

hen Dreams Meet Opportunity

Texan Takes EveryChance at a New Life

by Michael Castellon

INTO THE UNKNOWN

Like many people in similar situations,Veronica was afraid of going backto school. She already had two jobs,little money and she carried a lot of responsibility.“I decided I wanted to be like thenurses that helped my well-being,” shesays. “I knew it would create many newopportunities for me. I had to do some-thing different. I just didn’t know how.”With her brother Mark’s support, shemade her choice. Veronica stepped intothe Western Texas College’s admissionoffice, and from there her life beganto change.A college counselor urged Veronicato apply for a special program. It wasthe Every Chance Funds, a programadministered by the Comptroller’s office.Veronica applied for and receivedfinancial aid under the program, tooffset the cost of tuition and fees.“When I heard of it, I knew thiswas my opportunity to accomplish mydreams in nursing,” she says. “I had nocar, no money, no mom and was a singleparent of two children. I didn’t knowwhat I was going to do or where I wasgoing to start.”

fter the death of her mother in 2002,14-year-old Veronica Aguilar-Salazarmade a pact with her six brothersand sisters.“We made a solemn vow in honorof my mother,” she says. “We wouldnever fall into wrongdoing, we’ll stayaway from drugs and do the best wecould for each other. We would workhard and be the best that we could beno matter what.”Following high school in Snyder,Texas, Veronica started a family.To provide for her first child, shetook on two jobs: one at a local grocerystore, and another as an overnightstocker at a big-box retailer. The longhours were difficult, she says, but withthe help of her grandmother andgovernment-funded day care, she wasable to care for her child and siblings.Her younger brother Mark, with whomVeronica always shared a close bond,enlisted in the Marines after graduatingfrom high school and quickly found ahome in the service of his country.“I look up to him so much forhaving completed so much at such ayoung age,” she says of her brother, whoplans to make a lifelong career in theMarines. Despite facing deployment atany time, he remained a confidant andadvisor to Veronica.

EVERLASTING IMPACT

By the time she had her second child,Veronica felt that she had lost controlof her life. Long hours and time awayfrom home had become a major burden.“I decided the only way I wouldbe able to provide for my children asa single parent was working toward abetter career,” she says.After giving birth to her secondchild, Veronica was placed in intensivecare for eight days. She became inspiredwhile under the care of several nurses.“At this point in time, everythingin my personal life seemed so bent,”she says. “My experience in ICU mademe realize that these people valued mypurpose and my life. It meant so muchfor me to get better and get back hometo my son. My stay in ICU drove meto believe that I have traits similar tothose of the nurses.”

“I knew [college] would create many new opportunities for me.I had to do something di

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erent. I just didn’t know how.”

— Veronica Aguilar-Salazar