My Story: Danny Tamayo '15
By: Andrew Mees, Director of Institutional Communications and Campaign Marketing communications@bloomfield.edu
For new Bloomfield College graduate Danny Tamayo ’15, the choice to become a registered nurse lies in his belief in helping others.
It’s an ideal that has taken him around the world as a member of the United States Army, and has helped him earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Bloomfield’s decorated Frances M. McLaughlin Division of Nursing after a four-year stint in the military.
“I wanted to pursue a career in which I could help people in need every single day, and one in which each day was different from the next,” said Tamayo. “When I decided I wanted to become a nurse, I knew I needed a school that would prepare me to excel, and I found that in Bloomfield.”
A native of Secaucus, N.J., Tamayo decided to enlist in the army after graduating from high school in 2000. With his younger brother, Jason Perez, serving as a member of the United States Marine Corps from 2002- 2007, Danny became a member of the 1/507th Parachute Infantry Regiment’s Echo Company in Fort Benning, Ga., serving as a parachute rigger and inspecting life-saving equipment while training paratrooper students on safety regulations.
During his tour of duty, Tamayo was invited to France to participate in a parachute jump to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the United States’ invasion of Normandy during World War II. The once-in-a-lifetime trip allowed him to salute President Barack Obama and meet popular actor Tom Hanks while visiting another part of the world as part of his service.
When his stint in the army concluded in 2010, Tamayo began searching for a place to begin his life’s next chapter. He had decided to study nursing as his post-military career, and knew he wanted a school that would prepare him in a personalized environment.
“I wanted to go straight to a school that offered a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing, and Bloomfield College was the best fit for me of those schools,” said Tamayo. “I liked that the class sizes were smaller when compared with many of the other programs in the area. That aspect made me feel like I would receive the best instruction possible.”
Bloomfield College offers veterans comprehensive benefits throughout their academic careers at the institution, including support services during the transition to college life, course planning and registration assistance and alternative credit programs including the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and military credit offerings.
The College’s Office of Adult Student Support Services, a division of the Center for Innovation in Teaching to Enhance Learning (CITEL), also provides resources for veterans including academic support counseling, specialized workshops and assistance with military/veterans forms.
“Giving our military veterans a supportive environment is of paramount importance to us,” said Vice President for Enrollment Management Adam Castro. “Regardless of their service experience, there is a transition period that takes place when veterans come home and make the important and often life-changing decision to continue their education. It is up to us to give them the canvas - counseling, tutoring, mentoring, and flexibility - that will allow them to write the next chapter of their story with us. In the end, everyone benefits when a productive and dedicated citizen is further developed through education and uses their skills, both new and old, for the greater good of their respective communities.”
The mission of the Frances M. McLaughlin Division of Nursing is to engage students in a collaborative educational experience, prepare caring, reflective professional nurses, positively influence and shape healthcare delivery and provide a solid foundation for graduate study. Whichever career path a student chooses, a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Bloomfield College will provide the academic foundation and hands-on experience needed to excel in today’s complex healthcare environment.
“The knowledgeable instructors, small class sizes and the nursing division’s contracts with several local clinical sites make the program outstanding, and my teachers always motivated me to succeed in the classroom,” said Tamayo. “Bloomfield has provided me with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in my new career as a nurse, and to succeed in my life after leaving the military.”
To learn more about the resources Bloomfield College provides to veterans, visit http://www.bloomfield.edu/academics/adult-students/veteran-students, or http://www.bloomfield.edu/academics/academic-centers/citel/adult-support-services.
To learn more about the Frances M. McLaughlin Division of Nursing, visit http://www.bloomfield.edu/academics/degrees-programs/nursing.
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