To me, community service is the act of using your time, skills, and compassion to uplift others and strengthen the bonds that connect people. It is not limited to formal volunteer hours or organized projects, but extends into everyday acts of kindness, advocacy, and support. Community service is about recognizing that we are all interconnected, and that even small efforts can ripple outward to create lasting change. For me, it represents a commitment to be present for others and to contribute in ways that leave individuals and communities stronger than before. My journey into nursing reflects this philosophy. Before entering nursing school, I spent over a decade as an elementary school teacher. Teaching taught me that community service often begins in small, consistent actions—encouraging a child who feels discouraged, guiding a family through challenges, and celebrating milestones together. In many ways, the classroom was my first community, where I learned how to meet people where they are and adapt to their unique needs. That same spirit now drives me in my work in healthcare. As a Behavioral Health Technician at Children’s Hospital of Colorado, I see every day how compassionate care impacts families. I have supported patients through difficult procedures, comforted anxious parents, and worked alongside nurses to provide safe, effective care. These experiences have shown me that healthcare is not just about physical healing; it is about emotional support, advocacy, and education. Each interaction, no matter how small, is an opportunity to serve someone in a meaningful way. As I continue my education and step fully into nursing, I plan to give back to my community by combining my background in education with my dedication to healthcare. My goal is to work in pediatric or maternal-child nursing, where I can serve both patients and families. Education will remain central to my practice—whether it is teaching parents about newborn care, guiding families through chronic disease management, or empowering children to understand their own health. Knowledge gives people confidence and control, and I see it as one of the most powerful forms of service I can provide. Beyond my professional responsibilities, I hope to expand my impact through volunteer work. I envision myself participating in school-based health programs, local health fairs, and free clinics that serve vulnerable populations. My passion is reaching families who may not otherwise have access to reliable healthcare education. I want to bridge gaps for those facing financial, cultural, or systemic barriers, ensuring that they feel supported and seen. By providing preventative education and accessible care, I believe we can reduce disparities and build healthier communities. Ultimately, community service means committing to something larger than myself. Nursing is not only a career for me—it is a calling to serve, to advocate, and to heal. Every patient encounter is an opportunity to embody compassion and responsibility, and every community engagement is a chance to create change. Through my work, I plan to dedicate my life to ensuring that individuals and families feel cared for, empowered, and valued.

Between college and high school, I took a gap year. I wanted to take some time and figure out what I wanted to do with my life before jumping headfirst into college. While I had the opportunity to travel around the world, one of my most memorable experiences was when I had the opportunity to go up to New Hampshire and obtain my Wilderness EMT. I had been an EMT for 2 years before that, but the outdoors had always been, and still is, one of my biggest passions. I thought it was a great opportunity to combine two passions together; helping people and the outdoors. The course took place over a week in Conway, New Hampshire at the SOLO School, which specializes in wilderness medicine. The goal of the course was to teach EMTs how to properly administer care in a remote setting, adapting and using limited supplies and materials one might find in the wilderness. For that week, myself and 10 other students learned how to do everything from basic first aid in the woods, to making stretchers out of branches and string, to carrying someone out of the woods safely and as fast as possible. It taught us how to pivot and adapt to situations quickly where we might not have all the supplies we need and we might be far away from a healthcare facility. We spent a week in the woods, working closely as a team to come up with solutions to problems. This class, though it was almost 20 years ago, has stuck with me ever since, teaching me how to be adaptable in situations and be creative in solutions. Since then, I have been in jobs and situations that require adaptability and I think my ability to be flexible stems from this class. Nursing is a second career for me, while teaching was my first. Working in medicine has always been something I have wanted to do, though life is not always a straight path and I decided to be a teacher while in college. Though it took a few years, I am excited to be able to return to the medicine field and go to nursing school. I think about my road to get here and how I needed to adapt to different situations along the way. I think the experience of my WEMT class taught me how to be resilient and adjust to different situations. I also think that the background I have in being an EMT will help me be a better nurse, since it has set the groundwork for thinking quickly on my feet. As a nurse, I would love to return to outdoor medicine in some way, tying my two passions together once again.

I am currently a nursing student at Regis University’s Loretto Heights School of Nursing, building upon a background in education and healthcare that has shaped my commitment to service and compassion. Before pursuing nursing, I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and worked as an elementary school teacher for over a decade. Teaching young children taught me patience, adaptability, and the importance of meeting people where they are—skills that have translated seamlessly into nursing. I now work as a Behavioral Health Specialist at Children’s Hospital Colorado, where I support patients and families during challenging moments. These experiences have given me a deep appreciation for both the art and science of nursing, and have confirmed my calling to care for others in a meaningful way. My decision to pursue nursing stems from both professional and personal experiences. Growing up, I always felt drawn to helping others, whether through teaching, mentoring, or community involvement. Throughout high school and college, I was involved in community outreach and when I took a year off before college, I traveled the world, volunteering with underserved communities. These experiences really drove my passion to help others. When I transitioned into healthcare, I found myself inspired by the nurses I worked alongside—their clinical expertise, compassion, and ability to advocate for patients motivated me to follow the same path. Additionally, my family’s experiences with illness and caregiving gave me firsthand insight into how transformative and impactful quality nursing care can be. I chose nursing not only because it allows me to provide direct patient care, but also because it gives me the opportunity to support entire families, empower individuals through education, and make a tangible difference in people’s lives. Looking ahead, I plan to make a difference in nursing by combining my background in education with my clinical practice. I believe patient education is one of the most powerful tools in promoting health and preventing complications. Whether teaching a new parent how to care for their newborn, guiding an older adult through medication management, or supporting a patient struggling with anxiety, I want to empower people with knowledge and confidence. My long-term goal is to work in a specialty that allows me to continue learning and advocating—potentially pediatrics, obstetrics, or behavioral health—while always centering the human connection at the heart of nursing. Ultimately, nursing is more than a career for me—it is a calling. Through compassion, advocacy, and education, I hope to leave every patient and family I encounter feeling heard, supported, and cared for.

I am currently a nursing student at Regis University’s Loretto Heights School of Nursing, building upon a background in education and healthcare that has shaped my commitment to service and compassion. Before pursuing nursing, I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and worked as an elementary school teacher for over a decade. Teaching young children taught me patience, adaptability, and the importance of meeting people where they are—skills that have translated seamlessly into nursing. I now work as a Behavioral Health Specialist at Children’s Hospital Colorado, where I support patients and families during challenging moments. These experiences have given me a deep appreciation for both the art and science of nursing, and have confirmed my calling to care for others in a meaningful way. My decision to pursue nursing stems from both professional and personal experiences. Growing up, I always felt drawn to helping others, whether through teaching, mentoring, or community involvement. Throughout high school and college, I was involved in community outreach and when I took a year off before college, I traveled the world, volunteering with underserved communities. These experiences really drove my passion to help others. When I transitioned into healthcare, I found myself inspired by the nurses I worked alongside—their clinical expertise, compassion, and ability to advocate for patients motivated me to follow the same path. Additionally, my family’s experiences with illness and caregiving gave me firsthand insight into how transformative and impactful quality nursing care can be. I chose nursing not only because it allows me to provide direct patient care, but also because it gives me the opportunity to support entire families, empower individuals through education, and make a tangible difference in people’s lives. Looking ahead, I plan to make a difference in nursing by combining my background in education with my clinical practice. I believe patient education is one of the most powerful tools in promoting health and preventing complications. Whether teaching a new parent how to care for their newborn, guiding an older adult through medication management, or supporting a patient struggling with anxiety, I want to empower people with knowledge and confidence. My long-term goal is to work in a specialty that allows me to continue learning and advocating—potentially pediatrics, obstetrics, or behavioral health—while always centering the human connection at the heart of nursing. Ultimately, nursing is more than a career for me—it is a calling. Through compassion, advocacy, and education, I hope to leave every patient and family I encounter feeling heard, supported, and cared for.

I am currently a nursing student at Regis University’s Loretto Heights School of Nursing, building upon a background in education and healthcare that has shaped my commitment to service and compassion. Before pursuing nursing, I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and worked as an elementary school teacher for over a decade. Teaching young children taught me patience, adaptability, and the importance of meeting people where they are—skills that have translated seamlessly into nursing. I now work as a Behavioral Health Specialist at Children’s Hospital Colorado, where I support patients and families during challenging moments. These experiences have given me a deep appreciation for both the art and science of nursing, and have confirmed my calling to care for others in a meaningful way. My decision to pursue nursing stems from both professional and personal experiences. Growing up, I always felt drawn to helping others, whether through teaching, mentoring, or community involvement. Throughout high school and college, I was involved in community outreach and when I took a year off before college, I traveled the world, volunteering with underserved communities. These experiences really drove my passion to help others. When I transitioned into healthcare, I found myself inspired by the nurses I worked alongside—their clinical expertise, compassion, and ability to advocate for patients motivated me to follow the same path. Additionally, my family’s experiences with illness and caregiving gave me firsthand insight into how transformative and impactful quality nursing care can be. I chose nursing not only because it allows me to provide direct patient care, but also because it gives me the opportunity to support entire families, empower individuals through education, and make a tangible difference in people’s lives. Looking ahead, I plan to make a difference in nursing by combining my background in education with my clinical practice. I believe patient education is one of the most powerful tools in promoting health and preventing complications. Whether teaching a new parent how to care for their newborn, guiding an older adult through medication management, or supporting a patient struggling with anxiety, I want to empower people with knowledge and confidence. My long-term goal is to work in a specialty that allows me to continue learning and advocating—potentially pediatrics, obstetrics, or behavioral health—while always centering the human connection at the heart of nursing. Ultimately, nursing is more than a career for me—it is a calling. Through compassion, advocacy, and education, I hope to leave every patient and family I encounter feeling heard, supported, and cared for.

I am currently a nursing student at Regis University’s Loretto Heights School of Nursing, building upon a background in education and healthcare that has shaped my commitment to service and compassion. Before pursuing nursing, I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and worked as an elementary school teacher for over a decade. Teaching young children taught me patience, adaptability, and the importance of meeting people where they are—skills that have translated seamlessly into nursing. I now work as a Behavioral Health Specialist at Children’s Hospital Colorado, where I support patients and families during challenging moments. These experiences have given me a deep appreciation for both the art and science of nursing, and have confirmed my calling to care for others in a meaningful way. My decision to pursue nursing stems from both professional and personal experiences. Growing up, I always felt drawn to helping others, whether through teaching, mentoring, or community involvement. Throughout high school and college, I was involved in community outreach and when I took a year off before college, I traveled the world, volunteering with underserved communities. These experiences really drove my passion to help others. When I transitioned into healthcare, I found myself inspired by the nurses I worked alongside—their clinical expertise, compassion, and ability to advocate for patients motivated me to follow the same path. Additionally, my family’s experiences with illness and caregiving gave me firsthand insight into how transformative and impactful quality nursing care can be. I chose nursing not only because it allows me to provide direct patient care, but also because it gives me the opportunity to support entire families, empower individuals through education, and make a tangible difference in people’s lives. Looking ahead, I plan to make a difference in nursing by combining my background in education with my clinical practice. I believe patient education is one of the most powerful tools in promoting health and preventing complications. Whether teaching a new parent how to care for their newborn, guiding an older adult through medication management, or supporting a patient struggling with anxiety, I want to empower people with knowledge and confidence. My long-term goal is to work in a specialty that allows me to continue learning and advocating—potentially pediatrics, obstetrics, or behavioral health—while always centering the human connection at the heart of nursing. Ultimately, nursing is more than a career for me—it is a calling. Through compassion, advocacy, and education, I hope to leave every patient and family I encounter feeling heard, supported, and cared for.

Between college and highschool, I took a gap year. I wanted to take some time and figure out what I wanted to do with my life before jumping headfirst into college. While I had the opportunity to travel around the world, one of my most memorable experiences was when I had the opportunity to go up to New Hampshire and obtain my Wilderness EMT. I had been an EMT for 2 years before that, but the outdoors had always been, and still is, one of my biggest passions. I thought it was a great opportunity to combine two passions together; helping people and the outdoors. The course took place over a week in Conway, New Hampshire at the SOLO School, which specializes in wilderness medicine. The goal of the course was to teach EMTs how to properly administer care in a remote setting, adapting and using limited supplies and materials one might find in the wilderness. For that week, myself and 10 other students learned how to do everything from basic first aid in the woods, to making stretchers out of branches and string, to carrying someone out of the woods safely and as fast as possible. It taught us how to pivot and adapt to situations quickly where we might not have all the supplies we need and we might be far away from a healthcare facility. We spent a week in the woods, working closely as a team to come up with solutions to problems. This class, though it was almost 20 years ago, has stuck with me ever since, teaching me how to be adaptable in situations and be creative in solutions. Since then, I have been in jobs and situations that require adaptability and I think my ability to be flexible stems from this class. Nursing is a second career for me, while teaching was my first. Working in medicine has always been something I have wanted to do, though life is not always a straight path and I decided to be a teacher while in college. Though it took a few years, I am excited to be able to return to the medicine field and go to nursing school. I think about my road to get here and how I needed to adapt to different situations along the way. I think the experience of my WEMT class taught me how to be resilient and adjust to different situations. I also think that the background I have in being an EMT will help me be a better nurse, since it has set the groundwork for thinking quickly on my feet. As a nurse, I would love to return to outdoor medicine in some way, tying my two passions together once again.