07/01/2026
Happy ! 🌊
Meet Claudia Simental, a first-generation Latina nursing student in Pepperdine's inaugural 2-year BSN cohort, and the first student in the School of Nursing to receive the prestigious March of Dimes Nursing Scholarship! 🎉
Alongside being a full-time student, Claudia works as an EMT in the emergency department at Community Memorial Hospital and has served as an EMT skills instructor at Ventura College, where she loves helping future EMTs build confidence and develop lifesaving skills. After earning her BSN, she hopes to work as an ER nurse before specializing in the neonatal intensive care unit or pediatric emergency medicine.
When she's not studying or in scrubs, Claudia is an avid reader (romance novels are her favorite) and a devoted sports fan cheering on the LA Dodgers, Kings, and Rams. One of her favorite Pepperdine memories is studying in Payson Library by the windows overlooking the ocean, a place made even more meaningful by the fact that her parents once worked on this very campus.
We asked Claudia what advice she would share with incoming students:
"Say yes to new opportunities and get involved in everything that interests you. Explore campus, ask questions, attend events, join clubs, go on a hike, and step outside your comfort zone. College is about discovering who you are, building meaningful relationships, and creating memories that will stay with you long after graduation. The more you put yourself out there, the more you'll gain from your Pepperdine experience."
Read more about Claudia's March of Dimes Scholarship at the link in our bio! 🩺 💙
