When my infant daughter's feeding tube came out during the family party, it meant an immediate trip to the hospital where it would need to be surgically placed again. I watched my other four children immediately fall into their roles. One went into action to gather my suitcase, another ran to her room to make a picture to decorate the hospital room, my son piled onto the couch to cry, and the last sat there trying to hold back her emotions. I squeezed them tight, all of us knowing I would be gone at least 3-4 nights caring for Sarah in the hospital. Amongst all the social workers, nurses, and doctors, no one had spoken to us as a family about how we were functioning, coping, and managing our lives with the diagnosis of Sarah's genetic condition. It was that moment I knew I needed to finish my degree to help other families navigate these situations. I decided to return to school to finish my bachelors degree at Arizona State University and am now pursuing my masters in Marriage and Family Therapy, with a specialization in Medical Family Therapy at Loma Linda University. The challenges I face as a student, wife, mother, preschool teacher, dance instructor, basketball and volleyball coach are unique due to my age and number of responsibilities I have. I am one of two in my cohort over the age of 40. My perspective due to my age and experiences allows me to approach the material and apply it from a different viewpoint than my classmates. My children have been witnesses, study helpers, and dinner makers due to my return to school. It has become a family effort and the life lessons and skills they are learning and observing, first hand, are invaluable. Time management, discipline, and sacrifice are among them. My support system is greater and I have the wisdom to ask for help that I never did in my earlier years. I am often humbled by the helping hands and investment those around me have made into cheering me on and ensuring I reach my end goal. I hope to give back what I have learned and received by working with families and children who have received a chronic, lifelong, or terminal illness. The challenges these families face are many, but the strength and hope of the family system can help alleviate many stressors and improve the quality of life for each family member. What my family was missing was someone to help tie and bring us together. We discovered leaning into one another, when we felt the medical condition was driving us further apart, was what we needed. We also learned everyone had a voice and feelings that deserved to be heard. Having support and tools to cope during times of fight or flight can strengthen an individual's and family's resiliency to be prepared for the next time. This scholarship would help in funding my education so I can graduate and enter the workforce into the field of mental health where the wait lists are ongoing. There is an immediate need and I am eager to serve. As I prepare to graduate in 2025, my oldest daughter will be preparing to launch into her college journey, Fall of 2026. Taking the financial pressure off of the student loans I need to repay can help me save to launch my daughter to be a change and way-maker too.

When my infant daughter's feeding tube came out during the family party, it meant an immediate trip to the hospital where it would need to be surgically placed again. I watched my other four children immediately fall into their roles. One went into action to gather my suitcase, another ran to her room to make a picture to decorate the hospital room, my son piled onto the couch to cry, and the last sat there trying to hold back her emotions. I squeezed them tight, all of us knowing I would be gone at least 3-4 nights caring for Sarah in the hospital. Amongst all the social workers, nurses, and doctors, no one had spoken to us as a family about how we were functioning, coping, and managing our lives with the diagnosis of Sarah's genetic condition. It was that moment I knew I needed to finish my degree to help other families navigate these situations. I decided to return to school to finish my bachelors degree at Arizona State University and am now pursuing my masters in Marriage and Family Therapy, with a specialization in Medical Family Therapy at Loma Linda University. The challenges I face as a student, wife, mother, preschool teacher, dance instructor, basketball and volleyball coach are unique due to my age and number of responsibilities I have. I am one of two in my cohort over the age of 40. My perspective due to my age and experiences allows me to approach the material and apply it from a different viewpoint than my classmates. My children have been witnesses, study helpers, and dinner makers due to my return to school. It has become a family effort and the life lessons and skills they are learning and observing, first hand, are invaluable. Time management, discipline, and sacrifice are among them. My support system is greater and I have the wisdom to ask for help that I never did in my earlier years. I am often humbled by the helping hands and investment those around me have made into cheering me on and ensuring I reach my end goal. I hope to give back what I have learned and received by working with families and children who have received a chronic, lifelong, or terminal illness. The challenges these families face are many, but the strength and hope of the family system can help alleviate many stressors and improve the quality of life for each family member. What my family was missing was someone to help tie and bring us together. We discovered leaning into one another, when we felt the medical condition was driving us further apart, was what we needed. We also learned everyone had a voice and feelings that deserved to be heard. Having support and tools to cope during times of fight or flight can strengthen an individual's and family's resiliency to be prepared for the next time. This scholarship would help in funding my education so I can graduate and enter the workforce into the field of mental health where the wait lists are ongoing. There is an immediate need and I am eager to serve. As I prepare to graduate in 2025, my oldest daughter will be preparing to launch into her college journey, Fall of 2026. Taking the financial pressure off of the student loans I need to repay can help me save to launch my daughter to be a change and way-maker too.