PCF Scholar, Angela, wants to specialize in Labor and Delivery, Maternity or Critical Care.
When her mom was recovering from a car accident at Huntington Hospital in 2019, Angela Romero got to observe up-close the medical staff’s gentle and professional care. It was an experience that cemented Angela’s desire to become a nurse once she graduated from CIS Academy.
“I have always been told I am a compassionate person,” explains Angela. When she told her family about her career dreams years ago, they enthusiastically replied, “that is the perfect job for you. That is exactly what you should be doing.”
Being chosen as one of only 12 PCF Scholars, Angela envisions how her upcoming academic career at Pasadena City College’s nursing program will help her family in the long run. She sees how her parents have struggled financially — especially since her father became physically disabled and has been out of work. “I hope someday to be in the financial position to provide for my parents so they will never have to worry about money troubles again,” she says.
Since the entire Romero family (which includes two brothers and a sister) are living at home because of the pandemic, Angela is sharing a bedroom-slash-study-room with her older sister. And that’s not all she had to share. Before PCF Scholar funds were used to buy her a laptop, Angela was using her older sister’s computer. The gift moved Angela to tears. “I have never had something like this given to me. I can’t tell you how much I needed it. I use it every single day,” she says.
As a college freshman, Angela is extremely thankful for CAP counselors who, before online classes kicked off, helped her plan a course of action. Ideally, she would like to complete an RN program at PCC before transferring to a BSN program at UCLA or USC. “I want to specialize in Labor and Delivery, Maternity or Critical Care,” she says. “I want to be a part of caring for a life that has just been born.”
PCF Scholars is a Collaborative Partnership
Established in the 2019 academic school year, PCF Scholars is an education grant program to assist Pasadena students who are graduating from high school and enrolling in Pasadena City College (PCC). Combining need-based financial assistance and long-term support from counselors and mentors, the program relies on local partnerships to help worthy Pasadena students achieve their college education dreams.
PCF Scholar partners include:
The College Access Plan (CAP) provides the framework that recruits and helps select PCF Scholar participants. CAP coordinators are a vital and ongoing contact for the scholars during their college career, offering resources and opportunity advice.
PCC Foundation process flexible emergency funds and connects students with additional scholarship opportunities.
PCC Pathways ensures that PCF Scholars receive priority registration and are placed in career communities along with guidance with their educational plan. The Pathways program provides students with counselors who can offer critical support in and out of the classroom, helping them choose a path and stay on it to graduate and complete their academic goals.