Summer — 2010

Adriana Zavala

Nursing

“My mom said to me, ‘If I’d had the chance to finish high school and college, I’d be a nurse right now.’ So I’m very happy that I can fulfill her dreams.”

In her first year at SMC, Adriana Zavala reports, “This is all really a big change for me, because I came from an all-girls Catholic high school. So it’s been really great to meet so many smart and interesting people from all sorts of backgrounds. Plus, this is a very pretty place, and I always feel good about walking onto the campus,” she says. “SMC is very laid back, relaxed, and welcoming.”

The study of the Sciences has always been a strength of Adriana’s, and she needed all that strength in her current studies of Anatomy. “It’s a really hard class, but I’m working very hard at it. And my professor, Dr. Letvin, makes it a lot of fun and is very clear in how he presents us with difficult concepts. He’s actually very visual, and that helps a lot,” says Adriana. “And in our last class, we examined an actual skeleton, which was amazing.” But apart from Science, SMC has also provided the funding that keeps Adriana moving toward a career in Nursing. “Honestly, if SMC hadn’t helped me, I wouldn’t be in college. My mom got laid off from her job, so money is a very big issue for us.”

“Counseling was very helpful to me in setting up how I would tackle my GEs,” says Adriana. But she also has a special ‘friend’ who helps to keep her focused. “In whatever free time I have, I study my classical music: Mozart! He always helps me to study.” After SMC, Adriana plans on transferring to UCLA and earning her BSN. “And 10 years from now, I plan on being in a really good hospital environment and helping people out. That’s what Mom really wanted to do, and I know that she’s really proud and happy that I’m actually going to be doing it.”

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