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Antonio Gomez Valenciano is a junior Nursing major on the Gainesville Campus.

When Antonio Gomez Valenciano was deciding where he’d attend college, there were several factors that drew him to ¹û¶³´«Ã½. He lived close to the Gainesville Campus and wanted to stay close to home, and his sister had previously attended ¹û¶³´«Ã½ and recommended it to him because of her great experience. Add to that one of the best nursing programs in the state of Georgia, and his decision was an easy one to make.

Antonio's passion for caregiving and drive to become a nurse started from an early age when his family still lived in Mexico. He looked up to a doctor in his hometown who selflessly cared for his patients and went out of his way to make healthcare more affordable for them. Antonio decided then that he wanted to be able to care for others and give back to his community in a similar way that had been modeled for him.

Antonio’s professors at ¹û¶³´«Ã½ have been supportive and helped him grow academically. An English professor emphasized not wasting time on procrastination, and a Microbiology professor taught him study skills that he still uses today. His time at ¹û¶³´«Ã½ has also helped him grow as a person, too. He’s not as shy as he used to be and has made friends with students in his nursing cohort who all support each other through their challenging courses.

“Be open, put yourself out there, attend events, and make friends because it will make your time at ¹û¶³´«Ã½ even better!”

Antonio’s advice for future Nighthawks is to start going to on-campus events right away. In college, it can feel like everyone is in their own world, and you may be nervous to go up and talk to someone, but going to events is an easy way to make friends and have fun while you’re here.