Student balances high school, college, earns degree

HIDALGO -- Nisa Ramos, a 49-year-old single mother from Port Isabel, kept a promise she made to herself and two children.

Ramos, who worked as a licensed vocational nurse for 23 years, went back to school and earned an associate degree in nursing from South Texas College.

Even when her mother died and her father had to have surgery earlier this year, Ramos continued to travel 65 miles from her home to school.

"This was probably the hardest year I had in my life," she said.

On Saturday, Ramos and about 2,000 other STC students finally received their diplomas and certificates for their hard work.

The college had three commencement ceremonies at Dodge Arena, each for graduates of a different set of degree and certificate programs.

Dr. Carlos J. Cardenas, chairman of the board for Edinburg-based Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, spoke at the morning ceremony for the Nursing and Allied Health Division. Best-selling author Victor Villaseñor spoke at the afternoon commencement for the Liberal Arts and Sciences Division. And Laurie Bricker, member of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, spoke at the third ceremony for the Business, Math, Science and Technology Division and Baccalaureate program.

Cardenas told students they needed to be advocates for their patients and be strong and courageous when they see something wrong.

He told the graduates it was that desire to be an advocate that led him and several other doctors to open Doctors Hospital at Renaissance in the 1990s.

The facility was named one of the top 100 hospitals in the country by healthcare industry information provider Thomson Healthcare. Cardenas attributed that recognition to the nurses and other staff at the hospital.

"We've built a culture that allows nurses to be nurses, that allows every person in our organization to do what they were trained to do, and that is care for our patients," he said.

The common response from graduates was that it was about time healthcare providers promoted that sort of climate.

Other graduates said before the ceremonies that they were relieved to finish this part of their education and are looking forward to the next stage.

Miriam Garza, 19, earned a certificate of completion in emergency medical technology and said she plans to continue her education at STC, pursuing more advanced certification. Her ultimate goal is to become a nurse.

Cecilia Corral, an 18-year-old senior at Pharr-San Juan-Alamo North High School, received her associate of science degree through the college's dual enrollment engineering academy. Corral expects to receive her high school diploma later this month.

Her hard work has paid off. She received a full scholarship to Stanford University, as well as STC's Presidential Inspirational Achievement Award.

The teenager said she was glad she went through the program, event though she had to give up playing sports to focus on her studies.

"I think it really was the best opportunity I could've gotten," she said.
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Jennifer L. Berghom covers education and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4462.