When you meet Kendall Garcia, her calm energy and bright smile tell you everything you need to know about why she is meant to be a nurse. Caring by Nature and determined by faith, Garcia’s path to nursing hasn’t been the easiest, but it’s one defined by faith, perseverance, and compassion.
Growing up in Joshua, Texas, a small town just outside of Fort Worth, Garcia always knew she wanted to help people. But her college journey didn’t start the way she expected. She began at Texas Wesleyan University, hoping to find her place,but it quickly became clear that the fit wasn’t right.
“It just wasn’t a positive experience,” Garcia said honestly. “I felt like I was not where I was supposed to be.”
A friend who was a student at WT encouraged her to apply and transfer to West Texas A&M University. That choice changed everything. “My friend telling me to transfer was the best thing I could do. WT has been a home away from home. I feel very safe here.” At WT she found not just a new campus, but also a community that supported her goals and reminded her why she chose this path in the first place.
Interestingly, nursing was not always the plan. Garcia initially pursued psychology, hoping to work in child psychology at a hospital like St. Jude’s. But the more she learned about nursing, the more she felt drawn to it. “People told me nursing would be hard, and they were right, but it’s the kind of challenge that makes me want to push forward,” she said.
Her father’s career in health care, combined with her natural empathy, helped guide her choice. Then came COVID-19, which hit during her freshman year of high school. Watching her grandfather battle the virus changed everything. “Seeing what nurses did for my family showed me the kind of difference I wanted to make,” she reflected.
Now thriving in WT’s nursing and pre-health program, Garcia lights up when she talks about her favorite classes. She loves hands-on learning in her nursing skills labs, from patient care routines to practicing bed baths. Courses like epidemiology and microbiology have sparked a new curiosity in her. “Understanding how diseases start and spread just makes me even more committed to this field”, she said.
Her dream? To work with children, either in pediatrics or in the NICU. She knows it will be emotional, but that doesn’t scare her. “Those little patients need someone who believes in them,” she said. “If I can be that person,then it’s all worth it.”
Garcia also has an adventurous side. Travel nursing has caught her attention and she hopes to see where the career can take her. “I love the idea of helping people in different places while getting to see more of the world,” she said with a smile.
As she looks toward graduation, about a year and a half away Garcia’s goals are a balance of professional success and personal happiness. “I would like to have a well paying job, comfy scrubs, good shoes and a nice rock on my finger.” she said while laughing.
For now, she is focused on learning, growing and trusting where her calling leads. Through faith, determination, and compassion, Kendall Garcia represents the heart of what it means to be a Buff, someone who turns challenges into purpose and action.
