For Kimberly Morales Herrera, becoming a student at Rutgers School of Nursing represents more than the beginning of college. It is the culmination of a journey that began in seventh grade when she joined Rutgers Future Scholars (RFS) during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Morales Herrera, 18, initially knew little about RFS—a program for promising first-generation students like herself from Rutgers’ host cities of Newark, New Brunswick, Camden, Piscataway, and Rahway. But she knew her older brother had participated and understood that the promise of free tuition for RFS students could make college possible for her family.

“My parents work long hours,” Morales Herrera said, who grew up in New Brunswick. “Being first generation, it was kind of a big struggle to figure out how I would get to college and how I would continue with my education.”

RFS became much more than financial assistance. Through summer programs, monthly meetings and networking opportunities, Morales Herrera learned what college would demand and how to build relationships with professors. She also found a community of students with similar ambitions and experiences.

“If it wasn’t for those classes that we took, I definitely would not have been prepared for college,” she said.

Morales Herrera, who also receives support through the Educational Opportunity Fund, is working toward a bachelor’s degree in nursing. She became interested in the field while attending a high school with a medical focus. She learned it was a way to combine her interest in health care with human connection, something she believes is equally important.

Through RFS, she took CPR and Stop the Bleed training at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS) and simulated patient interactions, which reinforced her interest. She is considering careers in neonatal intensive care nursing or pediatric oncology, where she could advocate for vulnerable patients.

“I feel like it’s very important to have someone who can be there and speak up for people who can’t,” Morales Herrera said.

That instinct has already taken shape outside the classroom. As a high school junior, Morales Herrera founded Orbiting Hope, a nonprofit initiative seeking to connect people affected by alcoholism with resources and support.

Morales Herrera said she was shy growing up, but advocating for others helped her discover her own voice, a lesson she plans to carry into nursing.

“Through speaking up for people,” she said, “I learned how to speak up for myself.”