My name is Kattie Lopez, and I am a proud Mexican-American young woman who is dedicated to pursuing all of my goals. I am a first-generation student, and I am incredibly grateful to have access to higher education. My parents were not able to attend university due to the limitations they faced as young men and women. My mother's highest level of education was high school, and my father's highest level of education was the sixth grade.  As a daughter of immigrant parents, I have seen the sacrifices that they have made throughout their lives. They are my biggest motivation, and they are the reason that I continue to do my best even when things feel impossible. The difficulties that they have faced have encouraged me to stay determined and resilient.  My childhood ignited my passion for healthcare. Growing up, healthcare was seen as a privilege rather than a human right. My family was always very hesitant to seek medical help, due to limitations such as language barriers and the high costs associated with healthcare.  Being a healthcare professional has always been one of my biggest goals, which is why I am so grateful to be working towards my bachelor of science in nursing at Arizona State University. To me, being a nurse is so much more than just a job. Being a nurse involves being there for others during their most vulnerable moments. It means being able to heal others and providing them with the care essential to their wellbeing.  Nurses are essential to the healthcare system, and I strongly believe that there needs to be more diversity in nursing. Promoting diversity in healthcare is vital as it can significantly improve patient outcomes. Seeing providers with the same ethnic backgrounds can comfort patients as many minority groups experience feeling uncomfortable or neglected in clinical settings.  As an aspiring nurse, I am very passionate when learning about the different issues in healthcare. One of the most interesting yet disappointing topics that I focus on is the maternal mortality rate as well as the mortality rates among minority groups. These statistics have to change, and I want to contribute to that change.  With the help of this scholarship, I can comfortably attend college. Although I am so thankful for the opportunity to attend a university, the costs can be overwhelming. I am a low-income student and daughter of a single mother. I have seen the challenges that my mother has faced, which is why I work during the entire year. Working has allowed me to pay for college and personal expenses such as textbooks, parking, and care insurance, but it can be stressful when taking 18 credit hours and multiple sciences. I often feel tired as school is a full-time job in itself, but I rarely ever express that to my mother. I don’t want her to ever worry about me as she already has enough to worry about.  Overall, this opportunity would allow me to pay for college expenses that are essential to my success as a pre-nursing student. I am incredibly passionate about healthcare, and I look forward to increasing the percentage of Hispanic nurses.

I was introduced to the feeling of anxiety from a very young age. As a child, I found myself constantly feeling afraid and nervous when I saw any form of government vehicle. Upon seeing these vehicles I found myself thinking about specific family members. I worried that one day my family would forcefully have to move and that I would no longer have a close relationship with them. I worried that they would be treated with disrespect and cruelty simply because they weren’t born in this country. I worried that I would no longer be able to see my father. The feeling of anxiety consumed me constantly, and I rarely felt at ease.  I have been informed on immigration policies and law enforcement ever since I could remember. It was always a topic that was heavily discussed throughout my life, and I knew that those who were undocumented didn’t have the same opportunities that U.S. citizens did. I was constantly reminded of this when it came to my father. The smallest and simplest tasks served as reminders, and I hated it. I hated not being able to do things without considering the consequences. I hated going on family trips without my father because he was not allowed to go. My family and I were always doing everything “right” so that nothing would happen to my father, and it worked out for the first 13 years of my life.  March 2017 is a time in my life that I will never forget. In March 2017, I received a five-minute phone call from my mother that completely altered my life. The words “Your dad didn’t get his citizenship, and is not going to be able to go back to Arizona” came from her mouth and I quickly found myself on the ground and unable to form words. I couldn't believe it. We had done everything right. We had worked so hard, and we had waited so long for my father's citizenship, so how was it that I was hearing these words?  This date changed my life, and for many years I didn't know what to do. I didn't know who to tell, and I didn't know who to talk to. It felt like my father was gone. I grieved someone who was still living. I felt lost for a long time. How was I supposed to go back to “normal?” How was a thirteen-year-old girl supposed to live without her father after spending all of her life in the same home as him?  I became a different person for a long time. I was very introverted, and I noticed that I stopped being interested in the things that excited me the most. I felt angry most of the time, and I also felt high levels of sadness. My family and I had to adapt to a life without my father. My mom had to pick up a second job, and I felt useless for not being able to help her with finances.  My mother is still a single parent to this day, and I couldn't be more proud of her. This situation negatively impacted my life, but I will continue to be resilient and work towards everything that I desire. I hope that I can give back to my family as a future nurse because they have given me so much.

I have been familiar with the term "bucket list" for as long as I can remember. My mother would always talk about her list and how she wrote it with her childhood best friend. Her best fried unfortunately passed away a couple years after writing that list. To this day my mother mentions how she is determined to complete everything she wrote on her list. Her determination comes from the idea that her best friend is watching over her, and the strong bond that they shared. I have always thought that this story was touching and beautiful, but I had never taken the time to physically write things out and label them as a bucket list. This, however changed last Christmas. I opened my gift from my mother, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that she had gifted me my very own bucket list book. I immediately started writing. I have had this same goal since I was very little. My goal was to make my mother proud, and to repay her for her kindness and bravery. My mother immigrated to the US from Mexico at a young age. She faced many hardships and financial struggles. Seeing all of the sacrifices she made in order for my sister and I to live comfortably heavily impacted how I view her. I'm working to be successful for her and for myself. I would like her live without worrying about money. I have already started working towards this goal. I was recently accepted into ASU College of Health Solutions, and my mother and I are both so excited. I will make my mother proud!

Hobbies are a big part of who we are, and it is important that we have them. They enhance our lives and they allow us to spend our time doing something we love! They promote creativity and good mental health. The thing I love most about hobbies is that there are plenty of them. There is a hobby for everyone! One of my favorite hobbies is reading! I read mostly self-help books such as "The Secret" by Rhonda Bryrne. They are constantly expanding my knowledge, and they help me see the world in various ways. I have learned so much from reading. It has truly made a positive impact in my mindset, and my overall day to day life. I also love to shop and upcycle clothing! Getting new clothes brings a lot of joy into my life. To me, clothing is more than just cloth we wear everyday. Clothing allows me to express myself and my creativity. Everyones style is different, and it is fun to see how people style and combine different pieces. Whether it may be reading, shopping or something completely different, hobbies encourage people to have fun, and enjoy themselves! They add happiness and passion into our lives. They are great for the mind, and they help to reduce stress. Everyone should make time for their hobbies, because they provide us with so much knowledge and love!