Since she was a little girl, Cindy Calderon knew that she would choose a career that was in the medical field as she had always loved the idea of helping people and being able to change their lives for the better. Originally, Cindy had wanted to go into physical therapy, but when she started applying to schools she became discouraged when she realized that she would most likely be wait listed for at least a year. She began talking to her friends and looking at her other options when the idea of nursing was mentioned. She had previously volunteered at a nursing home and really enjoyed spending time with the residents so she decided to attend an information session at Ambria College of Nursing to see if nursing was the right fit for her. She quickly realized that it was her dream to help others and nursing was the perfect opportunity to follow her dream; “plus there was no wait list and I loved the fact that the school was small so I could receive one on one attention from my instructors.” She enrolled at Ambria shortly after and was on her way to becoming the first nurse in her family.

Cindy recently completed her LPN from Ambria and has just passed her NCLEX exam! She is hoping she can find a job and start working so she can continue with her education. She would love to come back in six months to receive her R.N. and possibly continue her education to obtain her Bachelor’s degree in Nursing. Looking back on her time at Ambria, Cindy mentioned that her favorite class was Medical Surgical Nursing with Priscilla Rivera. She stated that “Priscilla was one of the best instructors I have had at the school. She makes sure that we understand the information and she pushes us to succeed. She is strict but in the best way possible because she knows that we can do it. She will give us more than one patient because she wants us to learn what it is really like to be a nurse. She definitely knows what she is talking about and she is able to teach us in a fun and amusing way.” When asked what she has enjoyed the most about Ambria, Cindy said, “the instructors. They are able to give their students one on one attention which is very important in this field of study.”

The best advice that Cindy could give to others who are just starting their journey into the nursing field is simple, “Do not do it for the money; that is not why you become a nurse. If money is your top priority you might want to look into it more and start working as a C.N.A first to see if you can handle it. It is a lot of work and you must have patience if you want to succeed and if you enjoy what you are doing do not stop with your L.P.N.” Cindy is hoping to one day receive a job in Pediatric Nursing because she loves kids and she wants to see them smile. She is hoping to work with kids with disabilities so she can help them through the difficult times. Her little sister has been her motivation to succeed because she wants to show her to never give up and to always follow your dreams. Being a nurse takes patience, good critical thinking skills, and a friendly attitude; Cindy has shown all of these qualities and more and everyone can agree that she will not let anything stop her from achieving her dreams.

• Favorite Color: Pink and Purple
• Favorite Food: Chinese food
• Favorite Movie: The Day After Tomorrow
• Favorite T.V. Show: Grey’s Anatomy
• Hobbies and Interests: Dancing, Playing Basketball, and Reading
• Favorite Animal: Puppies
• Favorite Holiday: “Christmas and my Birthday”
• If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 3 things would you take with: “I would take a boat, my friend Julie Ann Marcial, and Eminem.”
• If you won the lottery, what would you spend your money on: “I would use the money to pay off my loans, I would give a lot of it to my family to help them out since they have done so much for me, and I would donate it to St. Jude’s to help the kids.”
• If you could have any superpower, what would it be: Invisibility
• If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be: Oprah
• If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you want to play the leading role: Mila Kunis