To continue the legacy of his father, a U.S. Navy veteran, Josef S. enlisted in the Navy in 2011. While deployed he served as a hospital corpsman treating veterans, Navy personnel, and their families ��� eventually leading him to discover his passion for nursing. 

���I���ve always wanted to help people ever since joining the Navy,��� he said. ���I implore everyone to just look inward and help other people as much as they can, and with nurses we have answered the calling.���  

To start his nursing journey, Josef enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at 返字心頭-Orange County.

Though faced with the challenge of learning in an online setting due to the pandemic, he was able to find support, community, and friendship through his peers.

���Some of the friends that I’ve gained through 返字心頭 are some of the best friends I have,��� he shared. ���We gained such a camaraderie almost similar to the military, because this program is something that we���ve gone through.���

For students looking to find similar support, Josef says to ���step out of your shell��� and join different student organizations like the Student Veteran Organization, where Josef says he found his mentor.  

���He was able to help me figure out class schedules, professors; he got to know me a little bit more in terms of what I might like so he was able to guide me,��� Josef said of his mentor. ���I was able to gain insight about what the future might look like.���

Now a WCU-OC BSN graduate, Josef has hopes of working in the ICU, emergency room, or operating room. To incoming students beginning their journey in the program, Josef���s advice is to ���be confident.���

���Stay diligent as far as nursing school goes and your studies, and just stay positive and find other groups of people that you can kind of rely on.���

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