By Jon Moskin
The middle child of a working-class Filipino family, Ruiz came to the United States with his parents, brother, and sister in 2014 when he was in the 7th grade.
“I come from a very traditional background. And since my parents weren’t able to go to college, they really valued education. I was the first person in my family to get a degree,” he said, rather modestly. Ruiz holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from UCLA.
“The truth is, I didn’t think much about what I really wanted to do after college. It was just about getting the degree more than anything else.”
But it wasn’t long after graduating that Ruiz realized that the international relations field was not for him. And that left him feeling somewhat adrift—though he had an intuition that would propel him into his next chapter.
“I thought I might want to explore healthcare,” Ruiz said.
However, he didn’t know whether he was prepared to take on more college debt without real-world experience in the field. And that’s where the San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living (the Campus) came in.
“My brother was working in the IT department on Campus, and he knew my sister and I were both interested in healthcare,” Ruiz said. “He recommended we try the Campus Nursing Academy (CNA) program here.”
“It was only five weeks long and offered hands-on training and experience. The instructors were great. And the best part is that it was free, I didn’t have to go into any more debt.”
– Ruiz
The academy had everything Ruiz and his sister, Roliana, were looking for.
“It was only five weeks long and offered hands-on training and experience. The instructors were great. And the best part is that it was free,” Ruiz said. “I didn’t have to go into any more debt.”
Furthermore, both siblings had a job waiting for them on Campus when they finished. Now, they are three months in and getting into a groove.
“Recognizing each patient’s needs and preferences was hard at first,” Ruiz said. “But I’m realizing how to cater to the needs of so many different types of people. And through that I’ve learned more about myself. I really like being of service and working in a care-focused environment. There are new challenges every day, and I love that.”
What began as a curiosity has grown into a clear sense of purpose. This fall, he will continue pursuing his goals, continuing his education by taking classes toward a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. He credits his new sense of direction to the experience he’s had here.
“The nursing academy was great. I’ve already recommended it to friends and family, and many are going through the same training now.”