Daniela Ponce Schaefer has a degree in Administration and worked in the arts before moving here from Argentina. She decided to pursue a career in healthcare after her mom passed away and to be able to better support her sister with special needs. Daniela chose Emily Griffith because of its sterling reputation for supporting and serving immigrants, and said that from her first day, she felt at home and considers her classmates and the Emily Griffith faculty and staff to be like family. 

“I received scholarship support from Emily Griffith and that was very helpful to me because my time was entirely spent studying,” Daniela said, adding that this support was instrumental in her completing her program quickly. She is also eternally grateful to all of her instructors who wouldn’t let her give up, and for the one-on-one tutoring she received through the College’s Supplemental Academic Instruction program. 

Daniela completed Emily Griffith’s Nurse Assisting program in July 2023, and immediately gained employment after graduation. She is working as a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) at Gaia's Remedy Holistic Assisted Living in Evergreen. She plans to continue her career in the healthcare field and become a Licensed Practical Nurse or Physical Therapy Assistant someday. Click below to watch a video Daniela made for future CNAs - Daniela is truly an inspiration!