In this blog series, "UHP Nursing Students Spotlight," we’re excited to introduce you to some of our remarkable UIC nursing students who exemplify the spirit of our Urban Health Program. Our first spotlight shines on Vanessa Silva, a Doctor of Nursing Practice student in the Pediatric Primary Care specialty.
Vanessa’s journey in nursing seemed destined, with happy coincidences guiding her path toward a career dedicated to caring for others and giving back to her community.
“Nursing became my path to higher education, as my family couldn’t afford to send me to college,” says Vanessa.
Vanessa grew up in San Antonio, Texas, and attended an inner-city high school with limited opportunities. Despite the challenges, her school counselors introduced her to a program where she could attain college credits across the city. Thanks to this program, Vanessa completed her nursing prerequisite courses at a local community college, which naturally paved the way for her to attend nursing school.After graduation, Vanessa worked for two years as a pediatric nurse in San Antonio, allowing her nursing education to be funded by the city.
When she was contemplating her next career steps, Vanessa had a chance meeting with a patient’s family member which significantly altered her nursing career trajectory: she was introduced to an opportunity to join the military, which offered benefits to pursue her terminal degree in Nursing.
Without hesitation, she walked into the military entrance processing station to commission into the Air Force, and the process fell into place effortlessly. However, there were inevitable challenges Vanessa also had to overcome during this transition.
“Leaving the comfort of my community was difficult, especially since many people I grew up with never left our zip code. As a young nurse, I took on roles that required maturity and resilience, such as deploying on stateside COVID FEMA missions and to Kuwait for the Afghanistan evacuation. These experiences were challenging to process but also shaped me into the nurse and person I am today,” Vanessa said.
As the first-generation college graduate in her family, who overcame many limitations to accomplish her pursuit, Vanessa's advice to UHP students is to keep pushing forward:
“Stay hungry, motivated, focused, and proud of your roots. Don’t compare yourself to others—everyone’s journey is unique and shaped by different backgrounds and resources. Turn your challenges into opportunities. My biggest motivators are my grandparents and parents, who sacrificed everything to give us a better future. I strive to make them proud and honor their journey”.
After completing her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner, Vanessa hopes to work in federal service, to serve and advocate for underserved minority populations in Chicago. Her long-term goal is to enter academia and teach the next generation of nurses.
Are you a UIC College of Nursing UHP student with a unique story to tell?
If you are interested in being interviewed and contributing to our blog, please reach out to cchoe7@uic.edu with a brief introduction about yourself and why you would like to be featured.
