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Heather Fernandez

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Finalist

General information

Hobbies & Interests

  • Advocacy And Activism
  • Animals
  • Camping
  • Candle Making
  • Coffee
  • Communications
  • Community Service And Volunteering
  • Counseling And Therapy
  • Dog Training
  • Couponing
  • Dungeons And Dragons
  • Fishing
  • Gender Studies
  • History
  • Human Rights
  • Medicine
  • Motorcycles
  • Pet Care
  • Photography and Photo Editing
  • Shopping And Thrifting
  • Writing
  • Witchcraft
  • Reading

Reading

  • Adult Fiction
  • Action
  • Adventure
  • Academic
  • Book Club
  • Biography
  • Classics
  • Contemporary
  • Cookbooks
  • Drama
  • Education
  • Law
  • True Story
  • Women's Fiction
  • Young Adult
  • Thriller
  • Suspense
  • Sociology
  • Social Science
  • Short Stories
  • Self-Help
  • Architecture
  • Health
  • Historical

I read books multiple times a week.

Bio

I am a first‑generation student, Emergency Medical Technician, mental health advocate, and sexual assault survivor studying at Louisiana State University at Alexandria where I am pursuing my BGS in Social Science with a double minor in Psychology and Computer Science. In 2024, I survived a life‑threatening medical emergency involving multiple pulmonary embolisms, followed by a stroke in the 2025, both caused by a congenital heart defect. Six months ago, I underwent surgery to receive a cardiac device that ultimately saved my life. My path through higher education hasn’t been traditional, but it has shaped me in meaningful ways. I’ve spent years helping people through some of the hardest moments of their lives. That work has taught me compassion, resilience, and the importance of showing up with purpose. I am driven by a deep commitment to serve others and to use my skills to make a positive impact. I plan to achieve my degree as a way to turn everything I’ve overcome into something that benefits others, using my education to support, uplift, and advocate for those facing their own challenges.

Education

Louisiana State University-Alexandria

Bachelor's degree program

2025 – 2027

Majors:
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
  • Social Sciences, General
  • Accounting and Computer Science
  • Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
  • Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
  • Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
  • Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
  • Computer and Information Sciences, General
Minors:
  • Psychology, General
  • Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy

Slidell High School

High School

2006 – 2010

Miscellaneous

Desired degree level:
Bachelor's degree program
Graduate schools of interest:
Louisiana State University
Majors of interest:
Computer and Information Sciences, General, Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities, Social Sciences, General, Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions, Psychology, General
Medical school interest:
No

Career

  • Emergency Medical Technician - Physician Substitute

    Medicine · Kedrion Biopharma

    Jan 2020 – Present

  • Customer Relations Supervisor

    Retail · Lane Bryant

    Jan 2016 – Jan 2018

  • Emergency Medical Technician

    Hospital & Health Care · Acadian Ambulance Service

    Jan 2018 – Jan 2020

Miscellaneous

Dream career field:
Human Resources
Dream career goals:
Human Resources and Urban Planning
Work experience:
10+ years
Has nursing license:
No

Future Interests

  • Advocacy
  • Politics
  • Volunteering
  • Philanthropy
  • Entrepreneurship
Students with Congenital Heart Defects Scholarship
I did not grow up knowing I had a congenital heart defect. In fact, for most of my life, I was told that my constant fatigue, chronic migraines, and palpitations were due to anemia. It was not until adulthood that I learned I had been born with a large patent foramen ovale (PFO) and atrial septal defect (ASD), holes in the heart that usually close after birth. For most people, these defects are harmless. For me, they became life-altering. In 2024, while working as an emergency medical technician, the openings in my heart allowed multiple blood clots to pass through my heart and into my lungs, causing several pulmonary embolisms. I survived after spending time in the ICU and life went on. It was not until I suffered a stroke in 2025, that the heart defects were finally diagnosed. Recovering from my stroke and repairing my CHD has been the biggest challenge I have ever undertaken. Physically, I have had to learn how to trust my body again while managing physical deficits and the lingering weakness that has made simple tasks feel like I am dragging my body through ocean waves, desperate not to sink. Emotionally, the process has been a not-so-silent battle. Early on, moments of frustration, grief, and fear spilled out as I worked to rebuild the confidence I once had in my own abilities and even my relationships. I became a different version of myself, one that felt their foundation crack and had to work to repair the damage. My diagnosis was frightening, but it also brought clarity to my life. My PFO and ASD have shaped the trajectory of my life. I made the decision to return to school and achieve the degree I had put off completing. After my diagnosis, in the depths of recovery, I realized that I could either continue to stagnate or I could make the choice to grow and carve out the time to pursue my dreams. I began studying as a full-time student at LSU at Alexandria last summer where I am pursuing my BGS in Social Science with a minor in Computer Science. I underwent surgery 6 months ago, in the middle of my Fall semester, to place a cardiac device designed to close the defects and protect me from future strokes or emboli. The procedure was successful and my recovery is ongoing with multiple follow-ups and setbacks, but I am determined to graduate in the Spring of 2027. I have completed assignments from hospital beds and studied between medical appointments to stay on track academically. Balancing school, a full-time career, and recovery has been overwhelming at times, but it also revealed strengths I did not know I had. My CHD taught me discipline, patience, and the importance of advocating for myself just as fiercely as I advocate for my patients. Living with congenital heart defects has also deepened my empathy in ways I never imagined. I understand now, on a personal level, what it feels like to face a diagnosis that changes everything. I know the fear of waiting for test results, the frustration of physical limitations, and the determination required to keep moving forward. These experiences have made me a more compassionate provider, a focused student, and grateful for each day that I am able to pursue my dreams. This scholarship would help ease the financial strain of continuing my education as well as help me honor the second chance I have been given. I am still here, still learning, and still striving to turn my experiences into something that helps others.
Heather Fernandez Student Profile | Bold.org