Agapita Espinosa, ADN Student
Agapita Espinosa never gave up on her dream of becoming a nurse.
“When my brother, Mauricio, was younger, he got really sick,” she said. “He was in the ICU for several weeks and had a trach put in place. We would go stay at the Ronald McDonald House at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston.”
When her brother got out of the hospital, a home health nurse provided him 24-hour care.
“Now, he’s thriving,” she said. “Seeing them take care of him like he was one of their own inspired me to pursue nursing. The nurse we had was named Lauren. I thought, ‘I want to be a Lauren to someone.’”
Espinosa, 32, returned to school after working for a daycare for a decade and is now enrolled in Victoria College’s Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Program. The Yoakum native is also a mother of two sons, Christian (13) and Walter (11).
“Now my kids are older, and my husband, Gabriel, is very supportive of me doing this,” she said. “He has supported me through long lectures and long nights of studying. My kids are also seeing me go to school, which reflects back on them. It’s been a positive experience.”
Since enrolling at VC, Espinosa has received two scholarships through the VC Foundation, including a $1,600 Johnson Endowment Scholarship and $1,500 Jack Morrison Sr. Endowed Scholarship. She has also received funding through the Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act Program to help cover expenses like books, transportation and nursing scrubs.
“It’s less stressful when you don’t have to worry about being able to afford everything,” she said. “The scholarships have helped me focus on my studies rather than the money I didn’t have. I have also been able to travel to and from campus without the additional pressure of travel expenses. That’s helped a lot because I live out of town.”
Once she graduates in May 2025, Espinosa plans to continue her education by earning a Bachelor’s of Science in nursing from either the University of Houston-Victoria or The University of Texas at Arlington. She believes the VC faculty and staff have prepared her well to become a nurse and continue her higher education.
“The professors are truly the best,” she said. “I believe it when they say that our success is their success. They truly care for our future. Coming back to school was frightening, but meeting new people has been life-changing.”
Her brother’s nurse, Lauren, would be proud.