Student Spotlight: Saray Brown, BSN ’26
For Saray Brown, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) student in the Mervyn M. Dymally College of Nursing (MMDCON), the path to a career in nursing was inevitable.
Brown comes from a family where caring for others has always been central. With both her grandmother and mother working in healthcare, she grew up understanding the importance of compassion and service.
“Taking care of people is in my blood,” Brown said. “My mom and grandma wanted to become RNs but couldn’t for personal reasons, so I wanted to follow in their footsteps and accomplish that.”
The San Francisco native transferred to CDU after completing her prerequisites at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. Guided by a desire for a more intimate nursing school experience and wanting to be closer to family in California, she applied to CDU following a recommendation from her godmother.
“I like that CDU focuses on health equity and overlooked populations in Los Angeles,” said Brown. “That’s why I really want to be a nurse, to help the underserved.”
Set to graduate in May 2026, Brown says her time at CDU has strengthened her commitment to community-based care and deepened her understanding of health equity.
“As a young girl who was in and out of the hospital with my mom, I see myself in a lot of the patients I see during my clinical assignments,” explained Brown. “I was one of them at one point and being able to help them during their most vulnerable moments, in the same way I helped my mom, makes me feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.”
Like many nursing students, Brown’s journey has not been without challenges. Early struggles in anatomy and physiology courses led to moments of doubt, but with perseverance and support, she found her way.
Her advice to others considering a career in healthcare is simple.
“You have to have compassion for people and don’t doubt yourself. Nursing isn’t impossible. You just have to put in the work for it.”