Samuel Gaona
Meet Samuel
Pronouns: He/Him
Alum Degree: Nursing and Spanish
Position: Emergency Registered Nurse
Hometown: Point Arena, CA
What were your campus involvements?
EOP and Undeclared Office (Student Assistant), Teaching Assistant for Biology and Chemistry, EOP Recreation (Coordinator), EOP Summer Bridge Leader, Interactive Theater Project (actor), CSU Study Abroad in Granada, Spain
What is one piece of advice you’d give your college self today?
Persevere and enjoy the ride. Your dreams will come true.
What does life look like now after graduating from SSU?
After getting my BA in Spanish with a minor in History, I attended the Santa Rosa Junior College Nursing program and graduated with my ADN in Spring 2020. I then became a licensed RN and began my nursing career in the midst of COVID-19 in 2020, a very interesting time to begin. Prior to finishing my ADN program, I enrolled in the CNECM program at SSU and was able to begin my Bachelor of Science in Nursing Studies halfway through my ADN program. I then graduated from SSU with my BSN degree in Spring 2021.
Since graduating from SSU, I have been working as an emergency registered nurse at one of our local hospitals. I also have become involved with the Emergency Nurses Association and was selected as an ENDVR Fellow. I will be conducting research on nurse experiences using medical interpreting services and what obstacles/challenges are present when using different interpreting services. I am mentored by two PhD-level nurses for this project and will present my findings at the annual Emergency Nursing Conference 2024 in Las Vegas. I also hope to publish this work in several nursing journals.
I married my SSU sweetheart, Laura Green, another amazing person who was also heavily involved at SSU and well known by professional staff.
What brought you to SSU, and what motivates you to stay involved?
The close proximity to home brought me to SSU. It was far away, yet close enough if something urgent came up.
Some of the reasons that motivated me to stay were my connections with EOP, the Pre-Nursing curriculum, and my campus involvement. I enjoyed being involved on campus, helping support incoming students with similar backgrounds as myself at the beginning of their college careers, and continuing to support them through their first year at SSU. I also enjoyed supporting my fellow peers aspiring to become nurses, studying together, and helping younger aspiring nurses.
Who at SSU has influenced you and/or made a difference in your journey here?
Khou Yang-Vigil, Ricardo Calderon, Luis Vega, Dr. Lily Nosce, EOP and Undeclared Academic Advisors, and Ann Mansfield.