As the medical operations officer for the battalion, Hernandez isn’t just a leader and a former combat medic in the Connecticut Army National Guard. She’s also a promising nurse.

On May 10, Hernandez joined her Quinnipiac University classmates at Commencement as a graduate of the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

For Hernandez and her fellow graduates, the accelerated BSN program is a rigorous journey completed in 12-13 months. Nursing students take classes during the summer, during winter break, pretty much every day the curriculum summons them.

“It’s hard going to school and being in the Army at the same time. There’s so much logistically that you need to figure out — classes, homework, studying, finances,” she said. “I’m extremely grateful for this opportunity and all the people who have helped me.”

The dedication is consuming, yet so rewarding. Just before the end of the Fall 2024 semester, Hernandez and other high-achieving students were inducted into the Tau Rho chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.

And yet, without the support of two mission-critical veterans at Quinnipiac — Art Rice ’73, former chairman of the Board of Trustees, and Jason Burke, executive director of veteran and military affairs — Hernandez might never have earned her accelerated nursing degree.

Last summer, with her tuition payment due and the numbers not quite working out, Hernandez reached out to Burke, a former U.S. Navy aviator who served in Afghanistan as a commanding officer. He explained that tuition costs for summer sessions and January term aren’t covered by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs’ Post 9/11 GI Bill.

“I was really confused about how I was going to pay for everything, but Jason was great,” said Hernandez, who earned a bachelor’s degree in biology before coming to Quinnipiac. “He nominated me for a veteran scholarship that helped so much. He works very hard to help the military students.”

Serving those who served their country

Rice, a former U.S. Army helicopter pilot who served in Vietnam and was awarded the Purple Heart, the Distinguished Flying Cross and other citations, saw a need to help student veterans meet their tuition costs for summer sessions and J-Term.

In fact, Hernandez was the kind of warrior-scholar Rice had in mind when he made a $1 million donation in 2019 to create the Veterans Memorial Endowed Scholarship. The university matched his gift to double the scholarship’s impact.

“I am determined to make it through anything I put my mind to — and Quinnipiac saw that in me and wanted to make it less difficult as I worked full time at the hospital, in the Guard, and even through active duty orders,” Hernandez said.

For Hernandez, the collective response of Rice, Burke and Quinnipiac was palpable. Suddenly, the gift of philanthropy and advocacy had changed everything.

“We always do our best to try and make the numbers work,” Burke said. “With Elena, she’s just super smart and super committed to the whole idea of service — not just to her country, but also to the nursing profession. She had a pretty hefty tuition bill, but Art was able to cover quite a bit of it with funds through his endowment.”

Rice’s generosity continues to empower the veteran community. And the need is only growing.

“We typically see a larger veteran enrollment in the fall, just like with the traditional students,” Burke said. “Combined with veterans — and dependents using their parents’ GI Bill, which is transferrable — we usually see about 40-45 new students in the fall. (In 2024), it was closer to 80-82.”

As Hernandez and other veterans prepare for their next assignments — in the classroom, in the military or perhaps as civilians — the university’s pledge to serve those who served America is clear.

“Art Rice’s leadership and passionate engagement as an alumnus, trustee and chairman of the Trustees’ Development Committee is powerful and impactful,” Quinnipiac President Judy Olian said in 2019. “Providing financial assistance for veterans who have served our nation is fitting given Art’s heroic service in Vietnam. As a committed veteran, Art Rice is leading by example.”

Always striving, never settling

Hernandez is also leading by example.

After graduating with honors from Fairchild Wheeler Interdistrict Magnet School in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Hernandez was accepted at several colleges. Ultimately, she chose to stay in state for her undergraduate studies.

But after signing her student loans and hearing her uncle talk about how much he loved the Marine Corps, Hernandez started thinking about a career in the military. After meeting with recruiters from the different branches, the Army recruiter who encouraged her to be a medic stood out.

The stories of camaraderie and commitment, the educational support, it all made sense. She was ready to take the next step.

After visiting the Military Entrance Processing Station in Springfield, Massachusetts, Hernandez was told there were no medic spots available. Undaunted, she held her ground, and said she’d be back when medic spots were open.

It didn’t take long — maybe a few minutes — before the Army representative promised to give her a medic spot.

“He was like, ‘Well, if that’s what you really want, we’ll make you a spot.’ I couldn’t believe it,” Hernandez said, shaking her head even now. “So I raised my hand, took the oath and that’s how it all started.”

Perhaps best of all, her parents and grandmother were there to see it.

Trusting your instincts ... and yourself

As she worked full time and attended classes last fall, Hernandez was hand-selected to help lead a Connecticut task force for the 60th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C. The unit’s mission was to help secure a peaceful transition of power.

She and her platoon of combat medics trained rigorously for months before they deployed as a unit. As always, Hernandez’s commitment to her country and her soldiers was resolute.

Although she could have directly commissioned as a nurse in the Army after graduation, Hernandez chose a different option — the only option, really — last summer while she was stacking up credits and navigating financial aid.

“When I thought about being away from my soldiers while they were all training, I was just like, ‘No, that’s it. I have to deploy. I have to go with them.’ It was as simple as that,” Hernandez said.

“These are my soldiers. These are my guys. Honestly, they treat me just like family,” she said. “My platoon is amazing. They're all combat medics, and I was a combat medic, so they know I was one of them.”

Hernandez, that same medical operations officer standing at attention, unflinching and unafraid last fall at Camp Nett, always knew that she would make a difference in the Connecticut Army National Guard.

Now, she has the ABSN credentials to match.