In many ways, Manuel Gallegos is a typical National University alumnus.
He is a veteran, having served in both the Navy and the Army; he is a family man who decided to change careers and go back to school at mid-life; and he is a focused and highly dedicated individual, earning two scholarships as a nursing student.
Like all National University alumni, Manuel is also a highly unique individual with a wealth of life experiences that have contributed to his education and shaped his perspective as a health care professional.
As a high school athlete who lettered in baseball, football, and wrestling, he learned firsthand about the endurance and limits of the human body and mind. Growing up in Southeast San Diego, Manuel also knows something about youth gangs and life on the streets. In fact, he was stabbed and shot before he ever joined the military.
Serving as an Army medic, Mr. Gallegos learned to treat a wound. Later, as an EMT in Harlem and Queens, he patched up patients on a different sort of battlefield, occasionally treating victims of urban violence.
A UCLA alumnus who majored in Latin American Studies, the former Yeoman in the Navy Reserves taught English as a Second Language for a while, helping to bridge the cultural divide for new immigrants.
As a registered nurse with Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista, Mr. Gallegos has been able to apply all of his life’s lessons toward the kind of quality health care that helps to heal and build a community. His ability to relate with, communicate and earn the trust and respect of patients has generated admiration and respect from his colleagues and his employer.
The National Association of Hispanic Nurses and the California Navy Nurse’s Association both recognized the potential of this National University alumnus to blossom and flourish in his new profession, and assisted him with scholarships.
Mr. Gallegos started the nursing program at National University in 2005 at age 44. It is an investment that has paid off for him, the military, Scripps Mercy and the communities of San Diego’s South Bay. As a result of completing his Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing at National University, Mr. Gallegos was able to join the US Army Reserves as a Nurse and take advantage of a $50,000 loan repayment and a $30,000 cash bonus.
The National University alumnus has visited high schools to serve as a role model for young people from similar backgrounds, encouraging them to better themselves through education and consider careers in healthcare.
“There are so many opportunities for a nurse,” he says. “The amount of opportunities are incredible and I have to say that this is one of the most challenging and rewarding jobs I’ve ever had.”
