Alba Morales knows the power of support, and she’s returned the favor. A 2024 graduate of Western Nevada College’s Nursing program, Morales was recognized with the Pay It Forward Project Award for her generosity and perseverance during the eighth annual Reach for the Stars Gala on Saturday, Aug. 2, at the Joe Dini Library on WNC’s Carson City campus. 

Morales’ journey to becoming a nurse wasn’t easy. Raising two young children (now three) while unemployed, she was determined to change her family’s future. With the help of the WNC Foundation and the Realizing the Opportunity for the American Dream to Succeed (ROADS) program, she found a path forward — starting with Certified Nursing Assistant courses that led her into WNC’s rigorous nursing program. 

She not only graduated but launched her professional career with Carson Tahoe Hospital, then as an emergency room nurse at Renown Health before assuming a position at the South Lake Tahoe Juvenile Treatment Center. 

But Morales’ story doesn’t end with personal success; it begins there. Deeply grateful for the support she received, she established the Next Generation Nursing Scholarship through the Foundation to help aspiring nurses follow in her footsteps. Her scholarship is already inspiring future WNC students and reinforcing the idea that when one student succeeds, others can follow. 

“Alba Morales represents the heart of WNC — perseverance, compassion and commitment to community,” said WNC President Dr. J. Kyle Dalpe. “Her journey from student to nurse to philanthropist is a powerful reminder of the lasting impact our students can have when we invest in their potential. She is helping to create a legacy that will benefit generations to come.” 

As WNC celebrates Morales’ accomplishments and the lives she’s already touched, the Foundation honored her with the Pay It Forward Project Award at the recent Reach for the Stars Gala. Her story is a shining example of how investing in students creates lasting, generational impact — something truly worth celebrating. 

“After receiving Foundation scholarships myself throughout the nursing program, I realized that their help was one of the driving factors of my success because I didn't have to have the weight of financial burden on my shoulders on top of everything else, so I told the WNC Foundation that I was going to start up my own scholarship with some friends once I graduated to also help students like myself who could benefit highly from it,” Morales said.  

The Pay It Forward Project (PIFP) sponsored the award at the Gala. Started by Carson City resident John McDougall, the project educates and encourages community members and youths to volunteer and make a difference in their communities. McDougall emphasizes the importance of assisting people struggling to get an education who have that ambition. McDougall issued a $5,000 challenge to attendees of the Gala, which was matched by generous donors at the event, creating funding to continue supporting WNC’s mission-critical initiatives such as scholarships, emergency funding and other campus needs.