UTEP Graduate Rises from Tragedy to Triumph
UTEP Graduate Rises from Tragedy to Triumph
By Maggie Asfahani
UTEP Marketing and Communications
Just weeks before the spring semester began, RN-to-BSN student Liza Marie Rodriguez watched her world go up in smoke – literally. A fire displaced her and her family from their El Paso home, leaving them to rebuild from ashes.
But instead of letting tragedy derail her dreams, Rodriguez pressed on. This spring, she crossed the stage as a proud first-generation graduate of The University of Texas at El Paso, earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing through sheer resilience, faith and unwavering determination.
“I remember it clearly because it was the day of President Carter’s funeral procession,” Rodriguez said. “I had just been watching it on TV before I left for work. The California fires were happening at the same time, and I remember thinking, ‘Oh gosh, those poor people, they’re losing everything.’ I even thought, ‘Thank God we don’t get fires like that in El Paso.’ Then, about an hour later, my own house caught on fire.”
Rodriguez spoke humbly about her harrowing experience, highlighting the role of her faith and family in her ability to persevere and to not only achieve her goals, but to excel.
“School was about to start – just a week or two later – and my mom asked, ‘What are you going to do?’ I said, ‘I have to find a way to keep going to class.’ We couldn’t get anything out of the house – not even my laptop or printer. But I said, ‘Let’s see what we can recover. I can’t come this far just to stop.’
“I remember that first night, when we finally rested, I told my mother and daughter that I was not asking God for anything,” she continued. “All I felt was gratitude. Grateful that my family was not injured. Grateful that our home did not completely burn; we could still rebuild. With the immense support of my family and my faith in God, I have accomplished my goal.”
Rodriguez began her nursing career as a Licensed Vocational Nurse at El Paso Community College in 2008. A few years later, the company she worked for closed and she saw that as a sign that she needed to go back to El Paso Community College and pursue her associate degree in nursing.
When asked why she decided to enroll in UTEP’s online RN-to-BSN program in 2023, Rodriguez said that things in nursing are always changing, and that nurses should always want to improve their practice and strive to be better.
“If you don’t keep educating yourself, you get left behind,” she said. “You have to stay current – with the times, with technology, and with anything that makes nursing better – not just for the nurse, but for the public. A better nurse is a better provider for their patients."
“What made Liza stand out to me was her determination to push forward with her degree after suffering a house fire a few weeks before the spring term began,” said Janise Tinsman, DNP, the RN-to-BSN coordinator in UTEP’s College of Nursing.
Tinsman was inspired that Rodriguez did not withdraw from the final course of the program and take the semester off to regroup.
“She was granted some concessions on assignment due dates as she worked to obtain access to a computer, but otherwise completed the program on time,” Tinsman said.
Rodriguez may have had a lot to reflect on as she strode across the stage this spring, basking in her many achievements, but she is unequivocal in her support of the UTEP nursing program.
“I waited so long, and while it’s true that it’s better late than never, if you’re thinking about it, that’s enough thinking – just do it already,” she said. “You can do it, you can persevere. I really encourage anyone considering nursing at UTEP to go for it. There’s so much support, the faculty is great, and the program is solid – very knowledgeable and evidence-based. It’s absolutely worth the sacrifice and the effort."
