Sierra Rose was working in digital marketing when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Being thrown into the world of cancer treatment put the work of nurses front and center for the family.
“I watched what they did and how they interacted with their patients, and I thought to myself, ‘that is what I want to do,’” she said. “I told my husband my crazy idea, quit my marketing consulting job, and enrolled in prerequisite classes at SBCC.”
As a nursing student at Santa Barbara City College, Rose has found constant support.
“SBCC has helped me throughout this entire process, from getting my science prerequisites done, helping me figure out how to successfully apply to the nursing program, and they’ve helped me make it through what has proved to be a very difficult few years for me,” she said.
Even after COVID-19 left her so sick — before vaccines were available — that she had to take a semester off to recover, the instructors encouraged Rose to put her health first.
“They let me know that when I was ready to come back, there would be a place in the program waiting for me,” she said.
After graduating, Rose plans to apply to the graduate nursing program and hopes to work in mother and newborn care at Cottage Hospital.
“We are so lucky that SBCC and Cottage have a close relationship and we get to do our clinical shifts here, in one of the best hospitals on the west coast,” she said.
Fellow nursing student Isaura Saenz was also drawn to the field because of her experiences. She’s been interested in medicine from a young age and, as a child of immigrants, saw the barriers they faced in the health care system.
“I want to work with people, for people, and specifically care for underserved communities, especially local Hispanic families,” she said. “I’m passionate about bridging the cultural and language barrier for them and their families in order for them to make informed choices about their well-being.”
Saenz, who was born and raised in Santa Barbara and is raising her children here, wanted to stay in the community to earn her nursing degree.
“It felt natural to me to want to learn within the community I want to serve,” she said. “All of the professors and instructors are experts in their fields of practice. They are approachable, inclusive, and have a wealth of knowledge and experience. They are all equally passionate about the communities they serve and want us to serve them to the fullest potential.”
Even during the pandemic, the instructors have adapted, Saenz said.
“They were amazing at making sure that we were still able to do clinical rotations at the local health care facilities,” she said. “When there were changes on the hospital floors — COVID unit conversions and such — the leadership at SBCC jumped right on it, moving us around to accommodate the spaces we were provided to learn in.”
After earning an associate degree, Saenz hopes to work toward bachelor’s and master’s degrees and eventually teach other nursing students.
“It takes determination to get in,” she said. “It takes discipline to stay in, and I’m sure it’s exhilaratingly worth it when it’s over. This program opens doors within the community, connecting you with people and places that will change your life forever.”
Members of the community can support the future of nursing by donating to the Santa Barbara City College Foundation, which offers local high school graduates the opportunity to attend SBCC free for up to two years.