I want to pursue a degree in nursing because of the experiences that shaped me growing up and the people I love most. When my grandmother was battling cancer, I watched someone who had always been strong slowly become weaker and weaker. In my African household, family means everything, so when she was hurting, all of us were hurting with her. I remember sitting in hospital rooms with my family feeling scared, confused, and helpless. What affected me the most was not only watching her suffer, but also feeling like our family’s worries and emotions were sometimes overlooked. There were moments where we just wanted someone to slow down, listen to us, and treat my grandmother like more than just another patient. That experience stayed with me for years because it made me realize how much nurses truly matter. A nurse can completely change the way a patient or family experiences one of the hardest moments of their life. Even something as simple as kindness, patience, or taking a moment to explain things can make people feel less alone. Watching my grandmother go through cancer made me realize I want to be the type of nurse who makes people feel safe, cared for, and heard when they are at their most vulnerable. Moving from Cameroon to England and then to the United States also shaped me in many ways. Starting over in different countries taught me resilience and helped me understand what it feels like to be different or misunderstood. When I came to America, I became more aware of how many minority families, especially African families like mine, can sometimes feel unheard in healthcare settings. Because of that, I want to become a nurse who advocates for patients and treats every person with compassion and respect no matter where they come from. I was also raised by a single mother who sacrificed so much for my brothers and me. I watched her work long hours and carry so much responsibility while still making sure we were okay. Seeing her strength pushed me to work harder for my future. As the oldest sibling, I have always felt responsible for helping my family however I can. That is one of the reasons I joined the National Guard. Even though it does not cover all of my tuition, I wanted to help take some of the financial burden off my mom so she would not have to carry everything alone. As a nurse, I hope to give back to my community by being someone people can trust during difficult times. I want patients to feel seen, valued, and comforted when they are scared or struggling. I also want to work with underserved communities and help people feel like they have someone advocating for them. To me, nursing is more than just a career. It is a chance to care for people in the way I wish my own family had been cared for during some of our hardest moments.

My immigrant experience has affected my educational goals in ways that go far beyond academics. As the daughter of Cameroonian immigrants, there has always been pressure to succeed, especially as the oldest daughter in the household. My mother came to America to create a better life for me and my brothers, so from a young age I felt like failure was never an option. I always felt like I had to work harder, do better, and make every sacrifice worth it. On top of that, being a Black woman often feels like having to work ten times harder just to be taken seriously. A lot of African parents, especially mothers, grew up very differently than children raised in America. Many African women were forced to grow up young. By the time they were children themselves, they were already expected to cook, clean, care for siblings, and endure responsibilities most adults struggle with. Even though they were still kids, they were treated like adults long before they were ready. Because of that upbringing, many African mothers show love differently than what children raised in Western culture expect. Growing up, I sometimes struggled to understand my mother. Communication in many African households can be difficult because children are expected to listen without questioning authority. Respect is often seen as silence and obedience rather than mutual understanding. In many African homes, if you ask “why,” it can immediately become disrespectful. As a child growing up in America, that created tension because I wanted understanding and communication, while my mother believed she was raising me the same way she had been raised. For a long time, I misunderstood her strictness and expectations. I felt pressure constantly, especially as the oldest daughter. I was expected to help more, mature faster, and set the example for my younger brothers. At times it felt overwhelming trying to balance cultural expectations, academics, and my own identity while also adapting to life in America. As I got older, I started understanding my mother differently. I realized she was raising me the only way she knew how, based on survival, sacrifice, and resilience. Her love was not always expressed through words or softness, but through the opportunities she fought to give us. That realization changed the way I viewed both my family and my education. My immigrant experience pushed me to become more disciplined and determined. After high school, I joined the Minnesota Army National Guard to help take some of the financial burden off my mother while building a future for myself. Even though the military helps with school, it does not cover everything, so I still balance tuition costs, military responsibilities, and academics. I now attend North Dakota State University, where I earned a 4.0 GPA during my first semester. My experiences as the daughter of immigrants taught me resilience, adaptability, and perseverance. They taught me how to succeed in environments where I often feel pressure to prove myself. Most importantly, they taught me that education is bigger than me. It is about breaking cycles, creating opportunities, and honoring the sacrifices my mother made so I could have a future she never had.