An Austin community college student, Lorenzo Celli-Vargas, is poised to achieve his dream. According to Austin Community College District's newsroom, Celli-Vargas will join the cohort of 3,000 students graduating this spring. The associate degree nursing program student, who served as the President of the Associates Degree Nursing Student Association, is set to walk the stage at 4 p.m. Friday, May 17, at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park.
The journey for Celli-Vargas started unexpectedly in his high school dual credit courses with ACC and unfolded through a partnership with Capital IDEA. Capital IDEA, a nonprofit supporting students in healthcare, technology, and trades, covered his tuition, books, and other expenses. Helped by his coordinators and a senior employer coordinator named Ron Modesty, Celli-Vargas secured a position as a registered nurse on Dell Seton's intermediate care floor, setting his career wheels in motion.
"I wouldn’t be who I am or where I am without the support from my coordinators, Tonia and Lori, and Capital IDEA’s senior employer coordinator, Ron Modesty," Celli-Vargas told Austin Community College District's newsroom. The heartfelt expression of gratitude paints a picture of a student who appreciates the collective effort it took to reach his educational summit. Celli-Vargas also credited his leadership roles and community service involvement as experiences that sharpened his skills for a lifetime.
In his message, the emerging nurse made sure to thank his support system, which includes his parents who, in his own words, "Thank you to my parents for loving me through thick and thin and always being there for me," as per Austin Community College District's newsroom. Also on his thank-you list are classmates turned friends and professors who believed in him. Moreover, promising to inspire others, he extends an open invitation to look into joining Capital IDEA for those pursuing similar healthcare paths.
Lorenzo Celli-Vargas, now synonymous with the transformative potential that Austin Community College and Capital IDEA strive for, awaits his impending graduation. His story, beyond celebrating a personal milestone, stands also as a testament to community and educational programs that can fundamentally alter life's trajectories for the better.
