A “Mad Genius" can be seen as someone who is unstoppable. Someone who does not look around in fear. They do what they need to do, regardless of what people say they can or cannot do. They are “geniuses” because they bring something fantastic to the world, and they are “mad” because they fear nothing, not even failure. In my artwork, I see a ballerina who is dedicated to her art. She loves the dance and flow. Even when the world is raining fire on her, she does not stop. She protects herself by bringing her umbrella, and then she dances her heart out. Giving her art her everything. She does not dance timidly. She brings the genius to her artwork. She does not let insecurity get in her way. I believe that in life, we too must take this passion and bring out the “Mad Genius" within ourselves. We must bring our best foot forward, even at the risk of failure. We take the potential safeguards, but then we move forward and never stay stagnant. We take the leap. We accomplish our goals and make the world a more innovative and spectacular place to be.

In my experience as a registered nurse (RN), an average everyday conversation I have looks something like this: “Hi, my name is Katherine, and I am the nurse calling back regarding your labs. Your cholesterol and HbA1C, which is the average of your sugar for the last 3 months, are elevated. With a change in your diet and exercise, you can bring these numbers back to normal levels. What you will need to work on will include…” During this conversation that I have every day with a variety of different patients, I help to educate my patients, answer their questions, and provide any materials they may need to improve their diet and lifestyle. As an RN, I discuss the patient’s current diet and make plans with them to try to improve their nutrition. I then make sure to follow up with them to see if there was any improvement in their health and lab work. We discuss the challenges associated with making the changes, make achievable goals, and build trust within the relationship. I am currently also certified as a CBS- a certified breastfeeding specialist. I see the way that when women eat nutritious food that they enjoy, their milk supply increases significantly, and this helps to keep the mommies and babies healthy. I believe that through education, it is possible to improve society's nutrition and inevitably improve their health. I have learned through my nursing experience that caring for my patients is more than just treating their current illness. It is about prevention and education, especially regarding their nutrition and lifestyle choices. Currently, I am pursuing my degree as a nurse practitioner and would like to specialize in women’s health, especially postpartum women. In this way combining my previous experiences and future pursuits. As a nurse practitioner (NP) I will be able to diagnose patients through assessments of risk factors and their lifestyle choices. Some risk factors may include obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia. Each patient comes with their own lifestyle choices, culture, traditions, and medical history. By taking this all into account, I will be able to help my patients improve their nutrition in the most optimal way. I hope to build upon the knowledge I have gained as an RN and CBS and be able to support my patients in the advanced care nurse practitioner position. I hope that you will help me accomplish my goal of becoming a nurse practitioner by helping to assist me financially during this transitional time.

It is my goal to build a healthy society with more knowledge on women’s health. I believe this is possible by educating myself and learning more about women’s health. I am currently a Registered Nurse and a Certified Breastfeeding Specialist (CBS). It is my professional goal to become a Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and a Nurse Practitioner (NP). I would like to build my knowledge and help women to obtain optimal, compassionate and evidence-based care. I am passionate about women’s health and want to be a well-knowledged provider. I believe that it is important to stay educated in the health of women to be a good provider. By completing my education as an IBCLC and NP I will be able to get that necessary knowledge. In this way I will be able to empower women through support, education, and nurturing care. It is my personal opinion that it is better to face a problem before it arrives. I believe that by being proactive in our patient care; by educating parents in the best ways to keep their children alive and healthy we are preventing many future problems and trajedies. When children are given formula their lives are endangered by putting them at a risk of SIDS, infection, readmission to the hospital, and higher chance of allergies. Therefore, having the mothers supported in their breastfeeding journey will ultimately also help to prevent more hospitalizations and other medical issues in the children. I believe in treating the root of today’s medical issues directly by giving early support and education, rather than reactionary treatment for the problems that arise. I hope that you will consider my application to this scholarship to help me achieve my goals and help make a healthier world in which our young children can grow and live happily.

The greatest success stories always stand on the shoulders of those who help make dreams a reality. In the Tanach, the great-grandmother of the renowned King David was once dependent on the mercy of others. Ruth, a fallen princess, became so poor that she needed to collect from the ten percent of produce allotted for the poor. Her future husband, Boaz, a wise member of the Israeli council, cared deeply for the less fortunate and made sure to separate ten percent of his harvest for them. When Ruth came to glean from what was left for the poor, Boaz ensured extra grain was purposefully dropped, so she would have enough for herself and her mother-in-law, Naomi (also known as Mara). Because they each prioritized the needs of others, Ruth and Boaz earned the honor of becoming ancestors to a royal lineage. In my own life, there have been times when I was supported and other times when I had the privilege to help others. The world depends on each person giving their all to help others succeed. My parents taught us that when one person succeeds, we all succeed. This lesson has stayed with me throughout my life. My parents supported me in many ways during my education, but one thing I especially appreciate is how they always made sure I had food to take to school. This simple act lightened my mental load and allowed me to focus on my studies—a lesson in easing someone else’s burden that has become deeply ingrained in me. Later, when my sister entered her graduate program, I noticed she was struggling to manage her home life. Following my parents’ example, I prepared meals for her and helped babysit her children when needed. Life is a circle, and it is essential to help one another succeed. Currently, I am enrolled in the Family Nurse Practitioner Program and am committed to achieving my goal. I know it will require dedication, hard work, and support from those around me. I am grateful to my parents, who taught me by example—taking to heart the lessons of Boaz and Avraham Avinu, and instilling in us the value of giving without expectation. Even if someone cannot repay your kindness, G-d will find a way to take care of you. As a student, I face the significant financial challenge of paying private school tuition while working full-time and completing my studies. Despite these obstacles, I remain deeply dedicated to becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner. I hope to minimize my reliance on student loans, so I can focus fully on serving my future patients and giving back to the communities that need it most. Just as my family helped me succeed, I am determined to help my patients improve their lives through my work as a Nurse Practitioner.

I chose nursing because I believe in helping people, especially during times when they may not have the ability to express their needs themselves. The Torah contains numerous instances that demonstrate the importance of caring for the sick and speaking up to advocate for others. These are two very important factors of being a nurse. I believe in continuing education to always improve our care of our patients. I am currently registered in an MSN program to become a Family Nurse Practitioner. In this way, I will be able to directly assist my patients by helping to diagnose and treat them. In the Torah, there is a very important passage that shows how important it is to take care of the sick. When Abraham got his circumcision, he was not feeling well, and G-d came to visit him. This shows us that it is imperative to care for the sick. By showing Abraham He cared and ensuring he healed properly, G-d made it possible for Abraham to father an entire great nation and form the Jewish religion. This has shown me how to care for the sick. It is vital to check in with the patients and make sure they are healing well. To be a nurse, you not only need to be dedicated to your field, make sure you know how to care for the sick, and understand the medical information, but you also need to be able to speak up on behalf of your patients. The patient’s health and care depend on a nurse being able to stand up for them in the face of adversity. There are times when a nurse must speak against the orders of the providers. This can be seen as being Chutzpa and insubordination. However, as the nurse, if we feel that it is not safe for the patient, it is imperative to stand our ground and protect our patients. Providers are human and can make mistakes, which is why it is so important to have all members of the team feel confident enough to speak up before we cause harm to our patients. The Torah also has an instance where someone had to overcome an adversary who seemed more powerful than them, yet even with physical disabilities, it was possible for this person to become one of the greatest people to lead the Jewish people. Moshe Rabbeinu had all the reasons to feel insecure about his ability to stand up to Pharoah. He had a lisp, which made it very difficult to speak clearly. This physical impediment made Moshe question his ability to defy Pharaoh and to shepherd the Jewish people out of the Egyptian exile. However, G-d believed in him, and this gave him the strength to do what was necessary. This led to having one of the greatest leaders of the Jewish nation. Moshe is known as the best Teacher that the Jewish nation ever had. When others’ lives depend on us, it is very important to set aside our personal insecurities and accomplish what is necessary to keep them safe. We need to gather our Chutzpah and direct it to improve the lives of the people around us.

My name is Katherine Aronova, and I am currently in the Accelerated Nursing Program in Mercy College Bronx campus. I am working very hard toward becoming a nurse and studying very diligently. Nursing is a field that has a lot of variability and does not fall only within one category of work. There are so many things that a person can do and, I truly love that I have this variety to choose from. I know that I can dedicate my time and energy toward various fields and they all quality under the category of my degree and license. In nursing you can work in hospitals, or clinics or even become a teacher. I know that after some time of working as an RN I would like to eventually go back to school again and learn to be a Nurse Practitioner by getting my doctorate in Nursing. I would love to be a provider while also helping to educate the future nurses. Currently, it is my goal to become a registered nurse, preferably in the OB/GYN setting of nursing. I find maternity to be fascinating and thankfully very needed in society In the past I have worked as a biology teacher for middle schoolers. I have also worked for many years in an Assisted Living Home for Adults- Elm York Care Center. I have balanced many different hats in these jobs. In Elm York I worked simultaneously as the Case Manager’s Assistant, Administrative Assistant, and the Receptionist. During my breaks between semesters, I try to get as many jobs as possible to help to make ends meet. However, I hope to be able to continue to work as minimally as possible during the program to ensure I succeed in accomplishing my goal of becoming a nurse. I am always taking every opportunity to learn as much as possible in every moment of time that I can. This summer I will be continuing my education in the nursing program, while simultaneously attending a nursing assistant program to help advance my nursing knowledge. I strongly believe in being prepared and ready for when it I time to take responsibility. In a few months' time I will be taking my NCLEX and treating patients. I want to be as prepared as possible for when it is time for me to be the nurse on hand. For this reason, I am taking every opportunity I can to learn as much as possible during this time. Being a nurse is a very big responsibility and I take this very seriously. I believe that it is most important to provide quality care to the people who come to you for care. By educating ourselves we can provide the type of care that the people expect and deserve to receive. I would greatly appreciate it if you could help me succeed in my goals by giving me this scholarship. Thank you, Katherine Aronova