My name is Audrey Jacobs. I have always wanted to be apart of the medical field, as well as the environment of becoming a true leader and advocate for others to rely on. My grandparents have played a huge role in how I’ve viewed my life while growing up. My grandma acted as my second mother. She was there day in and day out, from picking me up from school, to teaching me how to bake chocolate chip cookies. The best way of course. My grandpa was always a leader in the family. He acted as the glue by holding us together, especially after my parents went through a divorce. As I grew older, I looked up to them even more, but as they grew older I noticed things weren’t as easy. Instead of helping me bake the cookies, I was doing it all by myself for them. My grandma has undergone multiple replacements as well as experienced serve arthritis. This truly made me understand the importance of giving back. Individuals go through their entire life doing things for themselves, but as we age, the simplest tasks become difficult. Seeing this first hand helped me to discover a new world. I immediately decided to enroll into the Health Occupations program at our local hospital, and began my dream future. Helping others complete day to day tasks, while also putting a smile on their face helped to put an even bigger expression on my values throughout life. My mother refers to me as “the helper in the family”. As I grow up, I see the truth behind those words. Helping others has never been a task to me, it’s a joy in my life.
My high-school has given me the biggest opportunity by offering a Certified Nursing Program through our local community college. Throughout this class I have discovered ways to get hands on experience as well as receiving my CNA license. I have decided to pursue this and take on a job at my local assisted living facility and start off as a resident aide. Except this isn’t just a job to me, this is my love, my dream, and my life. My sister has been a huge role model for me as she has also decided to pursue children’s health and is now ok her third year in a nursing program. As the work may be hard, the experiences are beyond rewarding. I am forever thankful that my younger self got to see the work behind helping and assisting others. This will always make me who I am, and who I aspire to be.
I will be graduating high school and leaving old memories and friends behind, but as I move forward in life, I cannot wait to see what the future will hold for me. I am planning on majoring in nursing and have been accepted into Illinois State as well as the nursing program. After I graduate, I plan to receive my RN and take on a job while I prepare to beging nursing school in hopes to become a labor and delivery nurse. This has been a dream of mine since I have been young. Not only am I there for the mother while she experiences one of the most important days of her life, but also at the beginning of a brand new life from a newborn. I choose this field for others, but more importantly I choose this field for myself. I choose to make a difference in this world and the experiences others will undergo. Thank you for this opportunity!
Sincerely,
Audrey Jacobs
I have always been interested in the medical field; I just didn’t realize I wanted to be a nurse. My dad was diagnosed with cancer when I was fourteen and this opened my eyes more to the medical field. I wasn’t certain I wanted to be a nurse until my grandma completed her recovery at our house from a hip replacement that had complications. She needed antibiotics everyday via her peripherally inserted central catheter. I was the only one at home to learn how to do this, so I pushed antibiotics through the PICC line daily. I loved learning how to administer medicine. During the same time, my grandpa was dealing with a brain-bleed due to melanoma on this brain. I was fascinated with all the information the Doctors educated us with. My grandparents were always there for our whole family, so it was super hard to see them struggle with their health. My grandma was so proud of me and how I was able to help take care of her. She never knew she was a big part of the reason why I decided to become a nurse. They both ended up passing away. I have been fascinated with the medical field ever since.
My high school offers a Certified Nursing Assistant class through a community college, and I decided after this experience that I wanted to try this class. During this class, you work to get your CNA and we get hands-on experience in hospitals and locations of our choosing. I got to work in a Childrens Hospital and with an ambulance. I loved the Childrens Hospital and the environment of all the children. I decided that this is my dream environment. At the ambulance, I got to learn how an ambulance functions and everyday life for them. I loved the schedule they work and how everyone was very welcoming. I ended up spending every afternoon for seven months doing ride-alongs and learning the fire side to paramedical. This pushed me to try an EMT Basic class. I am currently enrolled in a class to get my EMT-B certification.
My dad’s health declined fast with his cancer. My mom and I became his daily caregivers. It was tough seeing my dad in this condition and having to care for him. All my experiences helped with this time because I knew what to do and could show my mom how to take care of him easier. He was so proud of me and how I was able to use my knowledge to care for him. He told everyone who came to visit that his daughter was taking care of him. This is something I will hold close for the rest of my life. My dad passed away in September of 2023. It was tough, but we all got super close during this time, and everyone worked together to help each other.
I am currently working as a caregiver for a non-verbal and autistic 5-year-old child. I have learned the difference between working with adults and children. I prefer children because I get a lot of joy from his reactions to our interactions. I worked at a local nursing home during the summer. I got lots of exposure to elderly and special needs adults.
I hope to obtain my associate in nursing at Lake Land College. Then I will earn my bachelor's in nursing at Indiana University. I am also considering pursuing a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner through Baylor University. After I graduate, I want to find a job in a medical facility where my knowledge can make a difference.
My name is Abigail Bowen. I live in a rural area in Illinois and I am a single mom of three wonderful kids. I have always known I wanted to be a nurse. I became a licensed practical nurse in 2007 and have been working in the healthcare industry since. I have worked mostly in pediatrics. I've worked for two different pediatricians and currently work at an elementary school. While I love my job and my students, I know that I'm meant for something different. My goal is to obtain my bachelor's degree in nursing and work with pediatric oncology patients. I'm currently enrolled at Indiana State University in the pre-LPN-BSN program. It's hard to work full-time while going to school and raising three children, but I am willing to put in the work and I know I can do it. I currently have a 4.0 GPA at Indiana State all while being very involved in my children's school and activities. The reason I want to become a pediatric oncology nurse is because of my nephew, Reid. Reid was diagnosed with cancer at the very young age of four. Our family is very close and I spent a lot of time with them at the hospital. I watched his nurses care for him every day knowing they have one of the hardest jobs in the world, yet they never showed it on their faces. They made Reid smile and laugh and went out of their way every day to make sure he felt safe and comfortable. They were very knowledgeable about the many questions we asked and never showed an ounce of impatience toward us. Those nurses inspired me. The day Reid died was the hardest day of my life. He was only seven years old. It was so hard for me to even look at him, so I focused on the nurses. They knew what they needed to do. Reid had six IV's in his body and while he still had a faint heartbeat, the nurses unhooked him so fast and rushed him into my sister's arms so he could pass while being held by his mother. I was in awe of them. I know I would make a great pediatric oncology nurse and I'm willing to put the hard work in to make it happen. Paying for college is very difficult while being a single mom and any help I could get would be the most amazing gift. Please consider me for this scholarship and know that if I'm chosen, this gift will be going toward my future career in helping the many families that are going through the worst time of their lives. Thank you for your consideration, Abigail Bowen
