Nora’s Leap of Faith

At four years old, Nora Martinez learned what it meant to be kept away from someone you love.

Her father had cancer, and during his radiation treatments, only adults were allowed near him. She was too young to understand the medical reasons and too young to help, but old enough to remember.

“That experience stayed with me,” Nora recalled. “From that moment on, I knew I wanted to be a source of comfort for children or anyone going through difficult times.”

Nora pictured with her family at her nursing induction ceremony in October of 2025.

Today, Nora is a third-year nursing student at Hardin-Simmons University — the first in her family to attend college. Her journey from Eagle Pass, Texas, to Abilene wasn’t just a five-hour drive; it was a leap of faith that tested her resolve and deepened her trust in God’s plan.

When Nora first told her family she wanted to transfer to HSU, they were shocked. Most nursing programs take two years; HSU’s program will take three. It seemed like the longer road. But Nora’s answer was simple.

“I felt the Lord calling me here. Every step of the way, He kept opening doors and making a path for me,” Nora said.

That path began unexpectedly on a mission trip, where she met Elise Bruntmyer, the spouse of HSU President Eric Bruntmyer. Elise encouraged her to consider transferring to HSU, but Nora wasn’t ready. Seven months later, God changed her heart.

“I reached out asking for information about the school,” she said. “God clearly had a plan.”

The decision meant leaving her family and figuring out how to manage life on her own. It meant being the first in her family to navigate financial aid and academic expectations.

“It’s been a bittersweet journey,” she said. “There have been struggles, but one way or another, the Lord has always provided.”

Her parents, who she said worked tirelessly to give her opportunities they never had, became her greatest supporters. And for Nora, nursing is more than a career — it’s a calling that unites faith and healing.

“A hospital is a place where the mysterious and miraculous come alive — things we can’t explain,” she said. “It amazes me that in hospitals, the most prayers are prayed. People find hope, look for God, or witness new life beginning with the birth of a baby.”

At HSU, Nora found a program where her faith didn’t have to be separate from her studies.

“Being able to pray before tests and even before class has been such a blessing,” she said. “At HSU, faith isn’t checked at the classroom door—it’s woven into the fabric of learning.”

When asked about a moment of pride this year, Nora doesn’t mention grades or clinical achievements. Instead, she reflects on the spiritual growth that’s carried her through challenges.

“Realizing how many trials I’ve faced and seeing how the Lord has strengthened me and taught me to depend on Him has been one of my proudest moments,” she said.

She carries James 1:2–3 close to her heart: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”

“Jesus didn’t find joy in the suffering of the cross,” she said. “It was painful and humiliating. But He looked beyond the pain and saw the purpose. What gave Him strength was the joy that waited on the other side — our redemption, our restored relationship with the Father. In the same way, we may not find joy in the trial, but we can find joy through it because of what God is doing in us and through us.”

At this year’s nursing induction ceremony, everything crystallized for Nora.

“It was my ‘wow, I can’t believe I’ve made it this far’ moment,” she said. “If someone had taken a picture that day, it would show the joy of the Lord written all over my face — a smile so radiant you could see how much I love Jesus. Despite everything I’ve been through, He’s the one who has carried me.”

Her encouragement to other first-generation students is simple.

“Do it. This has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” she said. “Seeing how proud my parents are makes it all worth it. Do it for those who can’t, because being here truly is a privilege.”

As we celebrate National First-Generation College Student Day, honoring the 1965 Higher Education Act that expanded college access for students like Nora, her journey reminds us that education is about more than upward mobility. It’s about purpose. It’s about service. It’s about answering a call that began with a four-year-old girl who couldn’t help her father but has devoted her life to helping others.

National First-Generation College Student Day, celebrated annually on Nov. 8, recognizes the accomplishments of first-generation college students, faculty, staff, and alumni across the nation. Led by organizations like the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) and NASPA’s Center for First-Generation Student Success, the day honors the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which expanded college access for low-income and first-generation students.