Mega Doctor News
By Selene Rodriguez
When South Texas College graduate Cassandra Guerrero broke her leg in 2022, she never imagined the injury would inspire her future career.
Now, after two years of balancing full-time work, school and single motherhood, the 37-year-old is graduating from STC’s Occupational Therapy Assistant associate degree program, proving it is never too late to pursue her dreams.
“I was bedridden for weeks, and at the time it felt like a huge setback in my life,” Guerrero said. “But during my recovery, I started researching Occupational Therapy and realized I was already doing a lot of those things for myself. I had to adapt the way I cooked, showered and moved around my apartment to stay independent. That’s when I realized OT was the career I wanted to pursue.”
A Pharr native, Guerrero said she always knew she wanted to help others through a career in the medical field. Originally interested in becoming a pediatrician, she later began exploring a career in speech or physical therapy.
After high school, however, Guerrero’s plans for college were put on hold. She married her high school sweetheart, became a mother two years later and focused on raising her son while balancing work and family responsibilities.
“I divorced when my son was around 6 or 7 years old, and I had to take on more responsibility, so I started working fulltime and focused on being there for him,” she said. “School had to go on pause.”
Guerrero later began working for a home health agency and earned her certified nursing assistant certification in 2019.
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Guerrero transitioned into remote positions with companies including Apple, Bank of America and Humana Insurance, where she currently works helping patients with referrals, eligibility and insurance benefits.
“I always tried to stay connected to health care in some way because I love working with patients and clients,” she said.
In 2022, Guerrero broke her leg while playing tag with children, an experience she said ultimately introduced her to Occupational Therapy and inspired her to return to college.
“I had to start modifying everything around me because my wheelchair couldn’t fit everywhere in my apartment,” Guerrero said. “When I learned that OT focuses on helping people regain independence and return to meaningful daily activities, it immediately connected with me because that’s exactly what I was going through. I enrolled at STC the day after being released by my doctor.”
Throughout the program, Guerrero balanced overnight shifts from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. while attending classes and fieldwork rotations, sometimes even on weekends.
As one of the older students in the program, Guerrero said returning to college after years away from the classroom was both exciting and intimidating.
“There were moments where I questioned myself and wondered if I belonged,” she said. “But once I started clinical rotations and got hands-on experience, everything started feeling natural.”
After graduation, Guerrero plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership in the fall while beginning her career as an Occupational Therapy Assistant and continuing to grow within the profession.
“What I love about OT is that every patient is different,” Guerrero said. “You get to help people regain their independence and improve their quality of life in ways that are meaningful to them. Sometimes therapy can look like games or fun activities, but there’s purpose behind everything we do.”
Graduating alongside nearly 4,000 STC graduates this weekend, Guerrero said earning her degree represents years of sacrifice, perseverance and growth, not only for herself but also for her son, who motivated her throughout the journey.
“This has been a very long journey for me. I tell my son and younger sister all the time that I’m doing this for them too and that I’m building a better future for all of us,” Guerrero said. “I truly believe there’s no age limit on starting or finishing college. No matter how long it takes, you can always come back and pursue your dreams.”
STC’s Commencement Ceremonies will be hosted at the Bert Ogden Arena May 8 and 9. For more information, visit southtexascollege.edu/graduation/.
Information source: STC
