Student Gave Birth to Twins During Final College Semester. Then, She Resumed Her Studies Weeks Later and Graduated

Elvia Vargas with her children.Credit : Nick Romanenko/Rutgers University

Elvia Vargas quickly returned to her studies at Rutgers School of Nursing just weeks after giving birth to twins

“Even when it was hard, I kept going,” Vargas said

Her partner, Luis Martinez, graduated from the same nursing program and now works as a nurse in an ICU

One recent graduate kept going with her studies, even after learning she was pregnant with twins.

Elvia Vargas got the news last summer while she preparing for the homestretch of her degree program at Rutgers School of Nursing in New Brunswick, N.J.

Her twins, Victoria and Valentina, were born on Feb. 12, and Vargas returned to her studies just weeks after having a C-section, according to the university’s website.

Vargas, who turns 40 around commencement time, said she feels “incredibly proud” of getting her degree, as it “reflects the strength, patience, and determination it took to never give up. As I always say, ‘El que persevera, alcanza’ —those who persevere, succeed.”

Elvia Vargas with her family.Nick Romanenko/Rutgers UniversityAn instructor, Vanessa Lugo, was equally proud. “What impressed me most was her thoughtful decision to continue, fully aware of the physical challenges,” Lugo said.

She added about Vargas, “No matter what was happening, she showed up focused and ready to care for her patients. That consistency makes a strong nurse.”

Vargas’ journey began when she was 20 and started working as an au pair in Berlin, N.J., with the host mother helping her learn English along the way. “She did a great job teaching me how to read and write,” Vargas recalled.

She continued living in the state while raising her son, Amir, as a single mother. Eventually, Vargas received her U.S. citizenship and started a cleaning business to support her family. As another income source, she also helped provide comfort to the elderly.

“I really loved working with them,” she said. “I wanted to care for them the way I would want someone to care for my parents, who are in Colombia and aging.”

Vargas began studying at Camden County College in 2019. Soon after, she met Luis Martinez, and they became partners. He grew up in Puerto Rico and then was a custodian in a surgical center when a physician encouraged him to grow within the health care industry.

The couple welcomed daughter Amaia, and both Vargas and Martinez soon enrolled in the nursing program at Rutgers. Because they had children, Martinez began his degree first to juggle different schedules, and Vargas joined the program the following year.

Martinez graduated last year. He served as the nursing school’s student senate president, and now he works as a nurse in the gastroenterology ICU at Cooper University Health Care.

Elvia Vargas with her family.Nick Romanenko/Rutgers University“The program prepared us well,” he said. “The clinical experience makes you feel like a nurse. You’ve already seen a lot before you start the job.”

Vargas also thinks her experiences have helped her bond more with those she is helping. “When patients talk to you, they can sense if you understand what they’re going through,” she said. “I know I have the heart for this.”

Next, she hopes to take the NCLEX exam to become a registered nurse, but she is waiting for the newborn twins to be a year old before she starts any hospital work.

“I always believed I could do more,” she said. “Even when it was hard, I kept going.”

Martinez used paternity leave to also look after the kids, so Vargas could finish the remainder of her degree.

“Everything she handled at once – school, pregnancy, the kids — it’s a lot,” Martinez said. “And she did it.”