Four years ago, Roselyn Ortiz was an eighth-grader preparing to enter high school.
This week, she will graduate magna cum laude from Tyler Junior College with a general studies degree.
Ortiz is one of 98 Tyler ISD Early College High School seniors simultaneously earning their high school diplomas and associate degrees this spring.
The accelerated pace of early college might not be for everyone, she said, but it was more suited to her personal goals.
“In my eighth-grade year, I was in band and thought that might be something I would want to do in high school; but I was more worried about my future, and my mindset changed,” she said.
“Sometimes, it does feel like you don’t get the actual high school experience, but I feel like it was worth it for me. It depends on the person. If that’s something people are passionate about and don’t want to miss, they should stay with the traditional high school track.”
Attending college and high school at the same time was daunting at first, but Ortiz leaned into the challenge.
“My freshman year was a bit stressful because I was taking my first college class,” she said. “The workload was different from middle school because we barely received any homework; but in early college high school, there was homework every single day. By sophomore year, I kind of got into the flow and managed to have fun and do work at the same time.”
She continued, “The college classes got more difficult in my junior year, and then senior year has been more emotional because it’s the last of things. It’s ending.”
Next fall, she plans to attend UT Tyler and major in nursing.
“I was initially going to be a veterinarian,” she said, “but during the summer before my senior year, I went to a veterinarian camp at a clinic in Tyler and it gave me a good idea of what it would be like on a daily basis as a vet tech or veterinarian. I enjoyed it, but then I realized I couldn’t see myself doing it forever.”
Nursing had always been in the back of her mind.
“I knew that I wanted to go into some kind of healthcare, either helping animals or people, and I always enjoyed being around animals,” she said, “but I like interacting with people and feel more connected. Going to that camp helped me realize what I really wanted to do, which was nursing. It was a very big eye-opener.”
She’s considering specializing as a labor and delivery nurse.
“I was there to help my mom with her last three pregnancies, and I was able to see the nurses and what they did in the process,” she said. “I really enjoyed that, and I feel like it’s a very special moment to help bring in new life and make an impact.”
Recently, Ortiz was named a recipient of the inaugural Hispanic Professionals Association of Tyler Scholarship.
Hispanic Professionals Association of Tyler is a group of community leaders who promote professional development, community involvement and cultural awareness in Tyler and the surrounding areas. The hope is that scholarship recipients will become leaders in their community through the association’s support of their growth as future professionals.
Ortiz is already stepping into a leadership role among her family and friends.
“I had a lot of help in early college,” she said. “I’m a first-generation student, but I’m also TSI ready and know what I have to do. Going to early college helped me to know how to get through the process.
“My brother goes to Tyler High, and now he’s asking me for help with the process and my coworkers ask me to help with their kids who are applying for things. I’m glad that I can help someone else now.”