When I was younger, I actually really enjoyed going to the doctor's office. I absolutely adored my pediatrician; she was kind, listened to me, and made me feel heard. I was a pretty “smart” child, so I felt lonely around kids my age. However, when I attended my health appointments, the people were very nice and interesting. I learned a lot, and from a young age, I knew I wanted to help people stop being in pain. I have had my own challenges with the healthcare system. What helped me keep going was the care I received from my primary care providers, plus the nurses who took time to listen. They explained things without rushing. They checked in with genuine concern. Those moments lifted me in ways I will never forget. They remind me daily of the power a kind provider can have. In my clinicals now, I see that same power from the other side. Patients talk to me. They trust me. I watch them sit back, breathe, and open up. A few have even changed health decisions because I explained something in a way that helped them see a safer path. These small wins make the long days worth it. They prove that nursing is not a soulless job. It is a role full of purpose, plus it lets me bring my whole heart into my work. My long-term goal is to become an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse. I am exploring roles like Family Nurse Practitioner or Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. My heart leans strongly toward psychiatric care. I want to combine my passion for helping people with my interests in nutrition, health, pharmacology, and pathophysiology into a career that allows me to provide care to the people of my community and potentially internationally one day. Healthcare providers make big decisions for people’s lives every day. I want to ensure that that voice is given back to patients. I know how it feels to not be listened to, and having a nurse practitioner who listened to me changed my entire life for the better. She is a black woman who went to the same nursing school as I do. She understands the racial context of my life and the challenges of attending nursing school. Because I am autistic, I have a harder time sensorily and socially sometimes, but it was often her and some previous healthcare professionals who helped me to learn. I hope to be that same person for many people. They have helped me become more educated, confident, healthy, and passionate. I know that healthcare providers, especially black ones, are amazing resources for their communities and not just for black people. We listen, and we know how it feels to have an added layer of racial context and can offer nuance that not many other healthcare professionals can.

When I was younger, I actually really enjoyed going to the doctor's office. I absolutely adored my pediatrician; she was kind, listened to me, and made me feel heard. I was a pretty “smart” child, so I felt lonely around kids my age. But when I went to my health appointments, the people were very nice and interesting. I learned a lot, and from a young age, I knew I wanted to help people stop being in pain. I have had my own challenges with the healthcare system. What helped me keep going was the care I received from my primary care providers plus the nurses who took time to listen. They explained things without rushing. They checked in with genuine concern. Those moments lifted me in ways I will never forget. They remind me daily of the power a kind provider can have. In my clinicals now, I see that same power from the other side. Patients talk to me. They trust me. I watch them sit back, breathe, and open up. A few have even changed health decisions because I explained something in a way that helped them see a safer path. These small wins make the long days worth it. They prove that nursing is not a soulless job. It is a role full of purpose, plus it lets me bring my whole heart into my work. My long-term goal is to become an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse. I am exploring roles like Family Nurse Practitioner, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. My heart leans strongly toward psychiatric care. I want to combine my love for helping people and my interests in nutrition, health, pharmacology, and pathophysiology into a career where I can give care to the people of my community and perhaps internationally one day. Healthcare providers make big decisions for people’s lives every day. I want to ensure that that voice is given back to patients. I know how it feels to not be listened to, and having a nurse practitioner that listened to me changed my entire life for the better. I hope to be that same person for many people. This scholarship would ease a real burden. Nursing school is intense. Clinicals, studying, and work stack on top of each other quickly. The financial pressure adds another heavy layer. Help in this area would give me room to focus, breathe, and grow into the nurse I am working hard to become.