My name is Selena Carrera and I am from Chester, Virginia. I am currently an upcoming junior for the Cormiers Honors College at Longwood University. I am pursuing nursing with a minor in neurostudies. I hope to get my Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing when I graduate Longwood. Moreover, I hope to continue my education upon receiving my bachelor’s.
When I was young, I always knew I wanted to become a nurse or a teacher. As I got older, my passion for nursing grew when my brother was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis at the age of three, which is an autoimmune disorder where the body attacks its own cells. During this crucial time period, I started developing migraines, which also caused me to see a nurse practitioner in neurology. Because of my experience and my brother’s, it developed a spark in me to pursue nursing. Since then, he has been the person who has motivated me to become a better person by helping others and being kind. During eighth grade, I applied to the Governor’s Health Science Academy at Cosby High School and was lucky to get accepted. Throughout my four years of high school, I took various courses, such as anatomy and physiology, research, and exploratory. I was also fortunate enough to be a student of Virginia Commonwealth University that partnered with Cosby during my sophomore year taking a college level course and earning college credit. This course gave me a glimpse of what actual college was going to be like. When junior year came around, I was fortunate enough to get into the nursing program at the Chesterfield Technical Center. Here, I was able to learn more about anatomy and physiology, medical abbreviations, nursing skills, and fundamentals. Upon the completion of the program, I was able to obtain the Certified Nursing Assistant certification. Today, I continue to reach my goals and expanding my knowledge by being a nursing student at Longwood.
After I graduate from Longwood, I hope to get my master’s degree. But besides earning a degree, I hope to inspire others to follow their dreams. I also hope to touch lives, just how my little brother has touched mine in so many ways. I look forward on helping others physically, mentally, and emotionally. I hope to be a role model for those around me, as well as being successful.