My passion for nursing grew inside my home long before I stepped onto the Veterans Affairs Hospital (VA) nursing unit. My mother works as a nurse at the Veterans Affairs Hospital, and she often shared stories from her shifts—stories filled with strength, struggle, and deep compassion. She spoke about veterans who carried heavy histories, families who needed guidance, and moments when steady care changed the course of a day. Those stories shaped my understanding of what nursing brings to a community. I saw the pride she carried after long nights, the purpose she drew from supporting patients, and the impact she made without seeking recognition. Her example planted the desire to follow this path and serve in the same way she served others. While in college I plan on participating in many activities that will shape my character and increase my clinical skills. First thing that I will do is participate in a Christian Club. my faith is of the upmost importance. I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for God. He protected me during my many seizures throughout my life. Thank you God. Second, I will focus on exercising and healthy eating. I (or anyone else for that matter) can't function in my studies or class if my body and mind are not in tip-top shape. I'll prioritize going to the gym at least three times a week (which I already do now) and eating healthy meals. “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20. Finally, I will build long lasting connection with others in the nursing program. These connections will not only benefit me but I'll be able to serve others as well. I plan to make a strong impact in veteran care by bringing steady presence, clear communication, and skilled support to patients who often move through illness with limited guidance. My volunteer work in the VA nursing unit showed me how much strength veterans carry and how much comfort they gain when a nurse slows down and listens. I will honor each patient's history and create space for connection during care. My impact will come from the consistency I bring and the respect I show every veteran and older adult under my care. Working as a volunteer nurse aid at the VA Hospital has prepared me in several ways. The volunteer role prepared me for future nursing by building early competence in vital signs, safety procedures, and infection control. I was trained to deliver, compassionate, consistent beside care to real patients. Also, Working inside a medical facility taught me the routines, teamwork, and ethical structure that guided professional nursing. Most importantly, I learned the importance of humility, being teachable and approachable, so that my skills can increase in order to serve others. As a woman entering healthcare, I aim to strengthen patient advocacy, model leadership rooted in empathy, and contribute to inclusive care environments. Nursing requires both clinical strength and relational intelligence. By fostering trust, supporting interdisciplinary collaboration, and advocating for vulnerable populations, I plan to promote care that respects the whole person. Through service, leadership, and lifelong learning, I seek to leave healthcare spaces stronger than I entered them.

Epilepsy shaped my childhood, something that I (or any child for that matter) would have never expected. Seizures arrived without warning and interrupted activities I enjoyed. School days paused. Sports ended before seasons began. Plans shifted without notice. One time, I was a friends house spending the night and I had a seizure. I was so scared when I came to. Thank God that my friends mom was a nurse and she was in the playroom with us with the seizure began. Growing up with epilepsy required discipline. Medication schedules ruled mornings and nights. Both of my parents taught me the importance of taking my medications on time and every day. I had calendar pill box to help me not forget to take my medication. Sleep routines protected health. Stress management became essential, especially if I had a test or had to give a presentation. Missed events because of a seizure created isolation, yet support from family and friends created stability. Friends learned seizure response and stood nearby during difficult moments. Those experiences built empathy and patience. My last seizure occurred in 2022, how could I forget that. The fatigue. Lack or energy. All I wanted to do was sleep. Its as as if something sapped all of my energy. Since then, progress replaced uncertainty. I earned my driver’s license, a milestone many teenagers celebrate with ease. For me, driving carried weight. Each time I sit behind the wheel, prayer opens the journey. Faith steadies my hands and sharpens focus. Courage grows with each safe return home. Epilepsy never erased ambition. It refined purpose. Living with a neurological condition trained awareness, responsibility, and calm during crisis. Those skills align with my future in nursing. I plan to become a nurse at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in North Carolina. Service runs deep in my family. My mother works there as a Doctor of Nursing Practice. Her stories filled our home with lessons of compassion, sacrifice, and respect for veterans. She shared moments of loss, recovery, teamwork, and perseverance. Listening to her experiences shaped my calling and inspired my career path. Watching her serve veterans showed nursing as more than a profession. Nursing stands as advocacy, presence, and strength during vulnerable moments. Veterans deserve caregivers who remain steady under pressure and respond with empathy. My life prepared me for such responsibility. Epilepsy demanded resilience. It taught preparation before action and calm during uncertainty. Those lessons translate directly into patient care. I bring lived experience with medical systems, treatment adherence, and trust in healthcare professionals. I understand vulnerability from the patient side and responsibility from the caregiver side. I approach college with determination and gratitude. Education opens the door to service. Each class moves me closer to the hospital halls where my mother works and where I hope to serve alongside dedicated professionals. I carry faith into every challenge and purpose into every goal. Epilepsy shaped my journey. It did not define limits. It forged strength, compassion, and commitment. I move forward ready to serve.

My passion for nursing grew inside my home long before I stepped onto the Veterans Affairs Hospital (VA) nursing unit. My mother works as a nurse at the Veterans Affairs Hospital, and she often shared stories from her shifts—stories filled with strength, struggle, and deep compassion. She spoke about veterans who carried heavy histories, families who needed guidance, and moments when steady care changed the course of a day. Those stories shaped my understanding of what nursing brings to a community. I saw the pride she carried after long nights, the purpose she drew from supporting patients, and the impact she made without seeking recognition. Her example planted the desire to follow this path and serve in the same way she served others. Pursuing a degree in healthcare grew from my early exposure to caregiving through family experience and volunteer service at the Veterans Affairs Hospital. Time spent on the nursing unit revealed healthcare as more than treatment; it operates as presence, advocacy, and sustained human connection. Listening to nurses, observing interdisciplinary collaboration, and supporting veterans during vulnerable moments solidified nursing as a lifelong professional direction. I plan to make a strong impact in veteran care by bringing steady presence, clear communication, and skilled support to patients who often move through illness with limited guidance. My volunteer work in the VA nursing unit showed me how much strength veterans carry and how much comfort they gain when a nurse slows down and listens. I will honor each patient's history and create space for connection during care. My impact will come from the consistency I bring and the respect I show every veteran and older adult under my care. Working as a volunteer nurse aid at the VA Hospital has prepared me in several ways. The volunteer role prepared me for future nursing by building early competence in vital signs, safety procedures, and infection control. I was trained to deliver, compassionate, consistent beside care to real patients. Also, Working inside a medical facility taught me the routines, teamwork, and ethical structure that guided professional nursing. Most importantly, I learned the importance of humility, being teachable and approachable, so that my skills can increase in order to serve others. As a woman entering healthcare, I aim to strengthen patient advocacy, model leadership rooted in empathy, and contribute to inclusive care environments. Nursing requires both clinical strength and relational intelligence. By fostering trust, supporting interdisciplinary collaboration, and advocating for vulnerable populations, I plan to promote care that respects the whole person. Through service, leadership, and lifelong learning, I seek to leave healthcare spaces stronger than I entered them.

Hi. My name is Jordyn Jeter, and resilience shapes how I lead and how I serve others. As a senior and president of the black History Month Expo Committee, I stepped into a role filled with pressure, responsibility, and high exceptions. The position demanded more than ideas. It demanded consistency, courage, and the ability to stand steady when challenges appeared without warning. Leading the committee tested me from the start. Coordinating students with different schedules, priorities, and energy levels required patience and structure. Meetings needed planning, reminders, and follow-through. Communication gaps appeared often. Progress moved slower than planned. I learned to stay grounded in my role instead of shrinking under stress. Leadership required confidence in decision-making even when doubts surfaced. Each obstacles strengthened my ability to remain focused on the goal rather than the difficulty. Organizing the Black History Month Expo involved constant problem-solving. I contacted school administration to secure rooms for meetings and events. I navigated scheduling conflicts, approval processes, and last-minute changes. Each conversation sharpened my professionalism and persistence. I represented the committee with purpose, knowing the Expo carried cultural importance beyond a single event. every challenge reinforced my responsibility to honor history through preparation and commitment. Midway through planning, an assistant quit without notice. The loss created gaps in organization and workload. Instead of quitting, which would have been way easier, I pushed through the responsibilities and continued forward. I managed logistics, communication, and planning while keeping the committee moving. The experience tested endurance and resolve. walking away never crossed my path. The Expo mattered too much. Resilience created impact beyond the work itself. another student noticed the hours, effort, and consistency I brought to the committee. she stepped forward and offered help after watching the dedication behind the scenes. Her choice carried meaning. My persistence encouraged someone to rise to take on responsibility that was not hers. Watching her take initiative showed how strength spreads through action rather than words. This experience reshaped my understanding of leadership. Title hold less power than example. resilience shows through presence, accountability, and perseverance during moments of doubts and strain. Leadership requires standing firm when support thins. Through challenges, I remained committed to the mission and the people involved. Serving as president of the black History Month Expo Committee strengthened my confidence and purpose. Th experience taught me to trust my ability to lead through difficulty. Resilience allowed me to inspire others without speeches or explanations. It lived through action, consistency to something larger than myself.

My vision is to earn my nursing degree and use it to make a difference in communities that face health disparities. I want to provide care that is grounded in empathy and evidence-based practice, while advocating for those who are often overlooked. I am committed to pursuing higher education because I believe that knowledge empowers service. The more I learn, the more I can do to improve lives of others. In the summer after sophomore year, I was accepted into the Durham Veteran Affairs (VA) Hospital volunteering program and was assigned to the nursing unit. My duties included folding gowns, restocking rooms, providing drinks, and heating wipes and pads for patients. At the time, I felt as though my presence didn’t bring any benefit to the floor compared to the nurses and doctors who always remained actively taking care of the Veterans. One day, I went into a patient's room (Mr. C) and gave him a heating pad. He complained of having back pain. When I looked into his eyes, I could see the discomfort he was feeling, along with sadness. “Young lady," Mr. C said. I turned to him. “You have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you.” I smiled then said, “Oh, no problem. That’s what I’m here for.” He proceeded to tell me how he injured his back in the Vietnam War. His voice cracked as he shared with me how his back pain has intensified over the years and how it has impacted his life. “Well, thank you again, and I'm so glad you were here to help me and listen,” He said, ending his story. Outside of academics and volunteering, I find balance and peace through lifting weights, practicing yoga, and reading. Strength training helps me build resilience and discipline qualities that are just as important in nursing as they are in fitness. Yoga allows me to stay grounded, centered, and mindful, reminding me to breathe through challenges. Reading fiction novels opens my mind to new perspectives and strengthen my empathy for others. Together, these activities keep me focused, healthy, and emotionally balanced as I pursue my goals. My motivation, determination, and discipline to work hard are skills that I plan to take with me on my journey to becoming an outstanding nurse. Since young, I have dreamt of entering this profession. I hope that with proper schooling, I'll be able to make that dream a reality. If given the opportunity, I plan to utilize the education that I will receive from an esteemed nursing program as a foundation and resource to one day provide evidence-based care and serve patients on a global scale.