Some nights growing up, I went to bed hungry. My father worked himself to exhaustion just to keep a roof over our heads, but survival was never guaranteed. College was not something my family talked about. It felt like a dream reserved for other kids, the ones with money, guidance, and a clear path forward. I had none of that. What I did have was belief. Belief that no matter where I started, I could fight for something more. That belief has carried me from poverty and uncertainty to the halls of UC Davis, to the intensive care unit, and now into one of the top nursing programs in the country at the University of Colorado Anschutz. The turning point in my life came when my girlfriend and I faced an unplanned pregnancy. At the time, I was a Domino’s pizza delivery driver and she worked as a bank teller. We were barely paying bills, unprepared to raise a child, and terrified of what the future would hold. But after many conversations and prayers, we chose to keep our baby. That decision changed everything. It was not the end of my dreams, it was the beginning of my purpose. Balancing fatherhood, work, and school was overwhelming. At community college, I stumbled without direction, my GPA reflecting that lack of clarity. But positive thinking and relentless effort carried me through. I sought out mentors, leaned on counselors, and found my calling in healthcare. I transferred to UC Davis, where I earned a 3.78 GPA and made the Dean’s List three times. Now at CU Anschutz, I have maintained a 4.0 GPA in one of the most rigorous nursing programs in the country. I am proud of my academic success, not because it came easily, but because it came through resilience and sacrifice. My experiences as an EMT, ICU tech, and operating room assistant showed me how fragile life is. I will never forget performing CPR on a patient whose pulse had vanished moments after we had been talking. His story, his regrets about not spending enough time with his family, reminded me to cherish every second with Aubrey. That memory drives me daily to balance my role as a student, a caregiver, and most importantly, a father. As a first-generation student, I have had to navigate higher education on my own, without the financial safety nets or family support that many others have. Every dollar I earn goes to rent, food, and utilities. One unexpected expense can send us spiraling. This scholarship would not just ease the financial pressure, it would give me the ability to focus fully on my studies, finish strong, and build the future Aubrey deserves. My aspiration is to work in critical care nursing, where patients are at their most vulnerable, and eventually to mentor and teach the next generation of nurses. My story is one of struggle, resilience, and purpose. Aubrey gave me direction, nursing gave me passion, and my faith gave me strength. With support, I know I can continue turning challenges into opportunities and create a future where my daughter sees that no dream is out of reach.

I still remember the night my girlfriend told me she was pregnant. I had just come home from delivering pizzas, the smell of marinara clinging to my shirt, my hands greasy from hours behind the wheel. I dropped the insulated delivery bag on the counter, exhausted, and she looked at me with tears in her eyes. “I’m pregnant,” she whispered. The room seemed to tilt. My heart pounded so loudly I could barely hear her. I was in my early twenties, barely scraping by as a Domino’s driver, and she was working long hours as a bank teller. We could hardly afford rent, let alone diapers. For days afterward, I lay awake at night staring at the ceiling, the hum of the old box fan the only sound, asking myself: How am I supposed to be a father? We talked about every option. Fear hung in the air with every conversation. But deep down, we knew what was right. Ending the pregnancy might have felt easier in that moment, but neither of us could silence the truth in our hearts: this child was meant to live. So we chose life, no matter how unprepared we felt. That child is Aubrey. She is now seven years old, and she is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Her laugh is contagious, the kind that fills a room and makes strangers smile. When she wraps her small arms around my neck and says, “Daddy, I love you,” every sacrifice feels worth it. Everything I do, every late night studying, every clinical shift, every bill I juggle, is for her. The hardest part was growing up overnight. While my friends slept in or spent weekends carefree, I was holding my newborn daughter, feeling the weight of her tiny body against my chest as she breathed softly. I was terrified, but determined. My girlfriend and I stretched every dollar, sometimes eating the same meal three nights in a row just to make sure Aubrey had what she needed. Even now, as we both pursue our degrees, there are nights when exhaustion weighs heavily. Still, I believe God had a plan. Nursing became more than a career path; it became a calling. During one clinical rotation, I performed chest compressions on a patient who collapsed suddenly. As I pushed down on his chest, I thought of how fragile every moment is. That night when I got home, I hugged Aubrey tighter, vowing never to take a single second for granted. When I graduate as a nurse, I’ll see Aubrey’s smile in the audience, proof that every struggle was worth it. This scholarship would ease the weight of bills and allow me to finish strong. More importantly, it would be an investment in a father who turned fear into purpose. Aubrey is my why. She is the reason I never give up, and the reason I will become the best nurse I can be.