Respected Permian Basin Community Endowment, My name is Cindy Nicolle Bonilla Banegas. I am a nursing student at the University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB). As a nursing student, I look forward to making contributions to the Healthcare System. Prior to UTPB, I completed my Associates in Health Sciences at Galveston College. I grew up in Honduras. Ever since I was a kid, I have always been interested in healthcare and was on track to pursue a Medical degree. But I moved to Galveston, Texas with my mother in 2016 due to the difficult circumstances we faced in Honduras. I entered one of the most difficult stretches in my life when we moved. I did not speak any English and there was a massive culture shock. For a while there, I was discouraged from pursuing my dreams of being a Medical Professional. But I devoted all my time to my studies and to the improvement of my English. With the help of a few mentors, I was able to get back on track in pursuing a degree in the Medical Field. Growing up in a less privileged community has not only posed financial and academic challenges, but has also helped me realize the value of a college education. As a first-generation student, I think it is a great tool to change your circumstances and be a valuable member of society. As an immigrant, I value the opportunities that living in the United States has presented me and education should help me reach my potential. I have been working as a volunteer in my communities from a young age with organizations such as the Red Cross. As a college student, I volunteered with the Food Distribution program and as a Spanish Tutor. Currently, I work as a Newborn Hearing Screener at Methodist Hospital where I continue to develop my patient care skills. I have always enjoyed helping people and it is one of my motivations for pursuing a career in the Medical Field. This passion and a sense of purpose are what have allowed me to overcome obstacles along the way so far. A scholarship would assist me in making further progress in my academic career and hence pursuing that passion and purpose. Thank you for taking the time to read this short essay regarding my academic and career goals, and for your consideration for this scholarship. Regards, Cindy Nicolle Bonilla Banegas

My name is Cindy Nicolle Bonilla Banegas. I am an aspiring Nursing transfer student from UT Permian Basin I have been interested in Health Care since I was a little girl in Honduras. There was a busy Medical Clinic in our town, and the professionals there inspired me. As I grew older, I kept a broad view on what I wanted to do for a living. Even though I talked to people working in architecture, finance, and engineering, none of those really appealed to me. I have a passion and curiosity, for the structure and function of the human body. I believe this passion and curiosity are the driving factors that will allow me to develop superior nursing skills, fulfilling my dream of contributing to society through Health Care. This passion and curiosity are what has motivated me and pushed me through any obstacles I have faced in this pursuit. The decisive stretch in choosing a career came when I volunteered with Red Cross. As a teenager, I had a busy schedule with academics and chores. My family was not very fond of me volunteering away from home, since they thought it would interfere with my studies. But I was intrinsically motivated to do volunteer work with Red Cross. I convinced my family to let me do volunteer work on the condition that I will maintain my grades and complete my chores. My role with the Red Cross involved providing First Aid classes, Vaccine Awareness classes, and Emergency Response planning in local communities. Volunteering with Red Cross involved long hours and staying busy. But time seemed to fly, and I was very engaged. At the end of a volunteering session, I felt proud of myself and my contributions. This strongly oriented me to seek a career in Health Care. Additionally, the general health and safety community work I did in Honduras, the food distribution volunteer work I did at Galveston College, and other acts of service I was fortunate to be involved in, has solidified my will to go into Health Care service. As I progressed through High School in Honduras, I had plans and a partial scholarship to go to Medical School at the University of Havana, Cuba. But plans changed as I moved to Galveston, Texas with my mother in 2016 due to difficult circumstances in Honduras. This is when I entered one of the most difficult stretches in my life. I did not speak any English and there was a massive culture shock. For a while there, I was discouraged from pursuing my dreams of being a Medical Professional. I did not have the tools to pursue academics in English at the time. As we established our lives here, I made friends from all different cultures. One of them was my tutor at Ball High: Molly. She took me under her wing as a mentee and taught me English. We spent hours after school, building from the basics of English and developing a good foundation of the language. She challenged me to speak in English incrementally until I finally felt confident in having a conversation in English. My English significantly improved with time. I continued building on the habit of learning and participated in academic contests at Ball High. It resulted in 1st place for Chemistry and 2nd place Geometry. As a student at Ball High, I also had an opportunity to be a recurring contributor to the school newspaper. I wrote about the cultural differences I observed and my progress in adapting to the school. The hopes of a career in Health Care were back on.