SAN ANTONIO — On most days San Antonio College's campus is bustling, but on Sunday the sidewalks were empty the campus was quiet. For nursing students like Jasmine McGill, the work is still underway.
"It has been a crazy couple of semesters," the San Antonio nursing student said.
Throw a pandemic in the last weeks of your program, and life gets put into perspective.
"Right now the whole county is kind of relying on healthcare workers, good healthcare workers and I know how to do that. I know how to do that from being the patient and the nursing student."
McGill is a two-time cancer survivor who was weeks away from her nursing degree when coronavirus spread to the states.
Since then Governor Abbott has signed executive orders to fast track nurses looking to help and keep senior year nursing students, like McGill, be able to finish in time by allowing them to perform their required clinical hours online.
"The Governor has made some allowance for us students so far so I know going forward there's going to be more made because we need everybody."
That need is something McGill is already addressing. While she finishes her degree, she has signed up as a volunteer healthcare worker to help in any way she can; as she encourages others with a critical skill to answer this call for action.
"I know they need all hands on deck," she said. "We need you. San Antonio needs you."