By Jeanne Leong
Hecmarie Berrios started dreaming of becoming a nurse when she was in preschool. “I love caring for and helping others,” Berrios said. That childhood dream became reality this fall when Berrios, who graduated from the Rutgers School of Nursing–Camden in May, started a full-time registered nurse position working in a cardiac unit at Cooper University Hospital. Being a nurse presents opportunities that Berrios relishes. “I get a chance to save lives,” she said. “We’re there for the patients every step of the way.”
The path to a nursing degree wasn’t easy for the native of Camden. A 2014 graduate of the Camden Academy Charter High School, the college prep school set her on the track to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse. After earning an associate’s degree at Camden County College, she continued her education at Rutgers‒Camden.