My experience with sepsis is not something I experienced, but it profoundly affected my family. My grandfather was in his 80s when he began experiencing health problems and was in and out of the hospital with sepsis. Watching him become weak was heartbreaking, but what affected me was seeing how much his illness changed him. My grandfather had always been an independent, athletic person and used to doing things for himself. As his health declined, he became thin and unrecognizable. His physical weakness affected his self-esteem. He went from being strong and active to struggling with activities and needing help with things he had always done on his own. My grandmother became his primary caregiver. She monitored his temperature and cared for him while living with the fear that his condition could suddenly worsen. He became so weak that he needed iron infusions and eventually required a catheter because of an enlarged prostate. Unfortunately, he didn't always receive the care he needed. His catheter needed to be changed more frequently, but because changing it caused him pain and nursing access was limited by insurance, it was not changed as often as it should have been. He experienced repeated infections, adding fear and frustration for our family. Despite everything, my grandfather still wanted to maintain his independence. One of the hardest moments happened when he tried to go to the bathroom by himself. He fell, hit his head, and passed away. My grandmother found him unresponsive on the ground. What I remember most is what happened shortly before he died. My grandfather cried and told me how lucky he was to have my grandmother care for him all those years. He told me what a woman she was and how grateful he was for everything she had done for him. Even when he was physically weak and unable to care for himself, he understood how much his caregiver had sacrificed for him. After his death, my grandmother was hospitalized with broken heart syndrome. Thankfully, she survived. Her experience taught me another lesson: caregivers need care too. My grandmother carried the emotional responsibility of caring for my grandfather while watching the person she loved lose his strength and independence. This experience changed how I understand illness and caregiving. I learned that sepsis does not affect only the patient; it affects the family. I also learned how quickly an older person's health can deteriorate and how important it is to recognize warning signs and seek medical attention. I now understand that infections, including urinary tract infections, can become serious in older adults and progress to sepsis. This experience is one reason I am pursuing nursing. I earned my bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering, where I developed a foundation in science and research. I am now entering the Master's Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) at the University of California, Irvine, with a concentration in Community and Population Health. My long-term goal is to become a nurse practitioner and eventually have my own clinic where I can provide personalized, whole-person care, help families recognize problems early, and navigate the healthcare system. My grandfather's illness and death were devastating experiences for my family, but they helped shape the kind of nurse I want to become. I want to remember that behind every diagnosis is a person, and behind every patient may be a caregiver who is exhausted, frightened, and in need of support. My grandfather taught me the importance of dignity, independence, and compassionate care. My grandmother taught me the strength and love of a caregiver. As a future nurse, I want to care for both.

Breast health education is important to me because knowledge can change what happens between noticing that something may be wrong and deciding whether to seek help. For many people, that space is filled with uncertainty, fear, misinformation, financial barriers, or simply not knowing where to turn. Education cannot prevent every diagnosis, but it can give individuals the knowledge and confidence to understand their bodies, recognize changes, understand risk factors, ask questions, and seek appropriate care. As I begin the Master's Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) at the University of California, Irvine, with a concentration in Community and Population Health, I am increasingly interested in the role education plays in reducing barriers to healthcare. My background in Biomedical Engineering taught me how research and technology can contribute to healthcare innovation, but my experiences have also taught me that even the most advanced treatment or technology has limited impact if people do not have access to information, knowledgeable professionals, or a healthcare system that listens to them. Breast health is an area where preventive education can be particularly empowering. People should have access to understandable information about breast health, changes that deserve medical attention, and the factors that may influence their individual risk. Family history, genetics, age, lifestyle, and other factors can all contribute to risk, but education should not simply overwhelm people with information. It should help them understand their personal health and know what questions to ask their healthcare providers. I believe breast health education should not begin and end with telling someone what to look for. It should also teach people that they deserve to ask questions and participate in decisions about their own healthcare. Education should be accessible, inclusive, and responsive to the different experiences people bring with them. This belief has influenced an idea I hope to explore through my future MEPN Leadership Project. I am interested in examining how the principles of concierge medicine and personalized healthcare could be adapted for underserved communities. Traditional concierge medicine is often associated with greater access to providers, longer appointments, continuity of care, prevention, and individualized attention. Unfortunately, these benefits are often associated with the ability to pay. My goal is to explore how these same principles could be made more accessible. Rather than recreating a traditional concierge model, I want to examine how nurses and community health programs could incorporate stronger patient education, prevention, continuity, care navigation, and relationship-based care. Breast health education could be one important application of this model. A personalized approach could help patients better understand their individual risk factors, family history, screening recommendations, and concerns rather than receiving the same information regardless of their circumstances. It could also help identify barriers that prevent people from accessing preventive care, whether those barriers involve cost, transportation, fear, lack of insurance, language, or previous negative experiences with healthcare. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community and a future nurse leader, I also recognize that healthcare has not always been equally welcoming or accessible to everyone. LGBTQ+ individuals may encounter assumptions about their bodies, relationships, or healthcare needs that do not reflect their experiences. Breast health does not belong to only one type of person. Everyone, regardless of sex, gender identity, or background, deserves to feel respected and safe when discussing something as personal as their body My interest in women's health has also been shaped by my previous research and writing. While earning my bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering, my research focused on regenerative medicine and cartilage repair. I later published an anthropological paper, "Silenced Identities: The Suppression and Discrimination of Iranian Gender and Sex Minorities", through the University of Oklahoma Libraries Undergraduate Research repository. Although these projects focused on different areas, they both contributed to how I think about healthcare: research and innovation are important, but so is listening to people's experiences. That is a lesson I hope to carry into nursing. I want to become the type of healthcare provider who sees education as more than giving a patient a brochure or explaining medical terminology. True education involves listening first. What does this person already know? What are they afraid of? What barriers might prevent them from following through with care? What information do they need to make an informed decision? My long-term goal is to earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and establish a clinic serving underserved communities and patients with complex healthcare needs. I hope to combine nursing, research, technology, and personalized care to create a healthcare environment where prevention and education are not luxuries reserved for those who can afford additional access. I also hope to continue combining research, technology, and clinical practice throughout my career. My current research collaboration involving biomechanics, computational modeling, coding, and AI has shown me the potential of technology to identify patterns and support healthcare decision-making. However, I believe technology should strengthen, not replace the human connection in healthcare. A machine may organize information, but it cannot replace the reassurance of a knowledgeable professional who listens when a patient is scared. Annie Pringle's legacy represents something I hope to carry into my own career: the idea that healthcare professionals can educate, support, and uplift people during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. Whether someone is trying to understand their personal risk, navigating preventive care, concerned about a change in their breast, facing a cancer diagnosis, or seeking lactation support, access to knowledgeable and compassionate professionals can make an enormous difference. For me, breast health education is ultimately about empowerment and prevention. It is about helping people understand their bodies and risk factors, recognize when they need support, and feel confident that they deserve to be heard. Through my future MEPN Leadership Project, nursing career, and eventual DNP practice, I hope to explore how personalized care can be made more accessible to underserved communities. I believe that continuity, education, prevention, and compassionate attention should not be privileges. They should be part of the care every person deserves.

My interest in women’s health comes from a question that has followed me throughout my education: What happens when people have legitimate healthcare needs, but those needs are not recognized, studied, or heard? This question became personal through my undergraduate research. At the University of Oklahoma (OU), I published "Silenced Identities: The Suppression and Discrimination of Iranian Gender and Sex Minorities" in the Undergraduate Research repository (see Link). My paper examined the experiences of people whose identities and voices have been suppressed, including Mahsa Amini, whose death became a symbol of the struggle for women’s rights in Iran. Although "Silenced Identities" was not a medical paper but an anthropological paper centered on women's experiences and discrimination against minorities, its central lesson continues to influence how I think about healthcare. When people's experiences are not heard, systems can fail them. PMDD and PME represent another example of what can happen when women's experiences are minimized or misunderstood. I earned my bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering, where my research focused on regenerative medicine and cartilage repair. My senior thesis investigated chondroinductive peptides, and my research received multiple presentation awards. I am now entering the Master's Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) at UC Irvine with a concentration in Community and Population Health. I want to combine nursing, research, technology, and population health to address healthcare gaps affecting underserved communities, including women. My interest in women's health is also shaped by understanding how many conditions disproportionately affect women. Many autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, occur more frequently in women. These conditions can cause fatigue, pain, cognitive changes, and neurological symptoms that may not be visible. A person can look completely healthy while struggling every day. Healthcare providers must listen to what patients experience rather than relying only on what they can see. Women have historically been underrepresented in biomedical research. Female animals were sometimes excluded because researchers believed hormonal cycling introduced too much variability. This matters for PMDD and PME because understanding women's biology should not be treated as an inconvenience, but as a reason to conduct better research. For my master's MEPN Leadership Project, I want to explore how principles of personalized and concierge medicine could improve continuity, communication, and access for underserved communities, including women with complex and underrecognized conditions such as PMDD and PME (see PDF). Additionally, I'm currently collaborating with a professor at OU on adolescent resistance-training biomechanics using OpenSim, coding, computational modeling, and AI-assisted approaches. In the future, I want to apply these skills to women's health research. One goal is to investigate how AI and longitudinal symptom data could support earlier recognition of PMDD and PME. A patient-centered tool could help individuals track symptoms across menstrual cycles and identify patterns to discuss with their healthcare provider. AI should not replace clinicians, but help make patterns visible and provide better information. My long-term goal is to earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and establish a clinic serving underserved communities, including women and patients with complex conditions. I want my clinic to be a place where patients are heard, their experiences taken seriously, and research informs clinical practice. For me, advancing women’s health is about giving people a voice in a healthcare system that has not always listened closely enough. I want to bring awareness of PMDD and PME into my future clinical practice, contribute to responsible AI research, and help move these conditions into routine recognition and care. I don't want women to spend years educating the healthcare professionals they seek help from. I want to help build a healthcare system that is already prepared to listen.

What I love most about math is that not understanding something yet does not mean you are incapable of understanding it. As a first-generation, non-traditional student, I learned that lesson in college when I took Physics I. I struggled with the course and eventually dropped it. When I took it again, I earned a C. I knew that if I wanted to pursue biomedical engineering, I could not avoid the formulas and mathematical concepts that challenged me. So, I took Physics I again for the third time during the summer. This time, I was determined not to memorize formulas just to pass an exam. I wanted to understand what they meant, why they worked, and when to use them. I spent the summer practicing problems until the concepts finally began to make sense. By the end of the course, I earned an A. That experience changed my relationship with math. I realized that I did not love math because it always came easily to me. I loved the challenge of taking something that once felt impossible and learning how to understand it. A few years later, as a junior, I took Calculus III. Instead of feeling intimidated, I was excited by it. I loved working through complex problems and seeing how the concepts connected. I earned an A, but what meant more was realizing how far I had come, from dropping Physics I to genuinely enjoying advanced calculus. My appreciation for math became an important part of earning my bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering and continues today through my biomechanics research using computational modeling and mathematical analysis to evaluate adolescent resistance training. Now, as I begin my Master's Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) with a concentration in Community and Population Health, I see new ways math can make an impact. Mathematics and statistics can help identify disease patterns, understand health disparities, evaluate interventions, and determine where communities need resources most. For me, math represents perseverance and curiosity. My journey from dropping Physics I to earning A's in Physics and Calculus III taught me that mastery is not always about being naturally good at something. Sometimes, it is about refusing to stop learning and being curious enough to understand the world around you through the beautiful, universal language of math.

Mental health is important to me because I have learned that a person can look successful on the outside while carrying challenges that no one else can see. As a first-generation and non-traditional student, I have experienced firsthand how difficult circumstances can affect your ability to focus, plan for the future, and believe that you are capable of reaching your goals. I have also learned that resilience does not mean never struggling. It means learning how to acknowledge what you are experiencing, seek support when you need it, and continue moving forward. Much of my teen years were spent wrestling with myself, my identity, and struggling with no access to mental services. At 17 years old, I wanted it all to end. I had such negative thoughts and even went so far as to researching the most effective methods of self-harm. However, something inside kept telling me to keep going and that I would find a way out. At nineteen, I left an emotionally abusive family environment, highly religious community, and became financially independent. After coming out as a lesbian, I worked for $7.25 an hour. Still searching for a way out, I decided to pursue college. I relied on Pell Grants, scholarships, Medicaid, food assistance, and my own employment to remain in school. There were times when the financial and emotional pressure felt overwhelming. I learned that asking for help is not a weakness. Sometimes, asking for help is what allows you to keep going. Despite these challenges, I earned my bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma, graduating magna cum laude. I worked as a DoorDash and Uber Eats driver while conducting research, completing coursework, and pursuing opportunities. I am now entering the Master's Entry Program in Nursing at UC Irvine. My experiences have taught me that academic achievement and mental well-being cannot be separated. A student cannot always simply “work harder” when they are struggling emotionally. Sometimes they need someone to listen without judgment, help them find resources, or remind them that one difficult chapter does not determine the rest of their story. My advocacy begins with how I treat the people around me. I try to create an environment where people feel comfortable talking honestly about what they are experiencing rather than feeling ashamed for struggling. I believe mental health advocacy does not always require a large campaign. Sometimes it means asking someone how they are actually doing, listening instead of immediately trying to fix their problem, sharing resources, or reminding someone that seeking professional support is a sign of self-awareness rather than failure. My experiences have also shaped the kind of healthcare provider I want to become. As I pursue nursing and eventually hope to earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice, I want to practice whole-person care. A patient's mental health, financial circumstances, family situation, physical health, and social environment are interconnected. I hope to eventually establish a clinic where patients feel that they are being treated as people rather than simply as diagnoses. I also understand that I have privileges that others may not have had. I want to use those opportunities to help make the path easier for people coming behind me. Mental health advocacy, to me, means helping create a culture where people do not have to suffer silently before they deserve support. I cannot control every difficult thing that happens in life. But I can choose how I respond, how I support others, and whether I help create spaces where people feel safe enough to ask for help. I believe that is where meaningful mental health advocacy begins.

Being a first-generation college student means learning how to navigate a path that no one in my immediate family has walked before. It means figuring out college applications, financial aid, scholarships, academic opportunities, and career decisions without having someone at home who has already experienced them. For me, being first-generation has also meant learning to believe that I belong in places I had never imagined entering. At nineteen, I left an emotionally abusive family environment and became financially independent. I supported myself while working for $7.25 an hour and relied on Pell Grants, scholarships, Medicaid, food assistance, and my own employment to continue my education. There were times when pursuing college felt less like following a predetermined path and more like building the path while walking on it. I learned to ask questions, seek out mentors, apply for opportunities, and keep going when I did not know what would happen next. I eventually earned my bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma, graduating magna cum laude. During college, I worked as a DoorDash and Uber Eats driver while conducting research in the Translational Regenerative Medicine Laboratory. I received research fellowships, completed and defended an optional senior thesis, and worked on a senior capstone project developing a head-and-neck immobilization device for radiation oncology patients. My journey has not been without setbacks. After graduation, I accepted a position as a Biomedical Engineering Patent Examiner with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Shortly before I was scheduled to begin training, my offer was rescinded because of the federal hiring freeze in 2025. After months of searching for another opportunity, I realized I had to decide what to do with the situation I had rather than the situation I had planned for. I chose to return to school and pursue nursing. I am now beginning the Master’s Entry Program in Nursing at the University of California, Irvine. My long-term goal is to earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice and eventually establish a clinic providing accessible, compassionate, whole-person care, particularly for underserved communities and patients with complex healthcare needs. Being first-generation has taught me that I do not have to know exactly where the path leads to take the next step. It has taught me resilience, independence, and the importance of creating opportunities when they do not already exist. This scholarship would help me continue that journey by reducing the financial burden of graduate school and allowing me to focus more fully on my education and clinical training. More importantly, it would help me continue building a future that I hope will extend beyond myself. I want to use my education to help others who face barriers to healthcare and education, and to keep the door open for those who come after me. To me, being first-generation means being the first, but not wanting to be the last.

I have always believed that education is more than a way to build a career. It is an opportunity to change the direction of your life and, eventually, use what you have learned to make someone else's path a little easier. My own path to higher education was not easy. At nineteen, I left an emotionally abusive family environment and became financially independent. I worked for $7.25 an hour and relied on the Pell Grant, scholarships, Medicaid, food assistance, and my own employment to continue my education. I learned early that circumstances don't have to determine where your life ends. Sometimes, you simply have to keep coming back and find another way forward. I earned my bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma, graduating magna cum laude. Through research, engineering projects, and experiences in healthcare, I discovered that I wanted to work directly with the people behind the science. I'm now beginning the Master’s Entry Program in Nursing at the University of California, Irvine, with a concentration in Community and Population Health. My goal is to become a nurse who sees the whole person rather than only the diagnosis. I want to understand what my patients are experiencing physically, emotionally, socially, and financially because all of these factors influence health. My own experiences have taught me how frightening and isolating it can feel when you are facing circumstances that other people cannot see. I want to use that understanding to make healthcare feel less intimidating and more human. I also recognize that, despite the challenges I have experienced, I am privileged in many ways. I have had opportunities, mentors, scholarships, educational resources, and people who believed in me. I do not want to take those opportunities for granted. I want to use the privilege I have to help underserved communities and to keep the door open for the people coming behind me. To me, success is not simply getting through the door, but it's making sure that someone else can walk through it after you. After earning my nursing degree, I plan to pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice and eventually establish a clinic focused on accessible, compassionate, evidence-based care. I am particularly interested in serving underserved communities and patients with complex healthcare needs. I want to explore how principles of individualized care can be brought to communities that traditionally have less access to personalized healthcare. I also hope to bring my background in biomedical engineering and research into nursing. I am currently collaborating with a professor at the University of Oklahoma on research using OpenSim, coding, and AI-assisted approaches to study adolescent resistance training and biomechanics. I believe technology can improve healthcare, but it should support human connection rather than replace it. The people who inspire me most are those who create opportunities for others after they have achieved success themselves. That is what I admire about Sloane Stephens and the mission behind her foundation. Her story reminds me that success becomes more meaningful when it creates opportunities for someone else. I want my education to become more than a degree. I want it to become a way to give back. I hope to take everything I have learned from the challenges I have overcome, the people who helped me along the way, and the education I am fortunate enough to receive, and use it to make healthcare more accessible and compassionate for the people who need it most. Ultimately, I want to leave the world a little better than I found it and keep the door wide open for the people who come after me.

What I admire most about Sabrina Carpenter is not simply her talent. It is her willingness to evolve. From Maya Hart on Girl Meets World to an internationally recognized musician and performer, Sabrina has continually reinvented herself without losing the humor, personality, and authenticity that made people connect with her. That journey resonates with me because I have also had to learn that becoming successful does not always mean following the path you originally imagined. One Sabrina song that especially speaks to me is “Feather.” The lyric “I feel so much lighter” captures something I have experienced when I finally allowed myself to let go of expectations that no longer belonged to me. For years, I thought success meant following one predetermined career path. When that path changed, I initially saw it as a setback. Eventually, I realized that letting go could create room for something better. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma, graduated Magna Cum Laude, and spent two years conducting translational regenerative medicine research. I eventually accepted a position with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, believing I had found the beginning of my professional career. When that opportunity disappeared because of a federal hiring freeze, I had to reconsider what I wanted my future to look like. Instead of seeing that setback as the end of my story, I allowed myself to evolve. I discovered that what motivated me most was not simply engineering or scientific discovery, but the opportunity to improve people's lives. This fall, I will begin the Master's Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) at the University of California, Irvine, concentrating in Community and Population Health. My long-term goals are to earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), continue clinical research, and establish a community-centered clinic that expands access to personalized healthcare. Sabrina's career reminds me that changing direction does not mean failing. Sometimes it means discovering that you have outgrown the version of yourself who made the original plan. I also appreciate the confidence and humor she brings to her work. Her ability to be playful without taking herself too seriously reminds me that pursuing ambitious goals does not require becoming someone else. There is value in taking your work seriously while still allowing yourself to enjoy the journey. My journey has included financial uncertainty, unexpected setbacks, difficult decisions, and several changes in direction. I began college relying on the Pell Grant, food assistance, scholarships, and my own work to make my education possible. Today, I am preparing to enter graduate nursing school and build a career centered on service. Sabrina Carpenter has shown me that there is no single timeline for becoming successful. You can change, grow, start again, and still move forward. Sometimes becoming who you are requires becoming someone new first.

Some of the most meaningful lessons I have learned did not come from a textbook. They came from realizing that becoming who I wanted to be meant accepting that my life would not always follow the plan I originally imagined. That is one reason Olivia Rodrigo’s music resonates with me. Her songs capture something I have experienced repeatedly: growing up means learning to live with uncertainty while still choosing who you want to become. One lyric that especially resonates with me comes from “making the bed”. “I got the things I wanted, it’s just not what I imagined.” That line captures a feeling I have experienced at several turning points in my life. Sometimes we work incredibly hard toward a future, only to discover that achieving what we thought we wanted does not necessarily mean it is where we are meant to stay. At nineteen, I left home and began building my future independently. I worked for minimum wage while relying on the Pell Grant, food assistance, scholarships, and other support to attend college. I did not have the financial security that many students take for granted, but I continued moving forward. I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma and spent two years conducting translational regenerative medicine research. I thought I had found my professional path when I accepted a position with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. When that job offer was rescinded because of a federal hiring freeze, I faced another unexpected turn. I had achieved something I had worked toward, yet suddenly it was no longer part of my future. Instead of seeing that moment as the end of my plan, I began asking what I actually wanted my life to accomplish. The answer was nursing. This fall, I will begin the Master's Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) at the University of California, Irvine, concentrating in Community and Population Health. My long-term goal is to earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), continue clinical research, and establish a community-centered clinic that makes high-quality healthcare more accessible to underserved patients. Olivia Rodrigo’s music reminds me that growing up is not about having everything figured out. It is about confronting the parts of yourself and your circumstances that are uncomfortable, learning from them, and continuing forward anyway. I cannot control every circumstance that enters my life. I can control what I do with it. Sometimes the life we imagined is not the life we ultimately receive, but that does not mean the life ahead cannot be even more meaningful.

The values that guide my life are curiosity, compassion, equity, and courage. Together, they have shaped every major decision I have made, from leaving a life where I could not be my authentic self to pursuing a career dedicated to improving healthcare for others. Growing up as a closeted lesbian in a traditional religious community, I learned what it felt like to question whether I belonged. When I left home at nineteen, I worked for $7.25 an hour while relying on the Pell Grant, Medicaid, food assistance, and scholarships to complete my education. During that time, I also sought mental health care through an LGBTQ+ community center. For the first time, I experienced what it meant to be treated with dignity, empathy, and acceptance. That experience changed my understanding of healthcare. Mental health is not simply about treating illness. It's about creating spaces where people feel safe enough to heal. Curiosity has always driven me to ask how systems can work better. It led me to earn a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering, conduct two years of translational regenerative medicine research, and now pursue the Master's Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) at the University of California, Irvine, with a concentration in Community and Population Health. Engineering taught me how to solve problems. Nursing is teaching me who those solutions should serve. Compassion reminds me that every patient brings a story shaped by circumstances we cannot see. My experiences as a caregiver, phlebotomist, and researcher have shown me that health is influenced by far more than biology. Mental health, financial hardship, discrimination, transportation, housing, and access to care all influence whether someone can truly recover. These values also shape my vision as an entrepreneur. My long-term goal is to earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree and establish a clinic that integrates primary care, mental health services, preventive medicine, and community outreach. I hope to study how principles of concierge medicine, such as continuity, accessibility, and relationship-centered care, can be adapted for underserved communities and patients with complex chronic conditions. I also plan to establish a nonprofit arm of the clinic, supported through grants and community partnerships, so financial circumstances never become the reason someone goes without care. To me, entrepreneurship is not simply about building a successful business. It is about building a sustainable mission. A clinic should strengthen the community around it, expand access to care, create opportunities for research and education, and improve health outcomes for generations to come. My values have taught me that meaningful change begins by seeing people not as diagnoses or statistics, but as whole human beings. That is the kind of nurse, leader, and entrepreneur I hope to become. Thank you for this opportunity to share my journey.

2026–2028: Foundation In September 2026, I will begin the Master's Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) at the University of California, Irvine with a concentration in Community and Population Health. During these two years, my priorities are to earn RN licensure, develop strong clinical judgment, and complete a master's project exploring how principles of concierge medicine, used for greater continuity, accessibility, and longer patient visits, can be adapted to improve care for underserved populations rather than remain a luxury service. 2028–2032: Experience & Leadership After graduation, I plan to work as a registered nurse in California while continuing clinical research and quality improvement initiatives. My biomedical engineering background and experience in translational regenerative medicine taught me that research should solve real problems, and I hope to continue publishing work that brings attention to healthcare inequities while proposing evidence-based solutions. During this time, I will also strengthen my understanding of healthcare administration, reimbursement, and clinic operations by working closely with interdisciplinary teams and community organizations. 2032–2035: Advanced Practice My next milestone is earning a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). This will prepare me to lead healthcare teams while expanding my knowledge of population health, quality improvement, and healthcare policy. I also plan to develop relationships with community organizations, federally qualified health centers, and grant agencies that share my commitment to expanding healthcare access. 2035 and Beyond: Building a Sustainable Clinic My ultimate goal is to establish an independent nurse practitioner practice in California, beginning with the formation of a professional business entity and obtaining credentialing with Medicare, Medi-Cal, and commercial insurance providers. Accepting insurance is essential because access to quality healthcare should never depend on a patient's financial circumstances. To ensure no patient is turned away, I plan to implement a sliding-fee scale for uninsured individuals while developing a nonprofit partner that secures grants, philanthropic donations, and community partnerships to subsidize care for patients who cannot pay at all. I also hope to create internship opportunities for nursing students and use the clinic as a site for clinical research evaluating innovative models of patient-centered care. The long-term goal is to demonstrate that high-quality, relationship-based healthcare can be both equitable and financially sustainable. Resources & Budget: Achieving this plan requires strategic investment at every stage. My immediate expenses include MEPN tuition (approximately $60,000), housing ($56,000), transportation to clinical sites ($10,000), textbooks and educational supplies ($5,000), licensing examinations ($1,500), and living expenses ($24,000) while completing graduate school. Following graduation, I anticipate expenses associated with a DNP degree ($100,000–120,000), research dissemination through conference travel and publication fees ($10,000–15,000), professional conferences ($5,000), establishing my professional practice ($2,000–5,000), credentialing with Medicare, Medi-Cal, and commercial insurance providers ($3,000–5,000), implementing an electronic health record system ($10,000–20,000), malpractice insurance ($3,000–6,000), and legal and accounting services ($8,000–12,000). Long-term, I plan to pursue federal, state, and private foundation grants to support the nonprofit arm of my clinic so financial hardship is never a barrier to receiving care. My objective is not simply to build a clinic, but to build a financially sustainable model where insurance reimbursement, grant funding, and operational efficiency work together to expand access for patients regardless of income. Joe Gilroy believed in "Plan Your Work, Work Your Plan." That philosophy reflects how I have approached every stage of my education, from biomedical engineering to nursing, and how I intend to spend my career. My dream is ambitious, but it is no longer simply a dream. It is a carefully designed plan that I am already putting into action, one milestone at a time. Thank you for this opportunity to share my future journey.

1. My career goal is to become a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) nurse leader in community and population health, focusing on integrated care models that address clinical and social determinants of health. I am particularly interested in developing community-based programs that combine primary care, mental health support, and preventive services for underserved and LGBTQ+ populations. This award would allow me to continue my graduate training at the University of California, Irvine with reduced financial strain, enabling me to fully invest in developing clinical expertise and leadership. My academic foundation is in biomedical engineering from the University of Oklahoma, where I spent two years in a translational regenerative medicine laboratory studying cartilage regeneration. My senior capstone project focused on designing a medical device to improve comfort for head and neck cancer patients, reinforcing my commitment to patient-centered design and systems thinking. Beyond academics, I have experienced healthcare from many perspectives. I have supported my partner through chronic illness, navigating diagnostic uncertainty, care coordination, and treatment. I also worked throughout college while relying on the Pell Grant, Medicaid, and food assistance to remain enrolled and financially stable. These experiences shaped my understanding of how structural barriers affect health outcomes long before patients reach a clinical setting. I have demonstrated leadership by mentoring students in research environments and supporting peers navigating academic and clinical pathways. These experiences strengthened my ability to communicate complex information, support others through uncertainty, and remain steady in high-responsibility environments. My long-term goal is to open a community clinic serving underserved populations while advancing equitable healthcare through research and systems improvement. 2. My goals align with ACHE of Southern California's mission to advance excellence in healthcare leadership because I am pursuing a career at the intersection of clinical care, community health, and systems improvement. As a Master's Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) student at the University of California, Irvine with a concentration in Community and Population Health, I am learning how healthcare systems function beyond individual patient encounters and how leadership decisions influence population health. My interest in health administration and public health comes from recognizing that many of the greatest barriers to care are structural rather than clinical. Through my experiences in biomedical engineering, caregiving, and clinical exposure, I have seen how fragmented systems, limited coordination, and inconsistent access to services negatively impact patients, particularly those with chronic illness and underserved communities. ACHE's focus on ethical leadership, operational excellence, and improving community health outcomes aligns with my vision of healthcare leadership. I am particularly interested in how administrative decision-making can improve continuity of care, integrate behavioral and physical health services, and reduce disparities for vulnerable populations. I plan to earn my Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, open a clinic serving underserved communities, and continue research evaluating public health systems, care delivery models, and patient-centered interventions. Ultimately, I hope to help design healthcare systems that are more coordinated, equitable, and responsive to the needs of diverse populations across Southern California. Thank you for this opportunity.

If someone had asked me growing up what my "awkward thing" was, I probably would have said that I ask too many questions. I have always wanted to understand why things work the way they do. As a child, that meant asking questions without simple answers. Sometimes it frustrated teachers, sometimes it made conversations awkward, and sometimes I wondered if I should simply stop asking. Thankfully, I never did. That curiosity has shaped every part of my life. It led me to earn a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering, where I spent two years researching cartilage regeneration in a translational regenerative medicine laboratory. It inspired me to design a medical device to improve comfort for head and neck cancer patients. Today, it has led me to nursing because I realized the most important questions are no longer just about disease, but about people. Why are some patients afraid to ask for help, why do some communities have fewer opportunities to receive quality healthcare, or why does one person feel seen by their nurse while another leaves feeling invisible? A simple conversation with me can turn into a discussion about healthcare systems, philosophy, biology, or how we might redesign something to work better. I enjoy connecting seemingly unrelated ideas. My biomedical engineering background, research experience, caregiving for family with chronic illness, and now nursing all influence the way I think. Rather than seeing separate disciplines, I naturally look for connections. There was another part of me that once made me feel different. Growing up as a lesbian in a conservative religious community, I learned to carefully measure my words and hide parts of myself to fit in. For years, I thought belonging meant becoming smaller or quieter. Looking back, I realize that experience taught me something just as valuable as my curiosity: the importance of creating spaces where people feel safe enough to be fully themselves. I learned that the safest places are not the ones where everyone is the same. They are the ones where no one has to pretend to be. For years, I worried that thinking differently or living differently meant I didn't quite fit in. Now I realize healthcare needs people who ask difficult questions and genuinely want to understand the people in front of them. Curiosity leads to discovery, empathy leads to trust, and together they improve lives. That same curiosity is shaping my future. During my Master's Entry Program in Nursing, I hope to explore whether aspects of concierge medicine can be adapted to better serve underserved communities. Not as a luxury for those who can afford it, but as a model that gives every patient the time, attention, and individualized care they deserve. My long-term goal is to earn my Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and open a clinic where patients feel comfortable, emotionally safe, and genuinely known. Charles's story reminds me that what makes us different is often what makes us memorable. Some people are left-handed. Some love differently. And I ask too many questions. My journey taught me what it feels like to wonder whether I truly belong. My clinic will be a place where no one feels they have to hide the parts of themselves that make them unique. A place where every person's story, quirks, and experiences are welcomed because they are part of what makes them human. I have learned that the best healthcare begins with curiosity. Not only about science, but about the person sitting in front of you. If asking one more question helps someone feel truly seen, then I hope I never stop asking "why?"

My decision to pursue nursing comes from a deep understanding that care is not just about treating illness, but about showing up for people in their most vulnerable and often unseen moments. I was raised in a traditional and religious community in Oklahoma, where I learned early on what it meant to navigate spaces where I did not always feel fully seen or understood. As a lesbian woman from a lower middle-class background, I often found myself balancing different parts of my identity in environments that did not always offer acceptance or support. That experience shaped how I understand vulnerability, not as weakness, but as something that requires trust, safety, and compassion. At 19, I made the decision to leave home and begin supporting myself. I worked low-wage jobs while navigating the emotional weight of leaving a difficult environment. During that time, I sought support through an LGBTQ+ center, where I accessed mental health resources for the first time. That experience showed me what it means to be met with understanding when you feel completely alone, and it reinforced how critical safe, compassionate care can be. My path into healthcare began through biomedical engineering at the University of Oklahoma, where I earned my Bachelor of Science. As a first-generation college student, I worked throughout my education while relying on the Pell Grant, Medicaid, and food assistance to remain in school. These experiences gave me a deeper understanding of the barriers many patients face outside of clinical settings. Additionally, I spent two years conducting research in a translational regenerative medicine laboratory research novel peptides for cartilage regeneration and completed a capstone project designing a medical device for head and neck cancer patients, focusing on both function and comfort. During that time, I began to notice something that changed my direction. Even the most advanced technologies could not fully address what patients needed most, the feeling of being cared for. I saw how much small, human moments mattered: the way a patient is spoken to, how they are made physically comfortable, or whether they feel safe enough to express their needs. I realized I wanted to be present in those moments. What draws me most to nursing is the ability to care for people in both visible and invisible ways. Eric’s life reflects that kind of care. Through his service in the military, caring for soldiers during times of war, and later providing tracheostomy care for children, he demonstrated compassion that extended far beyond clinical skill. He offered comfort, consistency, and presence for patients who depended on him. His story reminds me that some of the most meaningful acts of care happen when no one is watching. Now, as I pursue my Master’s Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) at the University of California, Irvine, I am working toward becoming a skilled clinician and compassionate advocate. My long-term goal is to earn my Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree and open a clinic that serves underserved communities, including LGBTQ+ individuals. I want to create a space where patients feel safe, respected, and cared for as whole people. Nursing, to me, is not just a profession. It is a commitment to being present for others in the moments that matter most, even when that care goes unseen. That is why I chose nursing, and like Eric, it is the kind of impact I hope to carry forward. Thank you for this opportunity to share my story and for supporting nurses who will revolutionize the healthcare system one patient, one act of love at a time.

My decision to pursue an advanced degree in nursing comes from a realization that meaningful change in healthcare requires both clinical skill and the ability to lead, advocate, and build systems that better serve patients. My journey into healthcare began through biomedical engineering at the University of Oklahoma, where I earned my Bachelor of Science. I was drawn to understanding how to improve patient outcomes through design and innovation, and I spent two years conducting research in a translational regenerative medicine laboratory working to discover novel peptides to regrow cartilage. I also completed a capstone project designing a medical device for head and neck cancer patients, with a focus not only on function, but on comfort and quality of life. Through these experiences, I began to recognize a gap that technology alone could not fill. Patients did not just need effective treatments. They needed to feel supported, understood, and cared for in deeply human ways. I found myself drawn less to the devices themselves and more to the people using them. I realized I wanted to be directly present in those moments of care. My path has also been shaped by personal and financial challenges. As a first-generation college student, I worked throughout my undergraduate education while relying on the Pell Grant, Medicaid, and food assistance to remain in school. Navigating these systems gave me firsthand insight into the barriers many patients face outside of clinical settings. It showed me that healthcare is not isolated, but it's deeply connected to access, stability, and support. After graduating, I received a job offer with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a biomedical engineer patent examiner, but due to a federal hiring freeze, the position was rescinded. While this was a difficult setback, it became a turning point. It gave me the clarity to pursue nursing and to move toward a role where I could directly impact patient care. I am currently pursuing the Master’s Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) at the University of California, Irvine, with a concentration in community and population health. This advanced degree supports my goal of becoming a nurse leader focused on addressing both individual patient needs and broader community health disparities. However, recent federal policy changes have reduced loan availability for nursing students by no longer classifying nursing as a professional degree in the same way as other healthcare fields, creating significant financial challenges as I continue my education. This scholarship would help support me as I continue my education. In the future, I plan to earn my Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree and open a clinic that serves underserved populations, including LGBTQ+ individuals. My goal is to create a healthcare environment that prioritizes accessibility, prevention, and dignity, where patients feel safe, seen, and supported. I am particularly passionate about integrating mental health services and community-based outreach into care, recognizing that health extends far beyond clinical treatment. What inspires me most about advancing my education is the opportunity to expand my impact. Nursing allows me to care for patients directly, but an advanced degree will allow me to advocate for systemic change, improve care delivery, and mentor future healthcare professionals like Dashanna K. McNeil did throughout her career. Her legacy of dedication, education, and service reflects the kind of nurse I hope to become. Through my continued education, I am committed not only to growing as a clinician, but to building a future in healthcare that is more equitable, compassionate, and accessible for all. Thank you for this opportunity to share my journey and for supporting nurses, like myself, to help revolutionize the healthcare system.

I am pursuing a career in nursing because I have come to understand that healthcare is not only about treating illness, but about caring for people in the moments they are most vulnerable. My path to healthcare has not been linear. I began my academic journey as a first-generation college student at the University of Oklahoma, where I earned my Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering. During that time, I worked throughout my degree while relying on the Pell Grant, Medicaid, and food assistance to remain in school. These resources were not just helpful, but essential. They allowed me to continue my education despite financial instability and limited guidance navigating higher education. Through my studies, I was drawn to improving patient outcomes through innovation. I spent two years working in a translational regenerative medicine laboratory conducting research on novel peptides to regrow cartilage and completed a capstone project designing a medical device for head and neck cancer patients. My work focused on both functionality and comfort, and it was during this time that I began to recognize something deeper. Even the most advanced technology cannot replace the human experience of care. Patients do not just need solutions. They need to feel safe, respected, and understood. After graduation, I received a job offer with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, where I would have worked as a biomedical patent examiner approving new patents. However, due to a federal hiring freeze, that opportunity was rescinded just before I was set to begin. While this was a difficult loss, it became a turning point in my life. It pushed me to reflect on what I truly wanted, and I realized that I did not want to be removed from patient care. I wanted to be present in it. That realization led me to pursue nursing. Now, I have been accepted into the Master’s Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) at the University of California, Irvine, with a concentration in community and population health. As I enter this next phase, I face new financial barriers. Recent changes in federal policy have reduced loan availability for nursing students by no longer classifying nursing as a “professional degree” in the same way as other healthcare fields. This has significantly limited access to federal funding, creating additional challenges for students like myself. Despite these obstacles, my goal remains clear. I plan to earn my Doctor of Nursing Practice degree (DNP) and open a clinic that serves underserved communities, including LGBTQ+ individuals. I want to create a space where patients feel financially, physically, and emotionally safe, where care is not only effective, but compassionate and equitable. The legacy of Dr. Michael Paglia and Dr. Albina Claps-Paglia reflects a lifelong commitment to both excellence and compassion in medicine. As a first-generation student with limited financial resources, I understand how critical support and mentorship can be in reaching one’s goals. This scholarship would not only help alleviate financial barriers, but would also represent encouragement to continue pursuing a path centered on service and impact. I chose nursing because it allows me to combine my background in engineering, my lived experiences, and my commitment to advocacy into one purpose: to care for people in a way that acknowledges both their medical needs and their humanity. In the future, I hope to use my degree to build a healthcare environment that reflects that same level of compassion, dedication, and impact that Dr. Paglia and Dr. Claps-Paglia demonstrated throughout their lives. Thank you for this opportunity to share my story and for supporting healthcare leaders like myself to help change the world.

My decision to pursue nursing comes from a realization that care is not only about treatment, but about how a person feels in the moments they are most vulnerable. I began my academic journey studying biomedical engineering at the University of Oklahoma, where I was drawn to understanding how systems and devices could improve patient outcomes. During this time, I worked in a translational regenerative medicine laboratory for two years to discover novel peptides to regrow cartilage. Additionally, I completed a capstone project designing a medical device for head and neck cancer patients. My focus was on improving both function and comfort during treatment. Through these experiences, I began to notice something that changed the direction of my career. I remember watching patients sit through long treatments, adjusting their posture, searching for relief in small ways that often went unnoticed. Even the most advanced technologies could not fully address what they needed most in those moments such as comfort, dignity, and human connection. I realized that comfort is not secondary to care. It is care. This understanding deepened when I began working more directly with patients as a phlebotomist and through personal caregiving experiences. I saw how a patient’s experience is shaped not only by clinical outcomes, but by the smallest interactions such as the tone of a voice, the patience of a provider, or the effort to make them physically at ease. Those moments, though quiet, carry lasting impact. What resonates deeply with me about Wieland Healthcare is the belief that comfort is essential to healing. Just as your organization designs spaces and products that support patients in vulnerable moments, I strive to bring that same philosophy into my practice as a nurse. I want every patient interaction to reflect that same attention to dignity, presence, and care. As a first-generation college student, I also understand how systems can shape access to care. I worked throughout my undergraduate education while relying on the Pell Grant, Medicaid, and food assistance to remain in school. Now, as I enter nursing, I face a new barrier: recent changes in federal loan classifications have drastically reduced funding for nursing students by removing it from certain “professional degree” designations. This scholarship would help bridge that gap, allowing me to stay focused on my training and growth. Now, as I pursue my Master’s Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) at the University of California, Irvine, I am working toward combining my background in engineering with clinical care. My goal is to earn my Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree and open a clinic that serves underserved communities, including LGBTQ+ individuals. I want to create a space where patients feel physically comfortable, emotionally safe, and fully seen. Nursing allows me to bring these perspectives together, to not only help patients heal, but to ensure they feel supported, respected, and at ease in the process. At the center of everything I hope to build is a simple belief: when patients feel truly cared for, not just treated, they begin to heal in ways that extend far beyond medicine. Thank you for this opportunity to share my story and for supporting nurses, like myself, help change the world one patient at a time. I found out about this scholarship through Bold.org.

One of the most defining challenges I faced during my education was learning how to build stability in the absence of it. I grew up in a traditional and deeply religious community in Oklahoma, where faith shaped how we understood the world and ourselves. From a young age, I was taught the importance of discipline, perseverance, and service. After high school, I attended a Bible college, hoping to deepen my understanding of faith and purpose. However, during that time, I also witnessed experiences that were difficult to reconcile. There were moments of hypocrisy, racism, and discrimination that challenged the way I had understood community and belonging in the body of Christ. That experience forced me to reflect more deeply on what faith truly means. Rather than walking away from it, I began to understand it differently. I came to believe that faith is not defined by institutions or perfection, but by compassion, humility, and how we show up for others. I found meaning in the truth that “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). That understanding stayed with me, that God is not distant, but present in moments of struggle, and in the quiet work of caring for others. At 19 years old, I made the decision to leave my home. It was not a decision made lightly. It meant stepping away from everything familiar and choosing uncertainty over stability. I left without financial support, knowing that I would have to build a life for myself from the ground up. I began supporting myself while working for $7.25 an hour, trying to afford rent, food, and basic necessities. I relied on food assistance, Medicaid, and the Pell Grants to stay stable. There were moments when I questioned if I would be able to keep going. But even in those moments, I held onto the belief that education could change my life. I enrolled at the University of Oklahoma and pursued a degree in biomedical engineering, one of the most academically rigorous paths I could have chosen. Balancing coursework with work and financial stress was not easy. There were long nights where I came home from work exhausted, only to begin hours of studying and lab work. There were times when I felt isolated from peers who did not carry the same responsibilities. Over time, I learned how to be disciplined with my time, intentional with my goals, and resilient in the face of uncertainty. During my undergraduate studies, I spent two years working in a translational regenerative medicine laboratory, where I conducted research on chondroinductive peptides for cartilage regeneration. This work became the foundation of my senior thesis and is now part of a larger manuscript being prepared for publication in the "Nature" academic journal. I also completed a biomedical engineering capstone project designing a medical device to improve comfort and quality of life for head and neck cancer patients, reinforcing my commitment to patient-centered care. Despite these challenges, I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering. That achievement represents not only academic success, but also perseverance through instability. After graduation, I received a job offer with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, but due to the federal hiring freeze last year, the position was rescinded. While this was a setback, it became a turning point. It pushed me to reflect on what I truly wanted, to be present in people’s lives, not just in innovation, but in care. Today, I have been accepted into the Master’s Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) at the University of California, Irvine, where I will focus on community and population health. My long-term goal is to earn my Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and open a clinic serving underserved communities. I want to build a space where care is compassionate, accessible, and grounded in dignity, where patients feel seen, supported, and safe. I am especially guided by the words of Jesus in Matthew 25: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was a stranger and you invited me in...Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” These words reflect the kind of life and work I feel called to pursue, serving those most in need with compassion and dignity. I believe that when we care for people’s most basic and personal needs to create space for them to experience love in a tangible way. In those moments, care becomes more than clinical, but becomes a reflection of Christ’s love in action. As I enter graduate school, I am facing increased financial strain due to reduced access to federal loan support for nursing education. Recent changes in how nursing education is classified at the federal level have limited access to certain federal loan programs, as nursing is no longer categorized alongside other “professional” degree pathways. This shift has significantly reduced the amount of federal funding available, cutting loan support by nearly half and creating a substantial financial gap for students like myself pursuing nursing. This scholarship would help me focus on learning to be a servant leader as a nurse while relieving financial pressures. Through my struggles, I have felt the hand of the Lord guiding me through uncertainty, hardship, and moments where I could not see the path ahead. Each step has shaped not only my resilience, but my purpose to build a better life for myself while serving others in meaningful ways. With this opportunity, I hope to continue answering that calling with compassion, humility, and dedication, just as Christ calls us to do. My journey hasn't been defined by the obstacles I faced, but by the faith that carried me through them, and the purpose it has given me moving forward. Thank you for this opportunity to share my journey and for your support of students like myself, to continue their true callings to change the world.

I want to build a healthcare space where patients, especially those from underserved and LGBTQ+ communities, do not have to brace themselves before being seen. A place where they are not silently wondering if they will be judged, misunderstood, or dismissed, but instead feel relief. This vision comes from my own experiences navigating systems that were not always built with me in mind. As a first-generation college student, I worked throughout my undergraduate education while relying on the Pell Grant, Medicaid, and food assistance just to remain in school and stable. There were times when I was unsure how I would pay rent, but I kept going because I believed that education could change my future. At the same time, I was navigating my identity in environments where I did not always feel safe being fully myself. I learned how to filter what I said, how to read a room before speaking, and how to carry parts of myself quietly. That experience shaped how I understand vulnerability, especially in spaces like healthcare, where people are already at their most exposed. My perspective is also shaped by my experiences across biomedical engineering, phlebotomy, and now nursing. Through engineering, I learned how to design for function and efficiency. Through working directly with patients as a phlebotomist, I learned what it feels like to be on the other side of care, where small actions, tone, and presence can change a patient’s experience. Now, through nursing, I am learning how to bring those pieces together into patient-centered care. Across these experiences, I have come to understand something simple but powerful: people do not just need care that works but care that feels right. In engineering, I saw that devices must be not only functional, but comfortable. In clinical settings, I learned that comfort is everything. Making a patient feel at ease, seen, and respected in small moments can transform their experience. Because of this, I know that care is not only about treating illness, but about whether a person feels safe enough to be honest when they need help the most. Now, as I pursue my Master’s in Nursing with a concentration in community and population health at the University of California, Irvine, I am working toward a larger goal: earning my Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and building a clinic that reflects these values. I want to create a space where patients do not have to advocate for their own dignity before receiving care, where mental health is treated as essential, and where identity is understood as part of the whole person. This clinic would provide not only care, but connection through community outreach, education, and support for those who may not have felt welcomed in traditional healthcare settings. Building this future is deeply personal to me. It is shaped by the moments I felt uncertain, unsupported, or invisible, and by the belief that no one should have to feel that way when seeking care. With your help, I can build just that.

My understanding of mental health has been shaped by experiences I carried in silence for many years. I grew up in a traditional and deeply religious community in Oklahoma, in a home where my parents’ beliefs shaped how the world was understood. Mental health was not openly discussed, and identity was often framed in rigid terms of right and wrong. Within that environment, there were also patterns of emotional abuse that made it difficult to express myself openly or feel safe in my own thoughts. As a teenager, I struggled in ways I did not have the language to explain. I had no one to talk to about what I was feeling, especially as I began to understand my identity. There were times when I believed that something was inherently wrong with me, that I was a sinner, that I was destined for punishment, and that there was no place for me to exist fully as myself. During that time, I experienced thoughts of harming myself. It felt like a silent battle I was fighting alone, one that no one around me seemed to see, understand, or even acknowledge as real. In my community, these feelings were not something you spoke about but suppressed. I learned how to carry my thoughts quietly, how to present a version of myself that felt acceptable, and how to push through emotional pain without understanding what I was experiencing. Over time, that silence became heavier, and the isolation deeper. As a teenager, while I was working and beginning to find small ways to support myself, I was also searching quietly for something that felt different. That search eventually led me to an LGBTQ+ center, where for the first time I encountered a space where people spoke openly about identity, mental health, and belonging. Here, I was finally allowed to go to therapy for the first time in my life. I realized that what I was feeling was not something I had to carry alone. Even though I was still navigating fear and uncertainty, that space showed me that support and understanding were possible. At 19, I made the decision to leave my home and come out of the closet as a lesbian woman. It was not an easy choice, but it was necessary. I was navigating not only my identity, but also an environment that had become emotionally harmful. I began supporting myself, working for $7.25 an hour while relying on food assistance to afford basic needs. There were moments where I was unsure how I would pay rent or whether I would be able to keep going, but I knew I needed to create a different path for myself. That path led me to the University of Oklahoma, where I pursued my Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering. During this time, I continued to work while also relying on programs such as the Pell Grant, Medicaid, and food assistance to remain in school. While those years were challenging, they also became a turning point in my life. I had a more open community with access to mental health services through the university. Through that support, I was able to begin processing experiences I had carried for years of religious trauma, gender dysphoria, and internalized homophobia. That process changed my life. It helped me understand that what I had experienced was not a personal failure, but the result of environments that lacked understanding, openness, and support. It gave me the language to understand my experiences and the tools to begin healing. For the first time, I was not just surviving. I was beginning to understand myself. These experiences have shaped how I view relationships and the world around me. I have learned how important it is to create spaces where people feel safe to speak honestly, especially about things that are often hidden. I have also developed a deep sense of empathy for those who are struggling silently, because I know how invisible that struggle can be. As I continued my academic journey, I also explored these themes through research. I published an ethnographic paper at the University of Oklahoma, titled “Silenced Identities: The Suppression and Discrimination of Iranian Gender and Sex Minorities.” This work was especially meaningful to me because it reflected a universal experience within queer identity of being hidden, regulated, or made unsafe. While the cultural context was different, the emotional reality of invisibility felt deeply familiar. Now, as I continue my education in a Master's of Nursing at the University of California, Irvine, I carry all of these experiences with me. I understand that mental health is not separate from a person’s identity, environment, or access to care. It is deeply intertwined with all of them. I also understand how much courage it takes for someone to speak about what they are feeling, especially if they have spent years believing they had to stay silent. In the future, I plan to earn my Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree and open a clinic dedicated to underserved communities, including LGBTQ+ individuals. My goal is to create a space where patients feel safe not only physically, but emotionally, where mental health is treated as an essential part of care, and where no one feels like they have to hide parts of themselves to be understood. I want to build the kind of environment that I once needed, where people are met with compassion, not judgment, and where their experiences are acknowledged as real and valid. My journey has taught me that silence can be one of the most damaging parts of mental health, but it has also shown me that silence can be broken. By speaking openly, by creating spaces where people feel safe to be honest, and by acknowledging the struggles that so many carry unseen, we begin to bring that darkness into the light. In honoring that truth, I hope not only to share my story, but to help create a future where fewer people feel alone in theirs.