For Vail, Iowa, native Noelia Gonzalez, high school graduation was an experience beyond the traditional. As the first in her family to earn a high school diploma in the U.S., she wanted the milestone to reflect everything that led her to that moment. When she walked across the stage, she proudly draped an American and El Salvadoran flag over her shoulders to represent the two countries and family members who shaped her path.
“I wore a flag to represent the first generation of my family to graduate high school,” says Gonzalez. “I had half of America, half of my parents’ flag [El Salvador]. It meant so much to me to represent both countries and my family.”
From the very beginning, her parents worked hard to support her education and future career path.
“My parents came to this country to give me the education I needed, and I hope I made them proud. I’m very thankful for them,” she says.
Gonzalez’s parents inspired her to get her Certified Nursing Assistant certificate while in high school and to pursue a long-term degree in nursing.
“At the time, I wanted to do business, but they encouraged me to take the CNA course offered by DMACC and see where it goes,” says Gonzalez. “It was a lot of late nights and early mornings, but they were there to help me whenever I needed them.”
Fortunately, the course struck the right chord with Gonzalez. She received her CNA, graduated high school and was accepted into the nursing program at South Dakota State University. This summer, she’s interning in the emergency room at St. Anthony Regional Hospital — a department she hopes to continue in after becoming a registered nurse.
“I’m so thankful to be an intern in the ER this summer,” say Gonzalez. “I want to go into the ER after college. It’s a stressful place, and not a lot of people go into it. I want to be helpful and make an impact in people’s lives.”
The experience at St. Anthony, along with the Bob and Mary Lou Ware Memorial Scholarship she received through the St. Anthony Foundation, will help her prepare for that future.
“My counselor at Ar-We-Va [High School] mentioned the scholarship to me and told me I should apply for it,” says Gonzalez. “I found out I received the scholarship at graduation. It meant a lot to me, especially knowing the backstory of the scholarship.”
About the Bob and Mary Lou Ware Memorial Scholarship
The Bob and Mary Lou Ware Memorial Scholarship honors the lasting values of Bob and Mary Lou Ware, who made Carroll their home in 1948. Deeply rooted in the community, they believed in the power of connection and public service. Mary Lou spent her final years at St. Anthony Nursing Home, where she and Bob experienced the staff’s exceptional care and kindness. After their passing, their children — Marty, Jon and Rob — established the Bob and Mary Lou Ware Memorial Endowment, which funds the scholarship program each year.
This year, they chose four recipients: Anayhaira Bernal, BreAnn Hartwigsen, Felicia Pietig and Gonzalez. For Gonzalez, the scholarship came at exactly the right time.
“At first, I didn’t get a lot of money from FAFSA, so I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to get my nurse practitioner’s license,” she says. “Then, I got the Bob & Mary Lou Ware Memorial Scholarship, and it made a big impact. It really lifted a weight off my shoulders and my family’s. I want to thank the scholarship administrators — it meant a lot to me and my family to receive the scholarship.”
Gonzalez plans to earn her RN in college, followed by her nurse practitioner license. After that, she hopes to work close to home, offering her expertise at St. Anthony.
“I definitely plan to come back to St. Anthony after I get my RN,” she says. “It means a lot in a small community to have help, and I definitely hope to make an impact there for a very long time.”