Arianna worked as a veterinary technician when her family saw an opportunity for her to make a bigger impact. They encouraged her to pursue a medical career where she could treat people instead, using her compassion and ability to connect with others. She wanted to make the switch but knew she would need specialty training–which is where CrossPurpose came in.
She joined the Leader program and graduated in 2023 with her medical assistant certification. She credits the program for equipping her with both practical skills and soft skills, like interviewing and resume-building, that helped her secure her job with Intermountain Health St. Joseph Hospital, a longstanding CrossPurpose partner.
Her first job in family medicine taught her to care for everyone from newborns to older adults. Then an unexpected cancer diagnosis in her family brought her career goals into sharper focus.
“It sparked my interest and compassion for oncology patients,” she says. “I wanted to help families just like mine.”
Today, Arianna brings that compassion to her work in the oncology unit at St. Joseph. Working alongside nurse practitioners and physician assistants gives her people to turn to with questions about the careers she hopes to pursue.
“You never stop learning wherever you go,” she says, “just as long as you ask the questions.”
CrossPurpose has also supported her continued education. Arianna is working toward becoming a registered nurse and earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing by May 2027. Eventually, she hopes to become a nurse practitioner or physician assistant.
Through CrossPurpose’s Legacy program, Arianna developed financial literacy skills that will help her plan for future education expenses. Now she meets monthly with a coach who helps her focus on her goals while balancing work and full-time nursing school.
“I have great people who follow me and make sure I have the resources that I need to get through,” she says.
Her CrossPurpose experience helped her build the confidence to ask questions and pursue those ambitions. Looking back, she describes resilience through the daily choice to continue, even when circumstances are difficult:
“You keep showing up every single day and you don’t stop.”
