One of the first jobs I had as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) after graduating college was in homecare. I loved my job and being able to care for those in their time of need, but one patient stood out to me the most. He had autism, arthrogryposis, long-term paralysis from Guillain-Barre syndrome, regular seizures, and was wheelchair-bound, but his family made sure to provide him with the most normal life possible. I worked with him three days a week bathing him, fixing his dinner, doing his laundry, preparing him for bed, watching scary movies, and gossiping. One day he said to me, “You are my best friend”, and I was honored. Weeks later, he excitedly told me that he had asked a girl to be his girlfriend from his adult daycare. She was his Valentine, his easter play partner, his Halloween buddy, and more. They even had a pretend wedding! He loved her, and he made sure to tell me about her every day. When I had to part ways from that job to focus on my physician assistant (PA) school journey, we continued talking on the phone on a regular basis so I could get the latest tea on his love life. Two years later, his mom informed me that he passed away from pneumonia, which left me heartbroken. Shortly after, when I had free time to watch television between my heavy course load and study sessions in PA school, I watched the reality show “Love on the Spectrum (U.S.)” on Netflix. This two-season show featured several people on the autism spectrum in their pursuit to find love. The show highlighted a genuine representation of the social challenges people with autism face when meeting new people and forming relationships. I watched the show with the biggest smile during every episode because I thought of my patient and how happy and innocent his love for his girlfriend was, just like the participants on the show. There was no drama, hatred, or fighting on the show. Each person on the show was honest about their feelings and showed respect towards the person they were getting to know, which I had a great appreciation for. To summarize, Love on the Spectrum was a heartwarming series that captured candid moments of individuals on the spectrum searching for love. It provides a different perspective on the lives of people with autism and helps viewers embrace different behaviors and ways of thinking from the autistic mind. There is a common misconception that people with autism are unable to or uninterested in dating, and the show debunks that belief. I, too, had that belief before my patient told me about his girlfriend, but I now see it as an authentic and beautiful love. I am grateful that the show was able to help channel those memories of my patient and allowed me to embark on the beautiful lives of others dating on the spectrum.

In June 2012, I graduated from high school, and almost 11 years later, I was accepted to Rutgers University, the number seven physician assistant (PA) program in the country. Rutgers is a program that values the importance of serving underserved communities. Rutgers has a health outreach practice experience (H.O.P.E) clinic, providing free health care to uninsured patients to help reduce healthcare disparities in low-income communities. I empathize with patients at H.O.P.E because this medical resource provides them with the care they otherwise may not have received. Volunteering at H.O.P.E gives me a sense of purpose and belonging in the healthcare industry. I was taught to have compassion and empathy for patients in their vulnerable moments. I learned to be patient and understand my patients’ needs when they had trouble articulating them. When patients are in my care, I treat them as I would want any healthcare professional to treat my family members; I build their trust, gain respect, and form impactful relationships. As a future clinician, I would love to dedicate time to continue serving underserved communities and providing quality care to those in need. In my journey to PA school, however, I struggled because I am a first-generation college student and did not have the proper foundational knowledge to navigate my undergraduate academic curriculum. Many people told me I was not smart enough for PA school or needed to choose a different career path, and those words were hurtful and almost caused me to give up. That led me to volunteer to assist the pre-PA community by planning events for Q&A while being transparent about my struggles, helping them on their journey, and uplifting and encouraging students. Being a mentor and positively impacting young minds has shaped me into a stronger person. With my efforts in volunteering with the pre-PA community, I aim to inspire others to impact future generations of healthcare providers, and it will turn into a domino effect of positivity and motivation. I also am a member of the illustrious sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha, to network and collaborate with others willing to serve various communities and organizations. During a chapter meeting, my sorority sisters and I discussed the high homeless population in areas surrounding our college campus and wanted to take action to make a difference in the homeless community. I contributed to the idea of making care packages for the homeless, and we proceeded forward with that plan. First, we set up a fundraiser to purchase hygienic products for men and women, such as sanitary pads, razors, lip balm, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. We then prepared care packages, wrote encouraging notes, and delivered them to the homeless shelters. Seeing the excitement and gratitude on the faces of those on the receiving end humbled me. As a result, I gained a new appreciation for what I have and became an overall better person. This memorable experience resonates with me and helps me keep my enthusiasm for serving underserved communities. My motivation to serve others stems from my desire to rift the denying stigma for underserved communities and provide guidance for the pre-PA community. As I have journeyed through this process, I realized my desire to become a PA and a mentor is not by luck but by many seeds planted throughout my life by my personal experiences, negative influences, and, most significantly, my natural persona.

In June 2012, I graduated high school, and almost 11 years later, I was accepted to my dream school, Rutgers University, the number seven physician assistant (PA) program in the country. However, as a first-generation college student, my journey to where I am now took work. I grew up in a working-class family. Neither of my parents attended college, but they worked hard to ensure my brother and I had food, clothing, and a loving home. My parents always instilled in me the value of education and going to college, but they did not know how to assist me with filling out my FAFSA form, planning my academic schedule, or figuring out my future career. When I started college, I heard people discuss how it was more financially responsible to attend a community college first, so that is what I did without doing further research. Naturally, I was an intelligent student but did not have an advisor to help plan my schedule, so I took upper-level science courses before taking the foundational sciences. On top of that, I was dealing with the trauma of sexual assault, which had a long-term effect on my mental health. During the first few years of college, I had frequent flashbacks, insomnia, and feelings of shame, guilt, anxiety, and depression. Due to the fear of negative consequences from the assailant or my family, I was afraid to seek help. Unfortunately, the tragedy and having a poorly planned academic schedule negatively impacted my GPA. When I transferred to Winthrop University and as I was entering my junior year of college, I utilized the university resources through student advocacy and trauma support counselors, which improved my mental health and academic success. However, after graduation, I did not have a competitive GPA for PA school. Many people in healthcare told me that I was not smart enough or needed to change my career goals, but I did all I could to prove those people wrong. I took post-baccalaureate courses to bolster my knowledge and challenge my academic rigor. I began working as an orthopedic nursing technician for experience and networked with PAs across the hospital for mentorship and guidance. I worked harder than ever before because I had graduated, and resources were more challenging to come across, but I persevered and ended up at Rutgers. Considering the hardships I faced on my journey to PA school, I now mentor the pre-PA community by planning events for Q&A and sharing my struggles, helping them on their journey, and uplifting and encouraging students. Being a mentor and positively impacting young minds has shaped me into a stronger person. With my involvement in the pre-PA community, I aim to inspire others to impact future generations of healthcare providers and create a domino effect of positivity and motivation. Overall, I am proud of myself for overcoming adversities and persevering to create a better future for myself. My ability to push beyond my trauma and challenges shows my resiliency and has had a positive impact on my future goals as a provider. I am stronger and wiser, and I can help others in a greater capacity than I could have done if I had not faced mental and financial hardships. I advise pre-PA students and people facing adversities to keep going and never let anyone tell them that they are not good enough or intelligent enough, not even themselves. Everyone is capable of achieving success with hard work and dedication.

Growing up, I recognized that there is a stigma to seeking medical care unless the situation is severe. I have witnessed firsthand how challenging it can be for underserved communities to receive adequate care due to insufficient resources and a lack of education on the importance of preventive care. My grandfather was a contributor to that stigma. He had untreated coronary artery disease and diabetes and prolonged seeking care due to financial limitations. Unfortunately, he passed away from a massive heart attack in the hospital a day before having his diabetic foot amputated. As I grew older and became more curious about his medical history and how diseases affect people, I developed a love for the medical profession. As a future physician assistant (PA), I aspire to provide comprehensive health education and clinical-based treatment plans for those in situations like my grandfather's. As a PA student, I attend Rutgers University, a program that values the importance of serving underserved communities. Rutgers has a health outreach practice experience (H.O.P.E) clinic, providing free health care to uninsured patients to help reduce healthcare disparities in low-income communities. Volunteering at H.O.P.E gives me a sense of purpose and belonging in the healthcare industry. I was taught to have compassion and empathy for patients in their vulnerable moments. When patients are in my care, I treat them as I would want any healthcare professional to treat my family members; I build their trust, gain respect, and form impactful relationships. As a future clinician, I will continue to dedicate time to serving underserved communities and providing quality care to those in need. In my journey to PA school, however, I struggled because I am a first-generation college student and did not have the proper foundational knowledge to navigate my undergraduate academic curriculum. Many people told me I was not smart enough for PA school or needed to choose a different career path, and those words were hurtful and almost caused me to give up. That led me to now mentor the pre-PA community by planning events for Q&A and sharing my struggles, helping them on their journey, and uplifting and encouraging students. Being a mentor and positively impacting young minds has shaped me into a stronger person. With my involvement in the pre-PA community, I aim to inspire others to impact future generations of healthcare providers and create a domino effect of positivity and motivation. My desire to make a monumental impact on the community and eagerness to learn has readied me to shift from the role of a student to a PA. My motivation to be a PA stems from my desire to rift the denying stigma for underserved communities in honor of my grandfather. As I have journeyed through this process, I realized my desire to become a PA and a mentor is not by luck but by many seeds planted throughout my life by my upbringing, healthcare experiences, personal encounters, and most significantly, my natural persona.

In June 2012, I graduated high school and almost 11 years later, I was accepted to Rutgers University, the number seven physician assistant (PA) program in the country. However, as a first-generation college student, my journey to where I am now was not easy. I grew up in a working-class family. Neither of my parents attended college, but they both worked hard to ensure my brother and I had food, clothing, and a home filled with love. My parents always instilled the value of education in me and going to college, but they did not know how to assist me with filling out my FAFSA form, planning my academic schedule, or figuring out my future career. When I started college, I always heard people discuss how it was more financially responsible to attend a community college, so that is what I did without doing further research. Naturally, I was an intelligent student, but I did not have an advisor to help plan my schedule, so I ended up taking upper-level sciences courses before taking the foundational sciences. On top of that, I was dealing with the trauma of sexual assault, which had a long-term effect on my mental health. When I transferred to Winthrop University and as I was entering my junior year of college, I utilized the university resources through student advocacy and trauma support counselors, which improved my mental health and academic success. However, after graduation, I did not have a competitive GPA for PA school. I had many people in healthcare tell me that I was not smart enough or that I needed to change my career goals, but I did all I could to prove those people wrong. I paid for twelve post-baccalaureate courses, began working as an orthopedic nursing technician to help me develop soft skills with patients, and networked with PAs across the hospital for mentorship and guidance. I had to work harder than ever before because I had graduated and resources were not as easy to come across, but I persevered and ended up at my dream school. Rutgers University is a program that values the importance of serving underserved communities. Rutgers has a health outreach practice experience (H.O.P.E) clinic, providing free health care to uninsured patients to help reduce healthcare disparities in low-income communities. I empathize with patients at H.O.P.E because this medical resource provides them with the care they otherwise may not have received. Volunteering at H.O.P.E gives me a sense of purpose and belonging in the healthcare industry. I was taught to have compassion and empathy for patients in their vulnerable moments. I learned to be patient and understand my patients’ needs when they had trouble articulating them. When patients are in my care, I treat them as I would want any healthcare professional to treat my family members; I build their trust, gain respect, and form impactful relationships. As a future clinician, I would love to dedicate time to serving underserved communities and providing quality care to those in need. Overall, I am proud of myself for overcoming adversities and persevering to create a better future for myself. My ability to push beyond my trauma and challenges shows my resiliency and has had a positive impact on my future goals as a provider. I am stronger and wiser, and I can help others in a greater capacity than I could have done if I had not faced mental and financial hardships. With the money I save with this scholarship, I will be able to replenish my savings and have money to fall back on when I graduate from Rutgers.

In June 2012, I graduated from Dutch Fork High School, one of three high schools in a small town in South Carolina. Almost 11 years later, I was accepted to Rutgers University, the country's number seven physician assistant (PA) program. However, as a first-generation college student, my journey to where I am now took work. I grew up in a working-class family. Neither of my parents attended college, but they worked hard to ensure my brother and I had food, clothing, and a loving home. My parents always instilled in me the value of education and going to college, but they did not know how to assist me with filling out my FAFSA form, planning my academic schedule, or figuring out my future career. When I started college, I always heard people discuss how attending a community college was more financially responsible, so that is what I did without doing further research. Naturally, I was an intelligent student but did not have an advisor to help plan my schedule, so I took upper-level science courses before taking the foundational sciences. On top of that, I was dealing with the trauma of sexual assault, which had a long-term effect on my mental health. During the first few years of college, I had frequent flashbacks, insomnia, and feelings of shame, guilt, anxiety, and depression. Due to the fear of negative consequences from the assailant or my family, I was afraid to seek help. Unfortunately, the tragedy and having a poorly planned academic schedule negatively impacted my GPA. When I transferred to Winthrop University and as I was entering my junior year of college, I utilized the university resources through student advocacy and trauma support counselors, which improved my mental health and academic success. However, after graduation, I did not have a competitive GPA for PA school. Many people in healthcare told me that I was not smart enough or needed to change my career goals, but I did all I could to prove those people wrong. I took many post-baccalaureate courses to bolster my knowledge and challenge my academic rigor. I began working as an orthopedic nursing technician to help me develop skills such as perspective-taking, mitigating microaggressions, active listening, compassion, and cross-cultural communication to collaborate and communicate with people of diverse communities, belief systems, and perspectives. I also took the initiative to network with PAs across the hospital to get the opportunity to have mentorship, guidance, and the chance to shadow in the operating room and clinics. I had to work harder than ever before because I had graduated, and resources were more challenging to come across, but I did all I could to succeed and ended up being accepted to my dream school, Rutgers University, at age 29. Overall, I am proud of myself for overcoming adversities and persevering to create a better future for myself. My ability to push beyond my trauma and challenges shows my resiliency and has had a positive impact on my future goals as a provider. I am stronger and wiser, and I can help others in a greater capacity than I could have done if I had not faced hardships.

Growing up, I recognized that there is a stigma to seeking medical care unless the situation is severe. I have witnessed firsthand how challenging it can be for underserved communities to receive adequate care due to insufficient resources and a lack of education on the importance of preventive care. My grandfather was a contributor to that stigma. He had untreated coronary artery disease and diabetes and refused to seek care due to financial limitations. He was fearful of being hooked up to machines or an amputation of his leg. Unfortunately, he passed away from a massive heart attack in the hospital a day before having his diabetic foot amputated. As I grew older and became more curious about his medical history and how diseases affect people, I developed a love for the medical profession. As a physician assistant (PA) student, I attend Rutgers University, a program that values the importance of serving underserved communities. Rutgers has a health outreach practice experience (H.O.P.E) clinic, providing free health care to uninsured patients to help reduce healthcare disparities in low-income communities. I empathize with patients at H.O.P.E because this medical resource provides them with the care they otherwise may not have received. Volunteering at H.O.P.E gives me a sense of purpose and belonging in the healthcare industry. I was taught to have compassion and empathy for patients in their vulnerable moments. I learned to be patient and understand my patients’ needs when they had trouble articulating them. When patients are in my care, I treat them as I would want any healthcare professional to treat my family members; I build their trust, gain respect, and form impactful relationships. As a future clinician, I would love to dedicate time to serving underserved communities and providing quality care to those in need. In my journey to PA school, however, I struggled because I am a first-generation college student and did not have the proper foundational knowledge to navigate my undergraduate academic curriculum. Many people told me I was not smart enough for PA school or needed to choose a different career path, and those words were hurtful and almost caused me to give up. That led me to volunteer to assist the pre-PA community by planning events for Q&A while being transparent about my struggles, helping them on their journey, and uplifting and encouraging students. Being a mentor and positively impacting young minds has shaped me into a stronger person. With my efforts in volunteering with the pre-PA community, I aim to inspire others to impact future generations of healthcare providers, and it will turn into a domino effect of positivity and motivation. My motivation to volunteer stems from my desire to rift the denying stigma for underserved communities and provide preventive treatment options in honor of my grandfather. As I have journeyed through this process, I realized my desire to become a PA and a mentor is not by luck but by many seeds planted throughout my life by my family’s health, healthcare experiences, negative influences, and, most significantly, my natural persona.

Growing up, I witnessed firsthand how challenging it can be for underserved communities to receive adequate care due to insufficient resources and a lack of education on the importance of preventive care. My grandfather was an example of this. He had untreated coronary artery disease and diabetes, and delayed seeking medical care due to financial limitations. Unfortunately, he passed away from a massive heart attack in the hospital a day before he was scheduled to have his diabetic foot amputated. My family blamed his death on the doctors because of the various medications my grandfather was prescribed. My adopted views of his death placed a negative bias about the medical field within me, which caused me to have a cynical view of healthcare providers at the age of seven. However, as I grew older and became more curious about his medical history and how diseases affect people, I developed a love for the medical profession. As a physician assistant (PA), I aspire to educate and advocate for the medically underserved through comprehensive health education and clinical-based treatment plans. My first encounter with a PA was when I sustained a concussion caused by a work-related accident. Who knew that falling chin-first into a tall, metal tea urn would introduce me to the PA who would change my professional trajectory? The compassion that the PA, Alyssa, showed me and her evident love for her career sparked my motivation to pursue PA as my future career. I received my certified nursing assistant (CNA) license shortly after and began working in homecare, where I assisted patients in their activities of daily living, took vital signs, and performed wound care. I continued to stay focused as I was still a full-time student, working, shadowing, and volunteering. During this period, I strengthened my self-discipline, time management, and organizational skills, all of which made my demanding schedule effortless over time. I became a member of the illustrious sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha to network and collaborate with others willing to serve various communities and organizations. As a chapter member, I contributed to planning events, volunteered in conservation projects, and provided resources, service, and support for underserved communities. The most impactful community service event was when my sorority sisters and I recognized the high homeless population surrounding Winthrop University. We took action to provide basic needs and necessities, such as sanitary pads, razors, lip balm, oral care products, and lunch. We set up a fundraiser to purchase products for men and women, then prepared care packages, wrote encouraging notes, and delivered them to the homeless shelters. Seeing the boosted morale and gratitude on the faces of those on the receiving end helped me gain a greater appreciation for my assets and become an overall better person. Volunteering has created memorable experiences that will travel with me throughout my life and serve as the motivational foundation for serving the community. As a first-generation college student, I lacked the guidance to plan my academic schedule effectively and had little knowledge of the resources available to finance my education. As a result, I utilized multiple private and federal loans, making it difficult to pay off the debt owed. The student debt reduction scholarship will allow me to reassess my budget to set up an emergency fund, purchase medical equipment, books, and prepare for my future as a physician assistant student at Rutgers University. My goal to make a monumental impact on my community and desire to learn medicine will be more attainable with the lifted burden of crippling student loan debt.

Growing up in a rural town in South Carolina, racism and microaggression was not uncommon for the African American community. I recall experiencing racial discrimination at six years old. On the way home from visiting family, a red truck with three white males attempted to run my mother off the road while my brother and I were in the back seat. They shouted derogatory remarks threatening my family, causing me to cry because I felt our lives were in danger. After this incident, my parents felt inclined to discuss the hardships I would face from my skin color. I realize that the best way to combat discrimination and microaggressions is to create a more diverse society to increase the understanding and acceptance of others. My personal experiences have given me unique viewpoints to understand behaviors, cultures, and attitudes at a greater level, enhancing my capabilities as a future PA student and provider. As a healthcare worker, I am not immune to prejudice from patients. No matter how qualified the medical provider is, there will be patients who have their preferences based on race, gender, religion, culture, and sexual orientation. One night while working alongside two registered nurses at Lexington medical center, we received a new patient who took one look at us and became volatile. The patient proceeded to hit, kick, scream "go back to Africa," and have other outbursts of profanity. I felt devastated, but I looked past my feelings and continued to provide competent patient care. My courteous and responsive bedside care allowed the patient to look past my race and realize that she felt safe and respected under my care, which led her to apologize, stating that I was one of her favorite nursing technicians. I felt honored that I could change her fixed mindset, and that I successfully showed her that race is not a problem or threat. I helped cultivate an acceptance that diminished her prejudice toward minority healthcare providers. Additionally, I recognized that there is a stigma to seeking medical care unless the situation is severe. I have witnessed firsthand how challenging it can be for underserved communities to receive adequate care due to insufficient resources and a lack of education on the importance of preventive care. My grandfather was an example of this. He had untreated coronary artery disease and diabetes, and refused to seek care due to financial limitations. He feared being hooked up to machines or an amputation of his leg. Unfortunately, he passed away from a massive heart attack in the hospital a day before he was scheduled to have his diabetic foot amputated. My family blamed his death on the doctors because of the various medications my grandfather was prescribed. My adopted views of his death placed a negative bias about the medical field within me, which caused me to have a cynical view of healthcare providers at the age of seven. However, as I grew older and became more curious about his medical history and how diseases affect people, I developed a love for the medical profession. Diversity is essential in the medical field because patients should have access to a provider who is unbiased, empathetic, patient, respectful, and culturally sensitive. My goal as a PA is to build a sense of comfort with my patients, promote open communication, and increase efficiency in patient care and accuracy in diagnoses and outcomes. I aspire to educate and advocate for the medically underserved through comprehensive health education and clinical-based treatment plans.