May 6, 2025

By Marisa Ramirez

“My mom has always been my biggest role model, and growing up, I wanted to be just like her.”

This Mother’s Day, Ashley John is halfway to fulfilling that wish, and she will do it in similar fashion to her mom. Ashley is a nursing student at the University of Houston Andy and Barbara Gessner College of Nursing just like her mom was.

“I view my mom as this superhero and while I know that it may just be the ‘Mom’ in her, I now see that it's also the ‘nurse’ in her,” Ashley said. “Seeing firsthand the role that nurses play, not just in clinical settings but in everyday life, made me realize that being a nurse isn’t just about what you do at work. It also becomes a part of who you are.”

Her mom, Elsy, earned bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in nursing from the then-University of Houston Victoria School of Nursing (the School transitioned to the UH College of Nursing in 2017). She also earned a Doctorate in Nursing Practice in Healthcare Leadership from Chamberlain University. Her nursing journey in Houston has included Park Plaza Hospital working as an infusion and emergency room nurse; MD Anderson Cancer Center where she worked in the Stem Cell Transplantation Center. She currently serves as the Associate Director of the Leukemia Center in the Texas Medical Center.

“Nursing is such a dynamic and growing field. You can specialize in so many different areas,” she said. “That flexibility is one of the things that makes nursing such a great industry. There’s always room to grow and find your own path within it.”

The Second-Degree BSN program is for individuals who already have a degree in something else, but now want to pursue nursing. Ashley’s passion is Public Health and is her first bachelor’s degree. As she completes the UH program, she is considering nursing specialties in pediatrics or cardiology.

“I grew up in Houston, and a big part of my decision to stay close to home was wanting to be near my support system,” she said. “It is no secret that nursing school is tough, so I knew that having my mom nearby would be one of my greatest advantages.”

The accelerated program is rigorous, but Elsy knows that come graduation day in December, she’ll feel the familiar rush of emotions as she watches her daughter cross the stage and join the ranks of nurses.

“The first thing I’ll be thinking is ‘Thank goodness, she finally did it!’” she said. “I am already so proud of her even now. I have never doubted her for a second. She’s always been so strong, even when she didn’t realize it.”

And as Ashley and her family gather to celebrate Mother’s Day, she says she’ll relish the opportunity to celebrate her inspiration.

“It’ll be a whole weekend dedicated to celebrating her, everything she’s accomplished and all the ways she’s inspired me to follow in her footsteps,” Ashley said. “She’s the reason I’m here, and I can’t think of a better time to honor her.”

Kathryn Tart, professor and founding dean of the college, understands the excitement.

“Mother’s Day is such a special time for families. When our alumni encourage their own family members to apply to our Gessner nursing programs, we know just how special those bonds can be,” she said.

The application period for fall 2025 ends June 1 at uh.edu/nursing.