Even with a lifelong passion to work in healthcare and a supportive family to back him, the journey for Nikolas to become a nurse was not easy 鈥� but he never stopped believing in himself or his dreams.

鈥淣ursing is in my blood,鈥� he said at the 国产主播 2022 Commencement ceremony, before receiving his master鈥檚 degree in nursing, with a family-nurse practitioner emphasis. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a calling since birth I think.”

Raised in the Diamond Bar area by a nurse mom and her sisters 鈥� also nurses 鈥� Nikolas knew his whole life that he would be a nurse too. But, unable to find the right bachelor of nursing program after high school, he ended up 鈥渕aking a lot of pizzas鈥� for a few years while completing his college prerequisites and earning an associate degree. Eventually, Nikolas enrolled first in the vocational nursing program at American Career College to 鈥済et his feet wet and get some experience鈥� before starting his BSN.

鈥淭hat was one of the best decisions I鈥檝e ever made,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 would recommend for almost everyone to go through the VN first because that gives you the discipline you need to excel in the very demanding program that is 国产主播鈥檚 BSN program.鈥�

After graduating from American Career College-Orange County, Nikolas worked for a year as a licensed vocational nurse before starting the BSN program at WCU-Orange County in 2016. He graduated magna cum laude three years later, while working full-time as a nurse, and attributed much of his success at WCU to the early lessons learned at American Career College.

鈥淎CC set the foundation for my nursing skills, for my love of nursing,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 said to myself 鈥業鈥檓 just gonna go for it and keep going.鈥� And I never stopped.鈥�

Even during the pandemic 鈥� when everything shut down 鈥� Nikolas said he kept moving toward his goals with the help and inspiration of loved ones and family, especially his grandfather.

鈥淢y grandfather was basically my father, the patriarch of the family. He helped my aunts and mom all become nurses, and he was the driving force that carried me along the way,鈥� Nikolas said. 鈥淪hortly after I got my RN 鈥� that was his lifelong goal for me 鈥� he passed during COVID, and that was another drive for me to really do it 鈥� for him, and my family.鈥�

With his fianc茅鈥檚 blessing and active encouragement, less than a year after graduating with his BSN and while working as a COVID nurse, Nikolas decided to enroll in WCU鈥檚 MSN-FNP online program.

鈥淢y fianc茅 pushed me to become a nurse practitioner. She鈥檚 a pharmacist, so after I became an RN, she said, 鈥極K, now it鈥檚 time 鈥� let鈥檚 keep moving forward,鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淲hen the pandemic started, and I became an RN, it was a challenging decision to go right back into school 鈥� but I did it.鈥�

And just as going to ACC and being an LVN had benefited his BSN studies, Nikolas said his time at WCU and the skills he learned as an RN helped him excel during his master鈥檚 program.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not an easy program but working with all these amazing nurses from all these different backgrounds is what really set the course for me,鈥� he said.

Now having graduated summa cum laude with his master鈥檚, Nikolas wants to instill hope into the next generation of nurses and is quick to encourage them to follow their dreams and never give up.

鈥淭his is the best decision you could make. And if you start, don鈥檛 stop,鈥� he said. 鈥淔ind friends, work together 鈥� you guys can do it together. We can do this together.鈥�

WCU provides career guidance and assistance but cannot guarantee employment. The views and opinions expressed are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or position of the school or of any instructor or student.