Cynthia is not the typical nursing student. “It isn’t easy to earn a degree when real life happens,” shared Cynthia. Real life included family illnesses, marriage and job changes. Born in Duncan, Cynthia and her family moved to El Paso, Texas when she was two years old to be closer to her father’s family. While in high school she attended the local vo-tech center and became a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). “The job market is very competitive in El Paso so I knew I needed