Brian Moore Memorial Scholarship

In less than twelve months, I lost three family members during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to hospital restrictions, I was unable to be in the room with them during their final moments. Although I could not be physically present, I will never forget the nurses who cared for my loved ones with compassion, dignity, and respect. In one of the hardest times in my life, they became a source of comfort not only for my family, but for me as well. That experience solidified my decision to pursue a career in medicine. It was in those moments that I realized I wanted to become a nurse. I did not just want to provide medical care—I wanted to be someone who brings reassurance, patience, and humanity to patients and families during their most vulnerable times. The nurses who cared for my family showed me that nursing is not only about treating illness, but about caring for people as whole individuals. That level of compassion is what I strive to carry into my own career. Since that experience, I have worked intentionally toward this goal. I graduated high school as Salutatorian with a 4.0 GPA while completing dual credit coursework and participating in healthcare-focused programs such as the Greater Waco Advanced Health Care Academy (GWAHCA). Through that program, I studied anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, and clinical ethics. I also earned my Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) certifications, which gave me early hands-on experience in patient care. I am now continuing my education in the Associate Degree in Nursing program at Howard College while working as a Patient Care Technician. This role has given me direct experience in patient care and working alongside nurses in real clinical settings. Every shift reinforces how important it is to treat every patient with dignity, patience, and respect, no matter their condition or circumstances. This journey has also taught me what service and leadership truly mean. Leadership in healthcare is not about titles, but about how you show up for others—especially in difficult moments. I have also learned resilience as a first-generation college student balancing school, work, and clinical responsibilities while staying committed to my goals. My long-term goal is to become a registered nurse and eventually a Nurse Practitioner. I plan to serve in rural and underserved communities in Texas where access to quality healthcare is limited. I want to provide the same kind of compassionate care that inspired me during one of the most difficult times in my life. The loss I experienced during COVID-19 will always be part of my story, but it is also what gave me my purpose. It inspired me to pursue nursing, and it continues to guide the way I care for others today.

The moment that solidified my path toward engineering did not occur in a high-tech laboratory or a prestigious classroom; it happened at 4:45 AM on a Sunday in October 2023, during a life-or-death crisis. It was the moment I realized that technical mastery is the ultimate tool for protecting those we love. My grandfather, a minister and Army veteran who was my father figure, had been battling Stage 4 stomach and colon cancer since 2020. He had already defied a four-month prognosis for over three years—a "miraculous reunion" of spirit and medicine. Because I was homeschooled during high school to help my mother care for him, I was the secondary caretaker, standing as the backup during the harrowing emergencies that cancer creates, from managing the complexities of an ileostomy bag to navigating the moments when a fungating tumor would bleed. On that October morning, my grandfather suffered a massive heart attack. As my mother’s cries filled the room, the years of preparation collided with a single moment of necessity. In the fifth grade, I had mastered CPR for a school project called H.O.P.E. That morning, those lessons surfaced with a clarity that can only be described as divine. I performed chest compressions for twelve grueling minutes, refusing to let him go, breathing life into his lungs until the paramedics arrived. The irony of that morning is a beautiful cycle of grace: when I was four, he saved me from choking; sixteen years later, I returned the favor. This experience taught me that engineering is not just about equations; it is about the "fanatical attention to detail" required to save a life. My undergraduate study of Engineering Physics, for which I will be awarded my Bachelor of Science degree this coming May, has provided the rigorous theoretical foundation necessary to understand the mechanics of such high-stakes systems. This degree positions me perfectly at the intersection of fundamental science and applied technology, allowing me to transition seamlessly into my Master’s in Electrical and Computer Science. I see my education as a direct extension of that morning on the bedroom floor—a commitment to mastering the laws of physics to intervene in moments of chaos. My grandfather, a man of profound faith, spent his life praying that my God-given talents would be used for the glory of the Lord. Though he passed in November 2024, his legacy is the "fierce determination" I bring to my roles as President of the ERAU AI Club and a Software Intern at Flexjet. I plan to pay this inspiration forward by dedicating my career to the defense of our nation through Quantum Information Science (QIS). Just as I used my knowledge of CPR to protect my grandfather, I intend to use my expertise to protect the heart of America. By bridging the gap between the complex physics engineering I have mastered and compassionate service, I will honor the minister who believed that the highest calling is to use one's intellect to serve others and the greater good.