From the Philippines to Patient Care: ECC Student Rem Rose Villanueva Shares Journey

In 2020, while many were navigating an uncertain and transitional time during the pandemic, nursing student Rem Rose Villanueva and her family made a major life change. They moved from their home country, the Philippines, to St. Charles, Illinois, a move that set Villanueva on an unexpected path toward her future career.  

Villanueva originally planned to finish high school before leaving the Philippines, but a visa delay pushed her plans back by a year. She thought she would go back to high school once in Illinois, but discovered ECC’s GED program, which she found to be a faster route to finish high school. 

She earned her GED in 2021 and went on to receive the ECC Foundation’s GED Scholarship during both the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 academic years. 

Villanueva initially thought she would study engineering, but quickly realized it was not for her when she began her associate degree at ECC. 

“When I was in the Philippines, I originally planned to do engineering,” she said, “but then I moved here, and there are more opportunities in the medical field. I started doing my ‘gen eds’ (general education classes) for pharmacy. Then I changed my mind to nursing.”

She has been enjoying her classes with nursing instructors Aja Ferguson and Barbara Tarin the most. Her favorite classes have focused on patient care, she said. She prefers in-person classes but appreciates the flexibility of online learning. 

Health care runs in her family, she said. Her sister is a CNA (certified nursing assistant), and her parents work in health care.

“Here at ECC, there are a lot of opportunities; you don’t have to think, just grab it,” she said. “My professors are very helpful.”

Villanueva anticipates graduating in May 2027. She is considering transferring to Northern Illinois University for a bachelor's degree in nursing.