I have wanted to work in healthcare my entire life. Ever since I was a child I was inspired by my mother, who has been a nurse for over twenty years. She has always been my bigest role model. Her compassion for others and dedication to helping those in need is what opened my eyes to the importance of our nation’s healthcare workers. In 2013, when I was ten years old, my parents went through a devastating divorce. I was destroyed, unsure of my future, and burdened with worries for my family despite my young age. My mother, despite her personal situation, still woke up every day, put on her scrubs, and took care of strangers in their moments of need. It came to a point where she was living in her car, but she never lost her intense dedication to her patients, still showing up to work 12-hour night shifts. It took hard work, but eventually, she got back up onto her feet and made a life for not only herself, but for my sister and me, and for that strength I have always admired her. As I got older, I began my journey to graduate high school with an associate’s degree in science, taking my first active step towards my dream of following in her footsteps to become a nurse. At this time, she had stopped working in an intensive care unit and dedicated her life to being a hospice nurse. Her job was to visit the homes of the ill and dying and make the last weeks and months of their lives as comfortable and peaceful as possible. I have had the honor of shadowing her, observing the work she does, and the love her patients grow to have for her. There have been times in the dead of night where she would drive hours to hold the hand of patients as they take their last breaths, and to comfort the family as they grieve. In witnessing this, my passion for healthcare and nursing only increased, and I worked even harder to achieve my dream of joining her one day. Now, in these unprecedented and trying times, my mother is on the front lines of this pandemic, venturing into nursing homes to relieve the pain and suffering of those infected. Now, more than ever I understand how important our nation’s healthcare workers are, and want so immensely to join them one day. My mother throughout all of this has actively encouraged me to pursue my dream. I receive criticism from some people in my life. Some tell me that I shouldn't pursue this career because I won't be making very much money, others say I don't have the courage to actually see my dream through. But my mom has always been encouraging, proud of me for working so hard to achieve my dream. Her support has gotten me through the rigorous academic schedule for me to graduate with my associate's degree in high school. I have even managed to make it into the top ten students in my graduating class rank. Without her, I'm sure I could not have made it this far. People have always told me I resemble my mom, both physically and mentally, my entire life. They say I have her spirit, her drive, and her sense of humor. As mother and daughter, we are extremely close, and I feel like I can tell her anything. She has always been my role model, and I am proud to say she is the reason I want so badly to pursue a career in healthcare.

I have wanted nothing more than to be a nurse my entire life. Ever since I was a child I was inspired by my mother, who has been a nurse for over twenty years. Her compassion for others and dedication to helping those in need is what opened my eyes to the importance of our nation’s healthcare workers. As I got older, I began my journey through high school. I applied to JP Knapp Early College, landed an interview, and got accepted, taking my first active step towards my dream of following in my mothers' footsteps to become a nurse. At this time, my mom had stopped working in an intensive care unit in a hospital, and dedicated her life to being a hospice nurse. Her job was to visit the homes of the ill and dying, and make the last weeks and months of their lives as comfortable and peaceful as possible. I have had the honor of shadowing her, observing the work she does, and the love her patients grow to have for her. There have been times in the dead of night where she would drive hours to hold the hand of patients as they take their last breaths, and to comfort the family as they grieve. In witnessing this, my passion for healthcare and nursing only increased, and I worked even harder to achieve my dream of joining her one day. Then, in 2019, any child's worst nightmare happened. A woman came to my door when I was home alone to tell me that my mom had been in a devastating car accident, and that she was being airlifted to the nearest hospital. My heart dropped as I imagined a life without her. The next few days I held my breath, visiting her in the hospital and seeing first hand the damage the wreck had done. Here face was badly cut, her eyelids covered in stitches, and her pelvis completely shattered in several places. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she was released from the hospital. She was going to be ok eventually, but there were still many unanswered questions. She was the sole breadwinner in our family, and now she was unable to work. Times were hard, and finances stressful, but my number one concern was to be the nurse for her that she had always been for me in times of injury and illness. Every day, I helped her walk, bathe, dress her wounds, and take her medications. She needed two shots of blood thinner a day, and a wide array of pain medicines. It would be months before she could properly walk again. During this time I got a window into the dedication, compassion, and patience it takes to be a nurse. I was only 16, and she was of course my only patient, but the experience nonetheless inspired me. As my mom got better, slowly but surely, I turned my attention back to academics. I was going to do anything it took to get my associates in science degree while still high school, and get into a good college. With my parent's help, I exceled, earning myself a rank in the top ten out of my graduating class. Now, in these unprecedented and trying times, my mother is on the front lines of this pandemic, venturing into nursing homes to relieve the pain and suffering of those infected. It has been a little over a year since her accident, and she has been lucky enough to fully regain her ability to walk. Now, more than ever I understand how important our nation’s healthcare workers are, and want so immensely to join them one day. That is why I am now applying to colleges to study as a nursing student. I will need every penny of scholarship money I can get in order to pay for my education, and so now I have started applying wherever I can for merit based aid. To take this next step towards achieving my oldest and truest dream would mean the world to me, and I thank you for considering me for this scholarship.