My name is Emily Pavel, and I am a high school senior with a passion for nursing. I have always been fascinated by the human body and its ability to heal, but my interest in mental health began through personal experiences and the impact they had on my life. Throughout high school, I maintained a 4.0 GPA, which might suggest that everything has always been smooth sailing for me. However, like many others, I have faced my own mental health challenges. These experiences have shaped my beliefs and aspirations in profound ways. I have learned that mental health is just as important as physical health, and that taking care of both is essential for a balanced life. My journey with mental health has taught me the value of empathy and understanding. These lessons have influenced my relationships, helping me to be more patient and compassionate with others. I have realized that everyone is fighting their own battles, often unseen, and a little kindness can go a long way. This understanding has strengthened my friendships and family bonds, as I strive to be a supportive presence in the lives of those I care about. These experiences have also fueled my desire to pursue a career in nursing, with a particular focus on mental health. I believe that nurses play a crucial role in the healthcare system, not only by providing medical care but also by offering emotional support to patients. I want to be a nurse who listens and makes people feel heard, helping to break down the stigma surrounding mental health issues. Attending a university such as the University of Texas-San Antonio or Sam Houston State University would provide me with the education and training necessary to achieve these goals. I am eager to learn from experienced professionals and gain hands-on experience that will prepare me to make a positive impact in the field of mental health. My ultimate goal is to work in a setting where I can directly support individuals dealing with mental health challenges. Whether it is in a hospital, clinic, or community center, I want to help people navigate their struggles and find hope and healing. I also hope to advocate for better mental health resources and education, ensuring that everyone has access to the care they need. In conclusion, my experiences with mental health have profoundly influenced my beliefs, relationships, and career aspirations. I am committed to using my education and empathy to make a difference in the world, one patient at a time. By pursuing a career in nursing, I hope to contribute to a future where mental health is treated with the same importance as physical health, and where everyone feels supported and understood.

Everyone has a story, and mine is not about glorifying myself but about what the Lord has done in my life. I was the little girl who sang solos every Sunday, attended Sunday school faithfully with my grandma, and loved Vacation Bible School every summer. Church was my home, and I couldn’t imagine life any other way. That certainty was shaken when I encountered anxiety for the first time during seventh grade. At the time, I didn’t know the Lord deeply, and my foundation, which wasn’t fully rooted in Christ, crumbled. Anxiety and panic attacks consumed me, making it hard to function. Church stopped feeling like my home. I didn’t want to go anymore, and I stopped singing because the joy in my heart was gone. I blamed God, praying countless angry prayers, convinced He had abandoned me. Over time, I realized the problem wasn’t God—it was me. I knew I needed the Lord to find peace again. The process of surrendering my fears and letting go of control wasn’t easy, but I gradually understood that I didn’t have to fight these battles on my own. Christ had already overcome sin and death, offering me the gift of salvation and freedom. All I needed to do was trust Him and depend fully on Him. When I gave my heart to Him, my life changed completely. Following Christ wasn’t easy—the path was narrower, and resisting sin became harder because I was striving to live as He did. However, my heart was transformed. I became a worship leader, finally understanding that my songs were for the Lord. After being baptized and becoming a full member of my church, I started attending Bible studies regularly, asking more questions about the One who saved me. I fell in love with kids’ ministry, remembering how much church had meant to me as a child. I began volunteering with VBS every year and participating in camps, conferences, and church events. Most importantly, church became my home again, now with a foundation firmly rooted in Christ. My identity is now defined by my love for the Lord and my desire to be like Him. Through trials, I’ve learned patience, endurance, and how to love others as God loves them. Living for Christ has given me purpose and satisfaction that nothing else could provide. I no longer have doubts because I know the Creator of the universe knows my name.

I heard desperate chirping downstairs on a Saturday afternoon but I have never owned a bird in my life. I turned the corner into the kitchen and saw a little nest on the edge of the table. As I walked closer I saw three newborn baby birds who couldn’t be older than a few days. My dad brought them in because he realized they were abandoned. He told me to find out what to feed them, so I did. I spent two hours researching what a baby bird eats and I ended up finding some cornmeal and water to mix together. I didn’t know it then but that little stir that was happening in my heart, to do anything I could to try and help them, stayed with me and opened my eyes to what I wanted out of a career. During my junior year, I began a hospital internship through my school. I would go to HCA(Hospital Corporation of America) twice a week and see different professions in action. My favorite week was when I shadowed a NICU(Neonatal) nurse and saw her day to day duties. Another week I got to see a robot surgery being performed on a patient with tumors in their large intestine, that was the coolest day of my life. Some weeks weren’t as heartwarming as others, I had to see a lot of patients in pain or a breath away from death. One patient I remember was an older man who got really sick while he was in prison so he got brought to the hospital the same day I came in for my internship. He wasn’t doing well and told the nurses multiple times that he wanted to just die. It was hard to watch but it also opened my eyes to what the healthcare setting would be like. I fell in love with everything the hospital had to offer whether it was good days or hard days. I knew after shadowing all of these different individuals, many of whom were women, who all worked together to keep a heartbeat, that I wanted to be a part of that team. I aspire to one day help those who have nowhere else to go and be able to be the person that patients can trust with their own lives. Each healthcare profession has their own individual impact on a patient but shadowing different women in different departments in the hospital has made me realize that a nurse is unique in that matter. Nurses get at least a patient or two depending what department they are at. They stay side by side with their patients almost every step of the way, and they see things that doctors or others around them might not be able to see since they spend so much time with their patients. As a woman I realized that I want to be that support for someone in the future. I want to be by their side every step of the way and be that light for them especially as they’re at their lowest.

I heard desperate chirping downstairs on a Saturday afternoon but I have never owned a bird in my life. I turned the corner into the kitchen and saw a little nest on the edge of the table. As I walked closer I saw three newborn baby birds who couldn’t be older than a few days. My dad brought them in because he realized they were abandoned. He told me to find out what to feed them, so I did. I spent two hours researching what a baby bird eats and I ended up finding some cornmeal and water to mix together. I didn’t know it then but that little stir that was happening in my heart, to do anything I could to try and help them, stayed with me and opened my eyes to what I wanted out of a career. During my junior year, I began a hospital internship through my school. I would go to HCA(Hospital Corporation of America) twice a week and see different professions in action. My favorite week was when I shadowed a NICU(Neonatal) nurse and saw her day to day duties. Another week I got to see a robot surgery being performed on a patient with tumors in their large intestine, that was the coolest day of my life. Some weeks weren’t as heartwarming as others, I had to see a lot of patients in pain or a breath away from death. One patient I remember was an older man who got really sick while he was in prison so he got brought to the hospital the same day I came in for my internship. He wasn’t doing well and told the nurses multiple times that he wanted to just die. It was hard to watch but it also opened my eyes to what the healthcare setting would be like. I fell in love with everything the hospital had to offer whether it was good days or hard days. I knew after shadowing all of these different individuals, many of whom were women, who all worked together to keep a heartbeat, that I wanted to be a part of that team. I aspire to one day help those who have nowhere else to go and be able to be the person that patients can trust with their own lives. Each healthcare profession has their own individual impact on a patient but shadowing different women in different departments in the hospital has made me realize that a nurse is unique in that matter. Nurses get at least a patient or two depending what department they are at. They stay side by side with their patients almost every step of the way, and they see things that doctors or others around them might not be able to see since they spend so much time with their patients. As a woman I realized that I want to be that support for someone in the future. I want to be by their side every step of the way and be that light for them especially as they’re at their lowest.

I heard desperate chirping downstairs on a Saturday afternoon but I have never owned a bird in my life. I turned the corner into the kitchen and saw a little nest on the edge of the table. As I walked closer I saw three newborn baby birds who couldn’t be older than a few days. My dad brought them in because he realized they were abandoned. He told me to find out what to feed them, so I did. I spent two hours researching what a baby bird eats and I ended up finding some cornmeal and water to mix together. I didn’t know it then but that little stir that was happening in my heart, to do anything I could to try and help them, stayed with me and opened my eyes to what I wanted out of a career. During my junior year, I began a hospital internship through my school. I would go to HCA(Hospital Corporation of America) twice a week and see different professions in action. My favorite week was when I shadowed a NICU(Neonatal) nurse and saw her day to day duties. Another week I got to see a robot surgery being performed on a patient with tumors in their large intestine, that was the coolest day of my life. Some weeks weren’t as heartwarming as others, I had to see a lot of patients in pain or a breath away from death. One patient I remember was an older man who got really sick while he was in prison so he got brought to the hospital the same day I came in for my internship. He wasn’t doing well and told the nurses multiple times that he wanted to just die. It was hard to watch but it also opened my eyes to what the healthcare setting would be like. I fell in love with everything the hospital had to offer whether it was good days or hard days. I knew after shadowing all of these different individuals, many of whom were women, who all worked together to keep a heartbeat, that I wanted to be a part of that team. I aspire to one day help those who have nowhere else to go and be able to be the person that patients can trust with their own lives. Each healthcare profession has their own individual impact on a patient but shadowing different women in different departments in the hospital has made me realize that a nurse is unique in that matter. Nurses get at least a patient or two depending what department they are at. They stay side by side with their patients almost every step of the way, and they see things that doctors or others around them might not be able to see since they spend so much time with their patients. As a woman I realized that I want to be that support for someone in the future. I want to be by their side every step of the way and be that light for them especially as they’re at their lowest.

I heard desperate chirping downstairs on a Saturday afternoon but I have never owned a bird in my life. I turned the corner into the kitchen and saw a little nest on the edge of the table. As I walked closer I saw three newborn baby birds who couldn’t be older than a few days. My dad brought them in because he realized they were abandoned. He told me to find out what to feed them, so I did. I spent two hours researching what a baby bird eats and I ended up finding some cornmeal and water to mix together. I didn’t know it then but that little stir that was happening in my heart, to do anything I could to try and help them, stayed with me and opened my eyes to what I wanted out of a career. During my junior year, I began a hospital internship through my school. I would go to HCA(Hospital Corporation of America) twice a week and see different professions in action. My favorite week was when I shadowed a NICU(Neonatal) nurse and saw her day to day duties. Another week I got to see a robot surgery being performed on a patient with tumors in their large intestine, that was the coolest day of my life. Some weeks weren’t as heartwarming as others, I had to see a lot of patients in pain or a breath away from death. One patient I remember was an older man who got really sick while he was in prison so he got brought to the hospital the same day I came in for my internship. He wasn’t doing well and told the nurses multiple times that he wanted to just die. It was hard to watch but it also opened my eyes to what the healthcare setting would be like. I fell in love with everything the hospital had to offer whether it was good days or hard days. I knew after shadowing all of these different individuals, many of whom were women, who all worked together to keep a heartbeat, that I wanted to be a part of that team. I aspire to one day help those who have nowhere else to go and be able to be the person that patients can trust with their own lives. Each healthcare profession has their own individual impact on a patient but shadowing different women in different departments in the hospital has made me realize that a nurse is unique in that matter. Nurses get at least a patient or two depending what department they are at. They stay side by side with their patients almost every step of the way, and they see things that doctors or others around them might not be able to see since they spend so much time with their patients. As a woman I realized that I want to be that support for someone in the future. I want to be by their side every step of the way and be that light for them especially as they’re at their lowest.

I heard desperate chirping downstairs on a Saturday afternoon but I have never owned a bird in my life. I turned the corner into the kitchen and saw a little nest on the edge of the table. As I walked closer I saw three newborn baby birds who couldn’t be older than a few days. My dad brought them in because he realized they were abandoned. He told me to find out what to feed them, so I did. I spent two hours researching what a baby bird eats and I ended up finding some cornmeal and water to mix together. I didn’t know it then but that little stir that was happening in my heart, to do anything I could to try and help them, stayed with me and opened my eyes to what I wanted out of a career. During my junior year, I began a hospital internship through my school. I would go to HCA(Hospital Corporation of America) twice a week and see different professions in action. My favorite week was when I shadowed a NICU(Neonatal) nurse and saw her day to day duties. Another week I got to see a robot surgery being performed on a patient with tumors in their large intestine, that was the coolest day of my life. Some weeks weren’t as heartwarming as others, I had to see a lot of patients in pain or a breath away from death. One patient I remember was an older man who got really sick while he was in prison so he got brought to the hospital the same day I came in for my internship. He wasn’t doing well and told the nurses multiple times that he wanted to just die. It was hard to watch but it also opened my eyes to what the healthcare setting would be like. I fell in love with everything the hospital had to offer whether it was good days or hard days. I knew after shadowing all of these different individuals, many of whom were women, who all worked together to keep a heartbeat, that I wanted to be a part of that team. I aspire to one day help those who have nowhere else to go and be able to be the person that patients can trust with their own lives. Each healthcare profession has their own individual impact on a patient but shadowing different women in different departments in the hospital has made me realize that a nurse is unique in that matter. Nurses get at least a patient or two depending what department they are at. They stay side by side with their patients almost every step of the way, and they see things that doctors or others around them might not be able to see since they spend so much time with their patients. As a woman I realized that I want to be that support for someone in the future. I want to be by their side every step of the way and be that light for them especially as they’re at their lowest.

I heard desperate chirping downstairs on a Saturday afternoon but I have never owned a bird in my life. I turned the corner into the kitchen and saw a little nest on the edge of the table. As I walked closer I saw three newborn baby birds who couldn’t be older than a few days. My dad brought them in because he realized they were abandoned. He told me to find out what to feed them, so I did. I spent two hours researching what a baby bird eats and I ended up finding some cornmeal and water to mix together. I didn’t know it then but that little stir that was happening in my heart, to do anything I could to try and help them, stayed with me and opened my eyes to what I wanted out of a career. During my junior year, I began a hospital internship through my school. I would go to HCA(Hospital Corporation of America) twice a week and see different professions in action. My favorite week was when I shadowed a NICU(Neonatal) nurse and saw her day to day duties. Another week I got to see a robot surgery being performed on a patient with tumors in their large intestine, that was the coolest day of my life. Some weeks weren’t as heartwarming as others, I had to see a lot of patients in pain or a breath away from death. One patient I remember was an older man who got really sick while he was in prison so he got brought to the hospital the same day I came in for my internship. He wasn’t doing well and told the nurses multiple times that he wanted to just die. It was hard to watch but it also opened my eyes to what the healthcare setting would be like. I fell in love with everything the hospital had to offer whether it was good days or hard days. I knew after shadowing all of these different individuals, many of whom were women, who all worked together to keep a heartbeat, that I wanted to be a part of that team. I aspire to one day help those who have nowhere else to go and be able to be the person that patients can trust with their own lives. Each healthcare profession has their own individual impact on a patient but shadowing different women in different departments in the hospital has made me realize that a nurse is unique in that matter. Nurses get at least a patient or two depending what department they are at. They stay side by side with their patients almost every step of the way, and they see things that doctors or others around them might not be able to see since they spend so much time with their patients. As a woman I realized that I want to be that support for someone in the future. I want to be by their side every step of the way and be that light for them especially as they’re at their lowest.