ACC Graduate Spotlight: Genelle Gil

Some people want to be police officers when they grow up. Others want to be nurses.

Genelle Gil wanted to be both.

"When I was younger I couldn't decide between being a cop or a nurse, so now I want to be a correctional nurse," she said.

Gil graduated from the vocational nursing program at American Career College-Ontario in May and is ready to take her career to the next level. She worked as a phlebotomist for the past six years, but her dream job is to help out behind bars.

“It’s just about saving lives and being there. I might be the last person they ever talk to so that's big for me," she said. "Always making someone feel safe and not alone, so that's kind of why. And I think corrections is like both of the things that I wanted to do, so I feel like that's a good fit for me."

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Why did you choose to attend American Career College?

My best friend came here. He went to the vocational nursing program and he graduated and he had really good things to say about the school. I saw him graduate and I was like 'ah, I should have done it with him.' He got a job right away and then I just decided to go like the year after.

Do you regret not enrolling at ACC sooner?

I was talking about it two years prior to doing it, but I didn't wait that long. There's other people that I know who waited longer, but if I could tell my younger self I would tell her, 'Just go and do it. Hurry up. Don't wait.'

What was your favorite part about going to ACC?

I've met some really cool people here, lifelong friends for sure — a handful of them too — not just one or two. I have maybe 10 friends that I'll probably be close with way after we finish school today so that was one of my favorite parts about it — the people. Everyone becomes close, then you become one family and you help each other and you help push each other to strive.

What does it take to succeed in the VN program?

A lot of dedication, but if you really want it then you're going to have to do it. That's with anything, not just nursing school.

What advice do you have for incoming students?

If you want something, go out and do it. Don't wait, because the longer you wait, the longer you're going to wish that you would have done it years ago. I guess that is my advice: If you want something, go out and get it and don't wait another year because that's a year that you could have already finished and been ahead instead of behind.

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