Rachael Hauboldt
For Rachael Hauboldt, a career in nursing wasn’t always part of the plan.
She never imagined herself applying to nursing school or working in healthcare until a quiet moment of reflection during a youth group gathering changed everything.
“I was like, ‘Okay, God, what do you want me to do with my life?’” said Hauboldt. “It’s funny when you ask God questions, because you never expect him to answer. But that night I heard the word ‘nursing.’ ”
At first, she hesitated. Nursing hadn’t been on her radar. But the next morning, after sharing the experience with her mother, she saw what felt like confirmation — a front-page story in the Victoria Advocate highlighting a nursing shortage and the role of Victoria College in helping meet the demand.
Hauboldt, who moved to Victoria during middle school and stayed through her sophomore year of high school, later relocated to Monroe, Louisiana. After graduating, she faced a decision: attend the University of Louisiana at Monroe, move to Georgia or return to Victoria.
A visit to Victoria College during Spring Break made the choice clear. A meeting with nursing simulation staff Mary Kitchens and Monica Hamilton gave her the reassurance and connection she was hoping for.
“We had an instant connection, and it just felt like more confirmation that this is where I’m supposed to be,” she said.
She enrolled in VC’s Associate Degree Nursing Program, where her long-term goals began to take shape. Inspired by her instructors, Hauboldt discovered a passion not just for nursing, but for teaching.
“I very distinctly remember being in the program and realizing that I wanted to be an instructor,” said Hauboldt. “I loved how they helped me understand the information and just made things click for me.”
Hauboldt graduated from the ADN Program in 2015 and began her nursing career at Citizens Medical Center, where she spent eight years, much of that time working in the cardiac unit.
While building her clinical experience, she continued her education, earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston-Victoria, now Texas A&M University-Victoria, and a master’s degree from Western Governors University.
Today, Hauboldt’s journey has come full circle as she proudly serves as an Associate Professor at the same program that helped launch her career.
Call it fate, destiny or a higher calling, but Hauboldt knows she is exactly where she is meant to be — helping the next generation of nurses chart their own path.