Josephine's Light Nursing Memorial Scholarship

After I graduate, I plan to impact the world around me by showing up for people when they feel most vulnerable and unseen. I want to be the nurse who brings steadiness into chaos, who offers both skilled care and genuine human presence in moments that are frightening and overwhelming. My goal is to work in the ICU or Emergency Department, environments where trust is built quickly and where compassion can shape how patients experience some of the hardest moments of their lives. My experience in emergency medical services taught me that outcomes are shaped not only by clinical decisions, but by whether patients feel heard, respected, and protected. I have seen how fear, bias, and lack of access can compound suffering. These experiences continue to inform how I view my responsibility as a nurse. I intend to advocate fiercely for my patients, especially those whose voices are often overlooked. I will ask difficult questions, speak up when something feels wrong, and remain attentive to the human being behind the diagnosis. I believe deeply in the power of connection. Small acts such as explaining what is happening, acknowledging fear, or simply staying present can change how a patient experiences care. I plan to prioritize education and communication at the bedside, helping patients and families feel less alone and more empowered during times of crisis. For me, nursing is not just about treating illness, but about restoring a sense of safety and trust when it has been lost. Beyond patient care, I hope to lead by example for my children. Returning to nursing later in life is my way of showing them that it is never too late to begin again, to take up space, and to use your voice in service of others. I want them to see resilience modeled through action and to understand that meaningful impact often grows from courage and persistence. I also hope to create change within the teams I work alongside. High stress environments can quietly erode compassion when clinicians are unsupported. I aim to contribute to a culture of teamwork, mentorship, and emotional honesty, recognizing that caring for patients begins with caring for one another. Long term, my aspiration to become a CRNA reflects my desire to serve at the highest level of responsibility. In anesthesia, patients entrust their lives to clinicians they may never fully know. I am drawn to that responsibility and to the precision, vigilance, and advocacy it requires. Through presence, integrity, and excellence, I hope to leave patients, families, and colleagues feeling safer, heard, and valued.

" You are not depressed; you just need to do something fun once a week" (My primary care physician). This line hit me like a brick wall. A week after my eighteenth birthday I decided to find help for my mental health. After years and years of feeling like I didn't want to live anymore countless extreme highs and lows and a failed suicide attempt. I finally built up the courage to ask for help, and this is the line that my doctor told me. Having a panic attack and breaking down in tears I asked to leave and walked out of this appointment feeling defeated, hopeless, and scared for my future I finally reached out to my mom and told her about my mental health over the last few years. Dealing with a bipolar mom and depression herself she understood and was enraged by my doctor. At my breaking point a few days later my mom and myself make the decision to admit myself to butler hospital in hopes of receiving help. The same day I was diagnosed Bipolar. Without the help of these mental health professionals, I don't know if I would be here today. This was my first experience that showed me I wanted to become a nurse. I want to be a nurse to advocate for others the way that I was not. I want to advocate and never let anybody especially teenagers feel like they are not heard or seen. The experience I went through was sad and is crazy to me that someone I had trusted and gone to for years shut me down like this and did not even give me a chance at help but dismissed me. As someone who struggles and has struggled my whole life, I know how easy it is to deem someone crazy or lying or dramatic and I don't ever want this to happen n to anybody else. It only takes one person to be the difference between life and death and i want to be the person that helps somebody in life and makes the difference. I also want to educate others on how to help somebody with mental health issues because I don't think it should take a professional in that field to help I think every medical personal should have the tools and education to help somebody no matter age, race, or gender. Even If I can help just one person in my life than I will count myself successful in my future. Because that one person who helped me made a difference and I will continue to do so.