Silvia Cestari Menegusso proves it's never too late for a career change
By the time Silvia Cestari Menegusso decided to become a nurse, she had already built a career in technology, raised a family across three countries, and learned what it means to start over.
Born and raised in Brazil, Menegusso built an early career far from hospital halls. She earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science and spent 15 years as an IT project manager in the aerospace industry before family life shifted her path. Moving from Brazil to China to the United States, Menegusso paused her career to raise her children and adapt to new cultures. When she attempted to return to IT years later, she realized her priorities had shifted. “Motherhood changed me a lot,” she reflected. “I did not want to be doing pure IT anymore.”
During a period of soul searching, memories from her teenage years in rural Brazil resurfaced.
“I lived in a town that had too many car accidents, and we didn’t have ambulances, no cell phones...I remember rescuing people in three or four accidents, taking them to the hospital and seeing blood and bone and all that,” Menegusso said. “That’s when I remembered how much I love helping people.”
Hoping to pursue a career in social work, she worked at a Phoenix respite center for individuals experiencing homelessness.
“I realized it wasn’t quite what I wanted,” Menegusso said.
Her true calling emerged while shadowing a nurse and assisting with wound care. “It was like an epiphany,” she said. “It is nursing that I wanted to do because nursing brings together helping people and it’s a structured profession, which I really need.”
At 51, Menegusso returned to school to complete her RN, earning her associate degree
from Tarrant County College during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done, becoming a nurse.” After working for two years, she decided to pursue her RN to BSN at UNT Health Fort Worth's College of Nursing. She was drawn to the program’s practical approach.
“Oh, I think it’s the excellence. The professors are excellent, the facilities are amazing, and the commitment of the faculty and staff to deliver a high-quality education. It is incredible to be part of that,” she said.
Looking ahead, Menegusso plans to become a wound care certified nurse, returning to the part of nursing that first inspired her. She approaches the future with energy and curiosity.
“There are so many certifications, so many specialties, so many places you can work. It’s a whole big world out there for nurses,” Menegusso said. “I’m looking forward to my next ten years.” Her journey is a testament to the continued pursuit of purpose and proof that quality education can light the way to meaningful beginnings.