Bucs Go Beyond

For Aaron Fregoso, choosing ETSU wasn’t just about earning a degree — it was about finding his calling.

A first-generation student driven by service, Aaron made his dream of impacting health care a reality through the knowledge, confidence, and clinical experience gained at ETSU’s College of Nursing.

"I started with general elective classes, then I took an anatomy and physiology course, and that was it. I fell in love with the field," Aaron recalls. Encouraged by a professor, he applied to the nursing program and never looked back. While earning his degree, Aaron mentored first-year students as a Supplemental Instruction leader and completed clinical rotations. 

“Through these experiences, I’ve learned that my true passion is caring for people,” he said.  

One of Aaron’s most meaningful opportunities was an internship at the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center. “ETSU has opened doors for me, one of them being the VA, where I’ve had the opportunity to serve some of the nation’s heroes,” he says. 

That spirit of service was tested in fall 2024 when Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina and parts of East Tennessee. With less than two months until the ETSU Marching Bucs were set to perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Aaron volunteered at a shelter in Unicoi County — distributing supplies and supporting storm survivors. Just weeks later, as a trumpet player in the Marching Bucs, he marched through Herald Square in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade — a performance that became a symbol of resilience for a region still healing. 

“It was more than just a performance for us,” Aaron says. “We were playing for the people back home who have been through so much. To be able to represent them on a national stage was something I’ll never forget.”

For Aaron, music and medicine are intertwined. Both require discipline, compassion, and heart. Whether it’s through the steady hands of a nurse or the strength to serve during a crisis, Aaron’s journey is proof that at ETSU, Bucs don’t just study to succeed — they go beyond to serve.