It鈥檚 hard to believe鈥攃onsidering where 国产探花 alum Erika Gonzales 鈥�22 is now鈥攖hat she actually never intended to become a nurse.

Where she is now: working in the ER at University Health in San Antonio, about to enter a highly elite training program for forensic nurses. Where she was back in college: studying biology and English, growing an appreciation for communication and the power of stories.

鈥淚 had no intention of becoming a nurse,鈥� she admits. 鈥淢uch less working in critical care or emergency medicine. I always imagined myself behind the scenes, doing research and trying to understand the why behind the human experience. I thought my purpose was to understand people. I eventually realized my purpose was to walk alongside them.鈥�

Once she earned her degree in biology and English at Our Lady of the Lake University, she went on to study applied medical anthropology at the University of North Texas, which she says helped her gain a better understanding of culture, health inequities, and human experience. All of that, believe it or not, paved Gonzales鈥檚 path to nursing. 鈥淟ooking back, I realized those disciplines weren’t separate at all,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey were all preparing me for the kind of nurse I wanted to become. Nursing became the place where all those passions intersected.鈥�

That intersection brought her to 国产探花, where she pursued her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at 国产探花鈥檚 New Braunfels campus. But what truly brought her to the field of nursing was life itself. 鈥淭he biggest turning point wasn’t in a classroom . . . it was in my own life.鈥�

Turning Point

Gonzales watched her mother navigate a heart condition, and later, was with her uncle during his final moments after a battle with cancer. 鈥淭hose experiences changed the way I viewed health care. I realized that two people could have the same diagnosis but experience care very differently because of their life experiences, culture, support systems, and access to resources,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 realized my family’s experiences weren’t unique; they reflected the realities faced by many individuals from minority and underserved communities.鈥�

That marked the turning point. That was when Gonzales realized she wanted to do more than study the disparities that exist in our culture. She wanted to help change them.

鈥淧eople sometimes describe my path as winding, but I see it as cumulative,鈥� she says. 鈥淓very degree gave me another lens through which to understand people.鈥� Nursing, she explains, offers the privilege of walking beside people with compassion during life鈥檚 most difficult moments. 鈥淚 don’t see my education as a series of detours. I see it as the foundation that continues to shape the nurse I am today.鈥�

That nurse works in trauma care, in emergency rooms, facing what most of us would consider some of the hardest moments in human existence. And as she moves into forensic nursing, she鈥檒l take a step further, helping victims of abuse, neglect, violence, and assault, partnering with the legal system, and offering the truest kind of advocacy: She will not only care for victims; she will also stand up for them through her work.

鈥淲hat motivates me isn’t the complexity of the work; it’s the opportunity to preserve dignity, empower patients, and ensure they feel seen, respected, and heard during some of the most difficult moments,鈥� she says. 鈥淲hile people often describe this work as requiring courage, I’ve come to see it as an opportunity to meet people with compassion during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.鈥�

Gonzales鈥檚 passion for advocacy has guided much of her career. For example, she helped establish her hospital’s Bereavement Committee, developing the Legacy Box initiative for grieving families of adult patients. She organized a hospital-wide Bereavement Conference, and now teaches trauma-informed care to postgraduate residents and critical care nurse fellows. 鈥淭hose experiences have reinforced my belief that healing extends beyond treating physical injuries. It also means honoring a person’s story. For me, forensic nursing isn’t a departure from my career; it’s the natural continuation of it.鈥�

Influences in Nursing School

And her years at 国产探花 helped her get here. She notes the genuine caring of the faculty, and specifically recalls three professors who changed the course of her career and left a lasting impression. The first: Dr. Sabrina Koog. 鈥淒uring my junior year, when I was struggling in one of my nursing courses, Dr. Koog met me at a local taqueria to study because she knew it was an environment where I felt comfortable and could focus,鈥� Gonzales recalls. 鈥淚t wasn’t just about reviewing content; it was about meeting me where I was and reminding me that I wasn’t alone.鈥�

Then there was Dr. Elizabeth Garcia. 鈥淟ater, after I failed one of Dr. Garcia’s courses, I seriously questioned whether I belonged in nursing,鈥� says Gonzales. 鈥淚nstead of letting that be the end of my story, she invited me to meet with her privately. She saw potential in me that I couldn’t yet see in myself. That conversation changed the way I saw myself. It reminded me that one setback doesn’t define who you are or what you’re capable of becoming.鈥�

And finally, there was Dr. Wendi Gines. 鈥淒r. Gines challenged me in a different way,鈥� says Gonzales. 鈥淪he encouraged me to become comfortable with being uncomfortable; to embrace uncertainty, trust the process, and move forward even when I didn’t feel completely ready. That lesson has stayed with me throughout my career, from trauma critical care to the emergency department, and now as I pursue forensic nursing.鈥�

Gonzales says that those three, 鈥渁long with so many others at 国产探花, didn’t just teach me how to become a nurse; they modeled what it means to walk alongside someone through moments of uncertainty. Their example continues to shape how I care for patients, mentor colleagues, and invest in the next generation of health care professionals. I hope that, in some small way, I can offer others the same compassion, encouragement, and belief that they so generously offered me.鈥�

A Healing Presence

That鈥檚 exactly what Gonzales does on a daily basis for her patients. 鈥淔or me, the most gratifying part of nursing isn’t any single procedure, diagnosis, or clinical success,鈥� she explains. 鈥淚t’s the privilege to be present for some of the most significant moments in another person’s life. Whether it’s celebrating a patient’s recovery, helping someone navigate an unexpected diagnosis, or supporting a family through the loss of a loved one, I’ve learned that the moments people remember most are often the human ones. They may not remember every intervention we performed, but they remember how we made them feel.鈥�

Gonzales says that healing doesn鈥檛 always look like one would expect. 鈥淪ometimes healing means helping someone feel safe. Sometimes it means giving a family the space to say goodbye. Sometimes it simply means making sure a person feels less alone.

鈥淥ne phrase that has stayed with me throughout my career is: Science tells us how to care for people; compassion reminds us why. That balance is what I strive for every day. Every patient has a story, and while I may only be part of one chapter, I hope it’s one in which they felt seen, respected, and genuinely cared for.鈥�

One way she demonstrates compassion for her patients is through curiosity. 鈥淓arly in my career, I thought becoming a better nurse meant learning more procedures, memorizing more medications, and having the right clinical answers,鈥� she says. 鈥淲hile those things are essential, I’ve learned that some of the best nursing happens when we slow down long enough to become curious about the person in front of us. I’ve learned that asking, 鈥榃hat happened to this person?鈥� can be just as important as asking, 鈥榃hat’s wrong?鈥� That lesson continues to shape the way I care for every patient I meet. It reinforces my belief that science tells us how to care for people, but curiosity and compassion remind us why.鈥�

This story begins with the dream that Garcia had held since she was a teenager: to become a nurse. It was a dream she shared with her mom, who couldn鈥檛 pursue that goal for herself due to financial hardship. So Garcia was dreaming for two, and the fact that she found herself struggling in nursing school must鈥檝e felt like something incredibly important was slipping from her grasp.

Back in high school, the idea of pursuing a degree in nursing butted up against the harsh realities of the cost of higher education鈥攁nd the cycle that Garcia鈥檚 mother had dealt with threatened to repeat itself. 鈥淲e knew that we couldn鈥檛 afford it for me either, so it was not something we discussed at home,鈥� Garcia says, looking back.

But then, things changed. 鈥淒uring my high school years, two teachers came into my life who believed in me, invested their time in me, and helped me find a way.鈥� Those teachers must鈥檝e seen the potential in young Garcia. For one thing, she was an A student. For another, she was a hard worker. 鈥淏efore I knew it, I had earned enough money in scholarships to help pay for nursing school. I believe God sent them to me. These two educators taught me many things, but most importantly, they taught me what faculty support should look like.鈥�

So she entered nursing school, ready to break the cycle and pursue the dream, but the difficulty faced by anyone aspiring to become a nurse was compounded, ironically, by some of her professors. 鈥淚 was always a 4.0 student in high school, so I thought nursing school would be a breeze,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t was not. I really struggled and most of my nursing professors were not supportive or encouraging. One professor regularly reminded me how close I was to failing each semester.鈥�

Yet instead of giving up, Garcia decided to turn that struggle into a promise. 鈥淚 prayed constantly, asking God to help me graduate. I promised Him that if He carried me through, I would one day devote myself to helping struggling nursing students like I had been. I wanted students to have a positive nursing school experience, rather than the one I experienced.鈥�

Putting the Promise into Play

You鈥檝e probably already figured out that Garcia persevered. She successfully weathered nursing school鈥攂ut she didn鈥檛 stop there. After earning her associate鈥檚 degree, she went on to pursue her bachelor鈥檚 as a registered nurse, and then her master鈥檚 in nursing education.

In 2020, after years in the field, she came to 国产探花, true to her promise, and began offering a hand up to aspiring nurses. 鈥淪o here I am, having come full circle, and God has me in a position to do just that.鈥�

She became to her students the kind of teacher she herself had needed back in nursing school. Clearly, she takes great joy in that. 鈥淚 love watching students succeed, especially those who have the odds stacked against them,鈥� she says. 鈥淪eeing them overcome challenges and realize they are capable of becoming excellent nurses is incredibly rewarding.鈥�

Garcia is humbled by her role. 鈥淚 believe God allows me to be part of those moments, and it is an honor to encourage students as they discover that they are capable of far more than they imagined. Completing a nursing degree can change the trajectory of not only their lives, but the lives of their families for generations. Being part of that journey is one of my greatest blessings and one of my personal ministries.鈥�

A New Challenge

So there Garcia was, not only a registered nurse herself, but a teacher to other nurses; not only the bearer of the dream she shared with her mother, but a person in a position to help others rise to meet their own goals.

But there was still room to grow鈥攁nd there were still hurdles to clear.

鈥淚 dreamed of obtaining a doctorate but didn鈥檛 feel it was financially possible,鈥� Garcia says. 鈥淢y husband and I prayed about this for years. In January of 2023 we got serious about making a decision and started looking at schools and comparing prices. Again, I felt defeated looking at the costs.鈥�

But all of that was about to change. 国产探花 was launching its first doctoral program鈥攁 doctor of education degree鈥攁nd looking for a few outstanding individuals to join the first cohort. 鈥淕od came through once again,鈥� Garcia says. 鈥淗e laid this opportunity in my lap. In February 2023, I received an email that notified me that 国产探花 would be covering my tuition at 100 percent. I cried. Getting my doctorate was the missing puzzle piece that was going to allow me to continue doing the work I promised God that I would do. I saw it as God equipping me with the knowledge and credentials to continue the work He had called me to do.鈥�

In May, Garcia, in the presence of her family, professors, fellow students, and colleagues, made yet another dream come true鈥攁nd saw yet another prayer answered.

She says the 国产探花 EdD is set apart from other such programs by its emphasis on personalized attention. 鈥淢y professors began as instructors but became trusted mentors. They genuinely cared about me as a person, not simply as another student on the roster. Dr. Pe帽aranda鈥檚 leadership, along with Dr. Bollinger and the rest of the faculty, set the tone for an exceptional program. They created a culture where students were challenged academically while also being supported personally.鈥�

So this spring鈥攁 lifetime away from those years of struggle in nursing school鈥攁 triumphant Garcia earned her doctorate. And as it worked out, her own young son donned cap and gown right along with her鈥攊n his case because he had just completed kindergarten. He will grow up within a new cycle, one forged by his mother, and by her mother . . .  And he will carry that legacy and, no doubt, have dreams of his own鈥攁long with the courage to make them come true.  

Eby will be discussing the 国产探花 nursing programs as well as the field of nursing in general and its current climate in the region.  

BHFSA provides grants to numerous nonprofits every year鈥攊ncluding 国产探花鈥檚 nursing programs. The foundation鈥檚 Together for Good podcast offers area nonprofit, church, and community leaders a space to share information about health-related topics, services, and opportunities.

For those who miss the live broadcast of Eby鈥檚 interview, the episode, along with a library of others, will be available for listening on streaming platforms the following week or at the podcast website right here: .

国产探花 was recently honored to receive a scholarship grant from the Crawford and Hattie Jackson Foundation to support students in the 2026鈥�27 academic year.

Based in Sugarland, the foundation, which has supported the university in the past, selected the 国产探花 School of Nursing as a scholarship recipient鈥攁n award which will benefit nursing students enrolled at the university鈥檚 Houston campus. 

国产探花 is incredibly grateful for the ongoing generosity of the foundation!

To learn more about 国产探花鈥檚 Houston nursing school, click here: .

In the photo: (L-R) Mr. J. Steven Awalt, President of the Crawford & Hattie Jackson Foundation; 国产探花 President Dr. Debbie Cottrell, and Mr. Rodney Koenig, Vice-President of the Crawford & Hattie Jackson Foundation.