Evelyn Fox O’Neal 02/11/2025 F.A. Davis Scholarship Submission Scholarship Essay On November 3rd, 1986, my mother gave birth to her second child – my brother John Paul, who was born sleeping. Hearing her talk about it, you can still feel the profound sadness of that day, but also the profound gratitude she feels. Of the many kindnesses she remembers during that time, chief among them is the kindness of her nurse, who stayed with her and held her hand after her shift had already ended. During one of the most traumatic moments of my mother’s life, that nurse provided comfort that my mother still remembers, nearly 40 years later. I grew up hearing about the loss of my brother, and the nurse who went above and beyond the call of duty and displayed amazing empathy for my grieving mother. On January 8th, 2022, after six years of battling infertility, I unexpectedly received my first positive pregnancy test. As soon as I laid eyes on those two pink lines, the rush of emotions set in – shock, concern, fear, and hope. As my pregnancy progressed, my fear slowly gave way to joy as I reveled in the delights of pregnancy – something I had slowly begun to believe I’d never be able to experience. I hungered for knowledge about the changes my body was undergoing. I read all the pregnancy books, watched dozens of birth vlogs, and sought out birthing classes and other community resources to help me with my transition to motherhood. The joy of this period reached its peak on September 18th, 2022, with the birth of my daughter, Taylor. Her birth was like a revelation, showing me the sort of work I wanted to dedicate my life to. Coincidentally, the name of the doctor who helped deliver her was John Paul, like my brother. I’m currently in my second semester of nursing school, and I’m thriving in my Mother/Baby class. I feel such a great satisfaction whenever I answer a question correctly or understand an advanced concept – a satisfaction I’ve never felt in any other career, and this serves as a reaffirmation that I’m where I’m supposed to be. I’m also currently working as an intern at a local hospital and on February 10th, 2025, I had my first labor and delivery shadow. During this shadow I got to witness my first ever cesarean section – a healthy baby boy. Two hours after his birth, another patient suffered a uterine rupture. Because of the quick thinking and expertise of the doctors and nurses on the team, both the mother and her newborn son survived. This experience was cathartic for me. I know how close of a call that scenario was, and through my mother, I know the pain of losing a child. Because of those doctors and nurses, that baby lived, and his mother will never have to grieve his absence or question if anything could’ve been done differently to prevent a tragic outcome. All these stories are tied together to explain why I want to be a nurse and what I hope to contribute to the field of nursing. I want to be the nurse who stays after her shift to show empathy to my patients. I want to learn and share my knowledge with my patients. I want to make a difference and help save lives every day. My dream is to become a Certified Nurse Midwife and to help combat the high maternal mortality rate. Women’s healthcare is my passion – and I am honored to have the opportunity to pursue this passion.