A heart for helping others

After overcoming setbacks and caring for family members in need, South Texas College student Aaron Garcia is pursuing his dream of becoming a nurse and helping others through some of life's most challenging moments.

A Vocational Nursing graduate, the 28-year-old is set to earn his Associate Degree in Nursing this December and hopes to build a career supporting patients and families while making a meaningful difference in their lives.

"I want to do my part and be the kind of nurse that patients and families can count on during their most difficult moments," Garcia said. "When people are at their lowest point, I want to help them get back to where they once were."

While Garcia always knew he wanted a career helping others, Nursing was not his original plan. After graduating from high school in 2015, he enrolled at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), where he studied Nursing and Biology while considering a future as either a physician or a nurse.

During that time, his priorities shifted when his grandmother's health began to decline. Following complications that led to the amputation of one of her legs and later a second amputation, Garcia stepped away from college to help care for her at home.

"My focus was with my grandmother," Garcia said. "She was my priority. I wanted to make sure she had everything she needed, so I would help her walk around the house, work through her physical therapy and support her however I could."

Caring for his grandmother gave him a firsthand look at the impact compassionate caregivers can have on a patient's quality of life and solidified his decision to pursue a career in Nursing.

He enrolled in STC's ADN program in 2023, but faced another setback when an illness caused him to fall behind and prevented him from completing the semester.

Rather than giving up, he enrolled in STC's Vocational Nursing program, a hands-on pathway that prepares students to become licensed vocational nurses through classroom instruction, clinical training and direct patient care experience.

"It really prepared me for the ADN program," Garcia said. “By the time I came back, I already had experience working with patients and understood things like medications and disease processes. Instead of learning everything for the first time, I was able to build on what I already knew.”

Garcia graduated from the Vocational Nursing program in 2025, passed the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN) on his first attempt and began working in pediatric home health while continuing his education through STC's LVN-to-ADN bridge pathway.

Throughout his journey, Garcia said one of his greatest sources of support was his family, especially his parents and his fiancée Ruth Frias, who recently graduated from STC's ADN program. The couple met in 2018 and later found themselves pursuing the same career path.

"My parents have always encouraged me to keep going, no matter what challenges came my way," Garcia said. "And my fiancée pushes me to do my best. She knows what I'm capable of, even when I doubt myself. I wouldn't be here without her."

Despite facing setbacks at different points in their academic journeys, Garcia said having a strong support system and someone who understood the demands of nursing school made all the difference.

"Having people who believe in you and encourage you to keep going means a lot," Garcia said. "Their support motivates me to keep working toward my goals."

Today, Garcia balances nursing school with his part-time work as a licensed vocational nurse and as a tutor at STC's Center for Learning Excellence, helping fellow Nursing students navigate many of the same challenges he once faced.

" I've been in their shoes before," Garcia said. " Seeing someone understand a concept or gain confidence in themselves is one of the most rewarding parts of being a tutor."

After earning his ADN this December, Garcia plans to continue his education by pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, with long-term goals of becoming a nurse practitioner or certified registered nurse anesthetist.

He also hopes to work in a cardiac intensive care unit, where he can care for critically ill patients while supporting their families through difficult circumstances.

"I like the idea of being in the ICU because you're not only caring for the patient, but you're also helping the family through a difficult time," Garcia said. "Families are worried and scared and being able to support them is something that's really meaningful to me."