San Jacinto College biology major Samantha De La Rosa will transfer to the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in Spring 2013. San Jacinto College offers a number of seamless transfer agreements with four-year universities. Photo credit: Andrea Vasquez, San Jacinto College marketing department.

Academic transfer planning leads student to nursing career

Andrea Vasquez-- July 17, 2012

HOUSTON — Becoming a nurse has been a lifelong dream for San Jacinto College student Samantha De La Rosa. In order to achieve her career goals, she took initiative and set up an appointment with a College advisor who would assist her in a seamless transfer to a four-year university to complete her bachelor’s degree.

“I have always been interested in medicine and helping others, so nursing will allow me to do both by helping patients during their worst and best times,” said the 20-year-old Rosharon, Texas resident.  

De La Rosa says one of the first things she did after enrolling at San Jacinto College was speak with an educational planner about the degree plan she needed to follow in order to transfer to the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston. “After meeting with my advisor, I saw that by getting my associate degree in biology, I would fulfill all of the prerequisites necessary for UTMB’s nursing program,” said De La Rosa. Since then, she has been meeting with her advisor each semester to ensure everything is right on track. “My advisor always makes sure that my courses each semester will transfer over to UTMB, and I greatly appreciate that they always have our best interests in mind.”

San Jacinto College provides its students with a number of articulation agreements with partnering four-year universities. These agreements provide students with a degree plan that meets the transfer requirements between San Jacinto College and the university for students pursuing a bachelor’s degree under a specific program, or for those students that are looking for a general transfer degree plan. Overall, the benefits amount to cost savings to the student by ensuring that most, if not all, the courses they complete at San Jacinto College transfer to the university.

“It has definitely helped financially. The low costs have allowed me to take more classes per semester and finish my pre-requisites faster,” said De La Rosa.

Houston continues to be one of the most innovative and recognized cities worldwide for its quality medical centers, offering numerous career opportunities within the medical field. The United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that Texas has the second highest national employment rate for registered nurses, next to California, earning an average of $32.49 an hour and an annual salary of $67,580. Ninety to 100 percent of San Jacinto College’s LVN/paramedic to associate degree nursing program graduates get jobs within one to three months, and the associate degree nursing program has a 97 percent job placement rate.

De La Rosa plans to graduate from San Jacinto College in December 2012 and transfer to UTMB for the Spring 2013 semester to pursue her bachelors degree in nursing. She encourages new and current students to stay proactive when looking at transfer options and to see their associate degree plan through to completion. “Check with an educational planner to see if there is a transfer agreement available for your school of choice. Also, by taking as many classes as you can at a community college, you’ll definitely save money in the long run. By completing your associate degree, prospective employers will see that you had the discipline and determination to complete two degrees rather than one.”

For more information about San Jacinto College’s transfer plans and articulation agreements, visit www.sanjac.edu/transfers.

About San Jacinto College

Surrounded by monuments of history, industries and maritime enterprises of today, and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has been serving the citizens of East Harris County, Texas, for more than 50 years. The Achieving the Dream Leader College is committed to the goals and aspirations of a diverse population of 30,000 students in more than 200 degree and certificate options, including university transfer and career preparation. Students also benefit from the College’s job training programs, renowned for meeting the needs of growing industries in the region. San Jacinto College graduates contribute nearly $630 million each year to the Texas workforce. San Jacinto College. Your Goals. Your College.

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