Fifteen Years, One Dream:
Gabriela Maurosa Earns Nursing Degree from Central Texas College

KILLEEN, TX (May 28, 2025) — After 15 years of perseverance, Gabriela Maurosa earned her associate degree in nursing from Central Texas College (CTC), turning a long-held dream into reality.

Inspired by the compassionate care her father received before his passing, Maurosa felt called to nursing.

“I always wanted to be a nurse. It was more than a career. It was a purpose,” she said. “I knew I needed this for my family, for financial stability, and to live out my calling to help others.”

Now working as a postpartum nurse, Maurosa’s journey was marked by determination, sacrifice, and faith. Balancing full-time work, parenting, and nursing school meant setting aside time with friends and family and even home-cooked meals.

“My life was school, work, and my son,” Maurosa said. “We had tough conversations. He missed me, but he understood. We made time for each other when we could. I wanted to show him what resilience looks like.”

Throughout her journey in CTC’s Associate Degree in Nursing program, Maurosa experienced intense clinical training that prepared her for real-world nursing.

“We cared for multiple patients during 12-hour clinical shifts. It was hands-on and demanding, but incredibly valuable,” she said. “Thinking like a nurse requires quick, critical decisions, and CTC prepared us for that.”

Maurosa began her nursing prerequisites in 2019 after her father’s death but had been in and out of college since high school.

“There were moments I didn’t know how I’d make it,” Maurosa said. “But God made a way. You do what you have to do, even when it’s hard.”

Now officially a nurse, Maurosa reflects with pride and gratitude.

“If I could go back, I’d tell myself and others to stop procrastinating. You can’t do it all, but you can do what matters,” Maurosa said. “Don’t give up. No matter how long it takes, your dream is still possible.”