Truana Lewis was getting by working various security jobs for concerts and events but when the pandemic shut down all those opportunities, just as she was turning 24, it caused her to take a deeper look at what she was passionate about. She found her answer at United Education Institute (UEI) in Las Vegas with the Dental Assisting Program.
“The perspective I have of myself is I’m not a quitter,” she said. “Whatever I put my mind to, I can do. Not a lot of people can do what I did. I understand that because it’s hard. For me, I feel like a rock star. I feel really proud of myself. I feel like I knocked down a lot of walls that my brain has built up for me. I’m no longer that girl who thinks I can’t do it. I did it and you can do it too.”
As soon as she stepped on campus at UEI, Truana felt excited. The walls were covered with pictures of graduates and the staff welcomed her in. When she began classes, her instructors set a positive tone. The fact that her program was focused on smiles added to the experience.
“I just feel like everyone needs a good smile from time to time,” Truana said. “Being a dental assistant was a way to help each other. It was the aspect of making people smile. It’s bigger than fixing teeth.”
Making people smile became a personal goal for Truana and the staff on campus noticed.
“Truana was an excellent student,” said Rose White, Campus President. “She always had a great smile and was friendly with her classmates and staff at the campus. She was always willing to help classmates at the Learning Resources Center. I saw Truana as someone who took responsibility for her education and made sure she stays on track and strives hard to stay on the president’s list.”
It was because of that dedication and positivity that Truana was asked to be an ambassador, a role that she grew into.
“I felt like not just anyone can be an ambassador,” she said. “You have to be able to lead people correctly, especially when it comes to school. That little piece of you that can help them and push them to keep going—that’s what I love. I wish someone was like that for me. I just thought if people need that extra push and someone thinks I can do that then the challenge is accepted. I loved it.”