My parents are both immigrants who came to this country in the 1980s with my 2 older sisters hoping for a better future for us. They struggled and went through a lot considering there was a huge language barrier, and they practically did not know anyone. My mother was a stay-at-home mom while my dad struggled through several jobs to help make ends meet. For their struggles, hard work and dedication I want to make sure that it was all worth it not just for them, but for myself as well. I stand by a purpose-driven life and my goal is to help others in need. This is why I have not only received my A.S. degree as a Certified Surgical Technologist, but I've also built the courage and confidence to continue and pursue my nursing degree. In the last three years, the pandemic has created a struggle for many families dealing not only with financial losses, but many struggled with their health as well. I've heard over and over again how short-staffed the hospitals are and how difficult this has become not only for the incredible healthcare workers who had to pick up extra shifts to help their sick patients but also for those patients who have been deprived of the care they need because of this. For this reason, I decided to do some soul-searching. Yes, we all advance in careers to gain financial freedom, but I do not believe that career changes should be solely based on financial gains. I wanted to make sure I was going back for my nursing degree for the right reasons. I am compassionate, I love helping people, and I enjoy leaving work every day knowing I made a difference in someone's life. I want to take care of each patient as if they were my family member and I want to be an advocate for my patient's when no one else is. I took the time to interview other nurses and discuss the challenges they faced in their careers to make sure this was the right path for me. Simply, I can confidently say this is what I am meant to do. Financially, however, it is difficult to pay for college tuition considering the inflation we are facing. Aside from that, I have student debt that I wish I had better informed myself about. I plan on working for as long as the program allows me to so that I can continue to have a roof over my head and feed my free-loading pets who provide the best therapy a woman could ask for. For this reason, I hope I will be considered for this scholarship. Even if just to pay for my books, every little bit helps. With or without this help...I will do whatever it takes to finish because nurses are fighters.

My parents are both immigrants who came to this country in the 1980s with my 2 older sisters hoping for a better future for us. They struggled and went through a lot considering there was a huge language barrier, and they practically did not know anyone. My mother was a stay-at-home mom while my dad struggled through several jobs to help make ends meet. For their struggles, hard work and dedication I want to make sure that it was all worth it not just for them, but for myself as well. I stand by a purpose-driven life and my goal is to help others in need. This is why I have not only received my A.S. degree as a Certified Surgical Technologist, but I've also built the courage and confidence to continue and pursue my nursing degree. In the last three years, the pandemic has created a struggle for many families dealing not only with financial losses, but many struggled with their health as well. I've heard over and over again how short-staffed the hospitals are and how difficult this has become not only for the incredible healthcare workers who had to pick up extra shifts to help their sick patients but also for those patients who have been deprived of the care they need because of this. For this reason, I decided to do some soul-searching. Yes, we all advance in careers to gain financial freedom, but I do not believe that career changes should be solely based on financial gains. I wanted to make sure I was going back for my nursing degree for the right reasons. I am compassionate, I love helping people, and I enjoy leaving work every day knowing I made a difference in someone's life. I want to take care of each patient as if they were my family member and I want to be an advocate for my patient's when no one else is. I took the time to interview other nurses and discuss the challenges they faced in their careers to make sure this was the right path for me. Simply, I can confidently say this is what I am meant to do. Financially, however, it is difficult to pay for college tuition considering the inflation we are facing. I plan on working for as long as the program allows me to so that I can continue to have a roof over my head and feed my free-loading pets who provide the best therapy a woman could ask for. For this reason, I hope I will be considered for this scholarship. Even if just to pay for my books, every little bit helps. With or without this help...I will do whatever it takes to finish because nurses are fighters.

Zoey is unlike any chihuahua I've ever had. She is friendly, cuddly, doesn't bark, and above all, loves people. She always makes heads turn, and people question her breed because of her remarkable demeanor. Several have even asked to keep her should I ever choose to rehome her. That, of course, will never happen. I cannot have children and in a way, she kind of fills that void. If I am being honest, it was not intended for me to keep her. I used to work as a Veterinary Technician and I remember when I first met Zoey and her then-owner. She was always so excited to see us and would chaotically zoom out of her carrier eager to greet us. She was one of my happiest patients, and one I always looked forward to seeing when she was on the schedule. Unfortunately, Zoey's owner was faced with terminal cancer and surrendered her to us. I chose to foster her. We all know how that goes. At the time, she wouldn't answer to her given name, so I called her "Puppy". The doctors and my co-workers insisted I give her a name. The rule of thumb is, that if you name the foster, you keep it. I knew what they were planning, but I named her anyway. As time went on, I grew closer to Zoey and eventually she became my best friend. Zoey came to my family and me during a difficult time. Previously, we had chihuahuas that were all slowly passing away from old age, specifically kidney issues. They were all the same age considering they came from the same litter, so naturally we lost them within 3 years. With her rambunctiousness and joyful self, she brought life back into our family and instantly I knew she was there to stay. About a year ago I decided to go back to school and work on my A.S. degree in Nursing. After the Covid pandemic and the understaffing of healthcare professionals around the country, many patients did not receive the care that they deserved. I have always been one to want to help people, whether it was treating their pets as I did so for over a decade, or currently as a surgical technologist during their surgical procedures. This has all led me to what I want to be; a Nurse. As many pre-nursing students have encountered, it is not an easy program and financially it is very difficult to not only make ends meet but also take care of my fur-baby. Zoey is my light at the end of the tunnel. Through the first year of pre-nursing school, she was always my therapy when I just needed a moment to regroup. Nursing school can be overwhelming, but my little nugget has always been there to ease me and remind me that we should appreciate all the little things this world has to offer. I plan on working for as long as the program allows me to so that I can continue to have a roof over my head and feed my free-loader Zoey who provides the best therapy a woman could ask for. For this reason, I hope I will be considered for this scholarship. Even if just to pay for my books, every little bit helps. With or without this help...I will do whatever it takes to finish because nurses are fighters.

My parents are both immigrants who came to this country in the 1980s with my 2 older sisters hoping for a better future for us. They struggled and went through a lot considering there was a huge language barrier, and they practically did not know anyone. My mother was a stay-at-home mom while my dad struggled through several jobs to help make ends meet. For their struggles, hard work and dedication I want to make sure that it was all worth it not just for them, but for myself as well. I stand by a purpose-driven life and my goal is to help others in need. This is why I have not only received my A.S. degree as a Certified Surgical Technologist, but I've also built the courage and confidence to continue and pursue my nursing degree. In the last three years, the pandemic has created a struggle for many families dealing not only with financial losses, but many struggled with their health as well. I've heard over and over again how short-staffed the hospitals are and how difficult this has become not only for the incredible healthcare workers who had to pick up extra shifts to help their sick patients but also for those patients who have been deprived of the care they need because of this. For this reason, I decided to do some soul-searching. Yes, we all advance in careers to gain financial freedom, but I do not believe that career changes should be solely based on financial gains. I wanted to make sure I was going back for my nursing degree for the right reasons. I am compassionate, I love helping people, and I enjoy leaving work every day knowing I made a difference in someone's life. I want to take care of each patient as if they were my family member and I want to be an advocate for my patient's when no one else is. I took the time to interview other nurses and discuss the challenges they faced in their careers to make sure this was the right path for me. Simply, I can confidently say this is what I am meant to do. Financially, however, it is difficult to pay for college tuition considering the inflation we are facing. I plan on working for as long as the program allows me to so that I can continue to have a roof over my head and feed my free-loading pets who provide the best therapy a woman could ask for. For this reason, I hope I will be considered for this scholarship. Even if just to pay for my books, every little bit helps. With or without this help...I will do whatever it takes to finish because nurses are fighters.

My parents are both immigrants who came to this country in the 1980's with my 2 older sisters hoping for a better future for us. They struggled and went through a lot considering there was a huge language barrier and they practically did not know anyone. My mother was a stay-at-home mom while my dad struggled through several jobs to help make ends meet. For their struggles, hard work and dedication I want to make sure that it was all worth it not just for them, but for myself as well. I stand by a purpose driven life and my goal is to help others in need. This is why I have not only received my A.S. degree as a Certified Surgical Technologist, but I've also built the courage and confidence to continue and pursue my nursing degree. In the past two years, the pandemic created a struggle for many families dealing not only with financial losses, but many struggled with their health as well. I've heard over and over again how short staffed the hospitals are and how difficult this has become not only on the incredible health care workers who had to pick up extra shifts to help their sick patients, but also on those patients who have been deprived from the care they need because of this. For this reason, I decided to do some soul searching. Yes, we all advance in careers to gain financial freedom, but I do not believe that career changes should be solely based on financial gains. I wanted to make sure I was going back for my nursing degree for the right reasons. I am compassionate, I love helping people, and I enjoy leaving work every day knowing I made a difference in someone's life. I want to take care of each patient as if they were my own family member and I want to be an advocate for my patients when no one else will. I took the time to interview other nurses and discussed the challenges they faced in their careers to make sure this is the right path for me. Simply, I can confidently say this is what I am meant to do. Financially, however, it is difficult to pay for college tuition considering the inflation we are facing. I plan on working for as long as the program allows me to so that I can continue to have a roof over my head and feed my free-loading pets who provide the best therapy a woman could ask for. For this reason, I hope I will be considered for a scholarship. Even if just to pay for my books, every little bit helps. With or without this help...I will do whatever it takes to finish because nurses are fighters.