(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Texas State Technical College student Amanda Guerrero knows what she wants to do in life: help others. The path to nursing was an obvious choice for the Harlingen native, and this December her mission to make a difference in her community will begin when she concludes her time in the TSTC Vocational Nursing program.
“I chose to study nursing because it is more than just waking up and doing the same thing day after day,” she said. “I felt I could make a difference in somebody’s life. The field of nursing branches out into so many paths, and though it is sometimes a thankless career, it comes with such a great reward.”
Guerrero does not have to look far to find inspiration from others in the field. Her mother, Araceli Guerrero, has been a nurse for 24 years and is proud that the legacy to serve has continued with her children.
“It is an honor that both of my daughters have taken on this career,” she said. “I am so proud of Amanda because she came across many obstacles and never gave up. She completed this journey with very minimal financial help from me. She saved and found the resources that she needed to pay her bills and go to school through the year. I know she is going to be a dedicated and caring nurse.”
Claudia Lopez, who has maintained a close friendship with Amanda Guerrero for over a decade, said that Guerrero’s work ethic has been evident from the beginning.
“Amanda is not the type to give up,” she said. “If she runs into an issue, she will figure out a plan and see something through. It makes me emotional thinking about what kind of nurse she is going to be because she is such a selfless person. Her reason in life is to help others.”
Ultimately Guerrero wants to soak in as much as she can in the field before beginning a new journey on the path to becoming a registered nurse.
“I hope to learn as much as possible during my first years as a new graduate,” she said. “I also want to get a job as a psychiatric nurse before continuing my education into the registered nursing program, which is a goal I hope to accomplish soon.”
No matter where her journey takes her, she is certain that this career is where she is meant to be.
“Nursing is so important to me because it is more than just a job or getting a paycheck,” she said. “It is about that passion to help others. Helping others is the reason nursing came about to begin with.”
To learn more about TSTC, visit https://www.tstc.edu.
