Grad’s rocky life path was impetus for MBA

Sometimes, the path to an inspiring career cuts across a rocky road.

Abigail Villafane could attest to that.

Villafane graduates on Dec. 15 with a dual master’s degree – a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Healthcare Administration. 

Villafane is a full-time mom, wife, business owner, student and nurse. When she considered returning to school, Abigail and her husband were living in a new state and had limited family support. Her family business was on the verge of closing during the pandemic and she lost a much-desired pregnancy. 

She said she chose her degrees in administration after having worked as a nurse for 12 years, a path that followed her mother's footsteps. She is one of more than 10 nurses in her family. 

Villafane chose Texas Woman’s because she worked with extraordinary healthcare leaders who completed their degrees at TWU, which inspired her to return to school. She found that TWU provided just the path she needed for professional success. 

After graduation, Villafane plans to work in a leadership position in a healthcare organization. She sees healthcare as an ever-changing industry and wants to participate in an organization that is committed to innovation and improving patient care delivery with the utmost standards of excellence. 

She plans to continue advancing her career in project management and pursue a senior executive role to become a chief operating officer. 

Abigail wants to show her son and anyone thinking about pursuing a graduate degree that anything is possible if you put your mind and heart into it with kindness, compassion, discipline, determination and consistency.