Nazarena Romero, 19, is a hard-working and ambitious international student living in Santa Cruz, Bolivia who studied at the Broward College International Center there, and just graduated with an associate degree in biomedical engineering/pre-med.

The aspiring surgeon was also a Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship semifinalist, which is one of the most prestigious scholarships available to students.

With an impressive 4.0 GPA, Romero also made the President’s List, was part of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, an assistant lead intern in the Professional Enhancement Program (PEP), a program that pairs interns with successful alumni and mentors in their chosen career field, and vice president of Student Government for BC Bolivia.

“By sharing my experience, I hope to be an example (especially for international students) of the opportunities that community college provides and how everything is possible with hard work, passion, and perseverance,” she said.

While attending Broward College, some of her most meaningful experiences include the invaluable opportunities she had such as being involved with PEP, which allowed her to enhance her leadership skills as well as the friendships she made along the way.

After graduating from Broward College, Romero plans on earning a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering and attending medical school. She also hopes to one day be a volunteer doctor with Operation Smile, an organization that provides free surgeries to children with cleft lip and cleft palate, which she previously volunteered for in Bolivia.

Additionally, she also wants to set up a scholarship fund for international students like herself to have a chance of a high-quality education, like the one she was fortunate enough to have.

“Coming from Bolivia, I see the American education from a different perspective. It is full of opportunities to succeed and thrive,” she said.