Of the nearly 200 incoming nursing students in the Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences this fall, one of them has been dreaming of coming to Texas Christian University since she was little. And that dream is now becoming a reality.
Several aspects drew Alondra Trevizo to TCU, including the direct-entry program for nursing and the on-campus simulation labs.
“Nursing is a challenging career, and so I really wanted to make sure that the university had the right resources for me,” said the incoming first-year. “Something that really caught my interest was the learning health center with acute care simulations.”
Growing up, Trevizo wanted to be a pediatric nurse. Starting her freshman year of high school, Trevizo spent every summer in vacation Bible school and loved interacting with kids daily.
But a surprise placement in a work-study program she started at 16 years old put her in Presbyterian Village North, a senior living community, which introduced her to the idea of working in geriatrics. Trevizo said she was caught off guard, given her years-long interest in pediatrics, but kept an open mind and was willing to learn something new.
Trevizo recalled a day when she was shadowing an exercise specialist at the senior living home, and they helped a resident during a vulnerable moment in the resident's daily life. Trevizo explained that seeing the resident’s smile and gratitude was rewarding.
“I feel like that reward – seeing them smile afterward and seeing they can improve and getting to be there in their hard moments – that’s what made me choose more towards nursing,” Trevizo said. “With nursing, you get to be by their side and support them when they need it most.”
When Trevizo received her purple acceptance letter, she was thrilled. Although Trevizo received numerous acceptances and scholarships, she was set on calling TCU home for years, and she is excited to be part of the Horned Frog Family.
“I’m very compassionate, and I feel like what distinguishes me the most and what makes me good for a nursing career is that I have a lot of altruism,” Trevizo said. “I always make sure that people around me feel cared for and serve them because, as a Christian person myself, I would like to serve others, just as Jesus Christ served others.”