When Rebecca Corona was laid off from her job during the pandemic, she felt lost and wasn’t sure where to go next. That was when she made the decision, it was time to go back to school and start her career in nursing.

“While some people were leaving the healthcare field, I decided to jump in and start helping,” Corona shared. “I felt this was a blessing in disguise.”

Corona explained she always had interest in becoming a nurse, she wasn’t sure what career path in nursing she wanted and how to make it happen.

“[This] was a second chance for me and a chance for me to chase what I truly wanted to do that and that was to be a nurse.” Corona explained. “I didn’t know what I wanted to specialize in, but I found out quickly what she needed to do.

Corona attended the concurrent nursing program offered by a partnership between Trinity Valley Community College and University of Texas at Tyler. She graduated in May 2023 with an Associate Degree of Nursing (ADN) and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Through the process of attending the concurrent program, Corona had the opportunity to view what it was like in Med-Surg, the ICU, and ER. During the process, Corona found which career path she was interested in.

“Ultimately, I ended up in the operating room which I absolutely love.” Corona shared.

During her time at TVCC, Corona became a part of the Student Nurses Association where she was offered a scholarship opportunity with Johnson & Johnson. In the scholarship application process, she was asked to create a video discussing her journey to nursing. After she graduated, Johnson & Johnson was so impressed and excited by her story they asked her to create a second short video to promote her story on how she became a nurse for the company’s social media platforms.

“It was so exciting,” Corona exclaimed. “I was so excited. I didn’t even know [the first video] was going to be on YouTube.”

Corona’s reel “How I Became a Nurse” was featured on the Johnson & Johnson website and the Johnson & Johnson YouTube channel. Her original video “The Future of Nursing is Me” is also on the Johnson & Johnson website.

“I am so proud to be a part of this new video campaign created by Johnson & Johnson, which highlights the importance of representation in the nursing profession and seeks to spark interest in a nursing career among underrepresented students and students of color,” Corona shared. “There is a place for everyone in nursing, and I’m proud to share my journey.”

The one thing Corona hopes everyone will learn from her story is everyone can overcome their barriers.

“You might say I can't go back to school because I have to work,” Corona said. “Maybe you have kids or don't have the financial resources to pay for school. Whatever your barrier is, I guarantee you that there is a resource or a tool out there that exists to help you overcome that barrier. All you have to do is ask around.”

Corona shares her faith and community support played a major role in her nursing journey.

“Nursing school and the healthcare field in general can be stressful but it is also a rewarding path,” Corona expressed. “It was a blessing that TVCC offered Nursing Christian Fellowship (NCF) where I was able to meet with my instructors and peers each week. Having that community where we could pray for one another and gather before exams to pray together was powerful and helped keep me encouraged and helped me to remember my “why” during tough times - I chose nursing for a greater purpose and to serve others.”

To view Corona’s story on “How I Became a Nurse”, you can view the video on the Johnson & Johnson website at https://nursing.jnj.com/why-be-a-nurse/how-i-became-a-nurse or the YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4UR5jhjsj18. You can also view her video “The Future of Nursing is Me“ that goes in-depth on the process of Corona becoming a nurse here https://youtu.be/_HFv-ccQqvw?feature=shared.