Juana Guerrero came to UML with strong academic credentials. A support program helped boost her confidence and leadership skills, too.

Coral Gonzalez set her sights on becoming a nurse after she was hospitalized in middle school. The Honors College student won one of the first Oprah Winfrey Scholarships to help her succeed.

In her career of nearly 50 years, Diane Mahoney has cared for patients in hospitals and in homes, developed training programs for hospital personnel and families, taught college students and received millions of dollars in grant funding to conduct research.

Originally planning to become a doctor, when Wendy Sanchez received the Tsongas Scholarship to UMass Lowell as a high school senior, she decided to pursue nursing instead. The high achiever who turned hardship into success has no regrets.