As a hard-of-hearing nursing student, I may not hear the world perfectly, but I experience it through genuine feeling, which has taught me to understand people in a way that goes beyond sound. My hearing loss sparked my desire to become a nurse. From a young age, I learned what it felt like to ask people to repeat themselves, to fill in conversations through facial expressions, and to navigate environments where communication was not always easy. These experiences shaped my understanding of what it means to feel vulnerable, unseen, or misunderstood, especially in healthcare settings where clarity and compassion matter the most. My earliest hospital memories were filled with efforts to keep up, to understand instructions, and to remain present despite communication barriers. Yet those moments did not discourage me. Instead, they revealed how essential it is for patients to feel truly heard. I realized I wanted to be the type of nurse who slows down, makes space, and communicates with intention. My hearing loss became not a setback but a source of awareness. It taught me to pay attention to emotional cues, body language, and unspoken needs. It gave me a sensitivity that became the foundation of my desire to care for others. My inspiration to pursue nursing grew even stronger through my work as an entertainer and gondolier at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas. Every day, I guided guests through calm canals, sang to them, and created a moment of ease in their busy lives. Many guests opened up about their experiences, fears, and joys during those rides. I saw how presence and genuine connection could soften someone’s anxiety or completely shift their mood. I began to understand that what I loved most about my job was not the music or the performance, but the human connection. It was the ability to make someone feel safe, seen, and valued, even if only for a few minutes. That same sense of meaningful connection is at the heart of nursing. Over time, the decision became clear. Nursing was the place where my strengths, personal experiences, and desire to serve came together. I want to support people during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives, just as I once needed someone to support me. I want to bring patience, compassion, and authenticity into each interaction. Most importantly, I want to show patients that their voices, fears, and experiences matter. My path to nursing is rooted in lived experience. It comes from knowing what it feels like to struggle to communicate, what it feels like to be misunderstood, and what it feels like to rely on the kindness of others. These experiences shaped my values, guided my goals, and continue to inspire me every day I move forward in my nursing education. What inspired me to pursue nursing was not a single moment, but a lifetime of understanding what empathy means in practice. I am pursuing this career because I want to transform the challenges I faced into the reasons others feel supported. I want to be a nurse who listens with intention, connects with sincerity, and provides care that honors each patient’s humanity. That is the kind of nurse I am determined to become, and the legacy I intend to leave in every life I touch.

As a hard-of-hearing nursing student, I may not hear the world perfectly, but I experience it through genuine feeling, which has taught me to understand people in a way that goes beyond sound. My hearing loss sparked my desire to become a nurse. I know what it feels like to be overlooked, unheard, and misunderstood, and that experience fuels my commitment to ensure that every patient I care for feels valued and advocated for. Growing up with my disability also meant being hyperaware of others, reading expressions, sensing emotions, and noticing when someone needed help before they even asked. Those instincts became my strength. Whether supporting friends during difficult moments or guiding guests at my job who felt anxious or lost, I found myself naturally stepping into a caregiver role. Every experience showed me that I was at my best when I was helping someone feel seen, safe, and understood. Choosing nursing never felt like a decision I forced; it felt like the path I had been moving toward my entire life. When I began searching for a nursing program, I knew I needed a school where I would feel supported, understood, and not treated as an outsider because of my hearing loss. Arizona College of Nursing was the first place where I genuinely felt seen. From my earliest interactions with advisors and faculty, I sensed a culture of inclusivity, individualized support, and a commitment to helping students succeed no matter their circumstances. Arizona College made me feel that my disability was not a barrier but a strength, and that I belonged in a community that valued empathy, resilience, and diversity. Choosing this program felt like choosing a place that aligned with who I am and the kind of nurse I aspire to become. Balancing an accelerated nursing program while working full-time has been one of the most challenging parts of this journey. Even after completing a ten-hour clinical shift, I proceed directly to work, as supporting myself and helping my parents is a responsibility I honor and uphold with pride. However, the financial strain of tuition, books, transportation, and living expenses can create overwhelming pressure. This scholarship would ease that burden and allow me to focus more fully on my education rather than worrying about how many extra shifts I need to pick up. I would be incredibly grateful and genuinely honored to be chosen as the recipient. Being awarded this scholarship would not only support me financially, but it would also be a meaningful acknowledgment of the hard work and dedication I bring to this journey. I would carry that honor with pride and let it fuel my commitment to becoming the kind of nurse who makes every patient feel seen, safe, and truly heard.