Modesto woman went from teen mom to critical-care nurse. Group now seeks others to help
Shiloh Garcia was a single mother to three boys when she enrolled in the nursing program at Modesto Junior College.
She had her first baby at 16, while in the foster care system, and struggled with living expenses while at MJC several years later.
Garcia credits Soroptimist International of Modesto with helping her at a crucial time. The women’s service club provided her a $1,000 scholarship in 2009, along with mentoring. The program is called Live Your Dream.
Garcia shared her story as the local club seeks applications for the seven scholarships to be awarded in 2024. The deadline is Nov. 15.
In an email interview, Garcia said the award “assisted me immensely in that I could utilize the funds to pay for gas to get to school, clothes for my boys I couldn’t afford at the time, and a laptop that served me all throughout my journey in nursing school.”
Nurse at two Modesto hospitals
Garcia, now 38, is a critical-care nurse at both Doctors Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente in Modesto. She also works as a traveling nurse, handling temporary duties in various places. And she represents DMC at the California Nurses Association, one of the state’s largest labor unions.
Live Your Dream awards a $1,000 scholarship at the local level and up to $16,000 total to women who advance to the international competition.
The program is open to women who are the main providers for their families and are enrolled in post-secondary education. They can use the money on school-related expenses including tuition, books, transportation and child care. More information is at www.simodesto.com.
Soroptimist launched the program in 1972 and has now given about $41 million to women in North and South America and Asia. Many of the recipients have overcome poverty, teen pregnancy, substance abuse, sexual assault and other obstacles.
Brief time at Davis High School
Garcia said she attended Davis High School briefly, “but due to difficult circumstances in my life, I got placed in continuation school, and then ultimately became a ward of the state in the foster care system.”
She was 15 when younger sister Sade — “my lifelong friend” — died of an acute heart infection. A year later, Shiloh managed to pass the high school proficiency exam.
She recalled how a “lack of direction led to me finding myself a single mom of three young boys in a domestic violence situation. I knew I needed to become self-reliant and provide a better life for my children. This award helped me achieve that. My children don’t remember those struggles now. They see that I worked hard and succeeded in having a career.”
Oldest son Jacob is now 21. Leo is 15 and Gabriel is 13. Garcia and partner Connor Amiri have two daughters — 3-year-old Aaila and 19-month-old Sade, named for her late aunt.
Garcia urges current students to apply for the Soroptimist award.
“This organization promotes the advancement of women,” she said. “There is also accountability for your grades to be up to par, and (it) gives you the opportunity to interact with other successful women as mentors.”
