I am 42 years old and I just finished my third year of undergraduate studies at a university which included my second semester of nursing school. I am heading into my third semester of the Nursing Program in the Fall of 2026. It is a very competitive program with a demanding courseload. Growing up on the Navajo reservation, I spent most of my time with my grandfather when I was young. My grandfather showed patience when taking care of myself and my three sisters. He was always so calm and attentive. My grandfather was a Medicine Man. He spent his life serving the needs of the community he lived in and near to. My grandfather passed when I was just a little kid. He became very ill suddenly and spoke with me one last time. I will always remember him for his kindness, his love, fun personality and traditional teachings. My grandfather is my inspiration for caring for others. He taught me that everyone matters. I have wanted to be a nurse for so long. I am older than all the students in my cohort, but I am learning the same material to become a nurse. I have worked as a medical assistant for 21 years and about 3 years ago after being accepted to attend Northern Arizona University I decided that I would enroll as a full-time student. We had a family meeting, discussed it with the kids, and with everyone's support and encouragement, I was confident and ready. Working as a medical assistant I had the drive to learn more. I want to save lives. Managing chronic health is lifesaving to some degree, but it's not how I saw my future in healthcare. I always had an overwhelming feeling that I could be doing more to help people. Being a nurse is what I initially wanted to do before becoming a medical assistant. However, I didn't know what to do, or how to enroll in college, and going to MA school seemed less intimidating at the time. Unfortunately, I have not been able to work as a medical assistant while in school due to the demanding full-time hours of lectures and assignments. I miss the interactions I had with patients, but I know that I am working toward providing excellent care to patients again. I would like to be a trauma or an OR nurse. I have so much appreciation for nurses because of what they do, the sacrifices they make, and the level of skill they have in caring for complete strangers. Being a nurse is a demanding role to take on. Nursing comes with a lot of sacrifice; it takes compassion, empathy and patience. Becoming a nurse is not something to take for granted. I am excited and I am ready for the challenge. I know I will be an excellent nurse, and I am confident in the quality care that I will soon be providing for many individuals in years to come. I hope that once I gain experience and become confident in my skills as a registered nurse, I can make a positive impact in the healthcare field by becoming a teacher for newer nurses as they enter the field. I will continue to be efficient with the great quality of care I will provide to all patients. My instructor has asked me to be a peer mentor; I think that I can continue to encourage nursing students as they enter the nursing program or continue their studies.

I am currently a second semester nursing student, I am 42 years old, I have four kids, I grew up on the Navajo Nation in Arizona. I have worked in the medical field as a medical assistant for 21 years. I am now a patient safety attendant at the local hospital. This is the same hospital I have hopes of doing my preceptorship at. I chose this location because of the diverse people they serve here. It is a border town so, there are many Native Americans that are treated at this location. It is also close to Grand Canyon serving the tourism visitors that visit this state. I chose to pursue nursing so that I can provide care to patients within the hospital setting. I think that I will make a great advocate for patients when they are in my care. I believe that it's important to treat every patient with the same care, grace, compassion and dignity that I would want to be treated with. Being a nurse is a selfless occupation to go into. As a nurse we will all give ourselves to each patient, prioritizing their comfort over our own. In the medical field we tell each other to "take care of yourself", however, we are more likely to take care of everyone around us first. One of my inspirations is my grandfather, he was a well-known Medicine Man within the community he lived in and other communities he visited. He did this up until he became ill with what turned out to be advanced cancer. He was a great person to be around. He loved my grandmother so much, and loved his children, even as they became adults. He loved us, his grandchildren. Seeing him care for so many people as I was a child was something I look back on quite often. He cared for people with a different form of payment, he requested plants from the areas he visited, so he could make more medicine with it, to help others. This was the part of our tradition that he practiced. My biggest support system is my family. When I say my family, I mean my husband and our kids, which now includes our nephew who lost his mom to COVID-19. The year before I enrolled in the university, my husband bought me a laptop for Mother's Day. He told me, "Now you have no excuses to put off going back to school." I didn't make any excuses; I enrolled the next year. I failed my first attempt at Intro to Math, with my reservation education, I wasn't surprised, because it was more math than I ever did in high school. I failed my final by 8 points. I immediately enrolled in the same class, with the same instructor the next semester, I passed. I was so proud of myself for not letting that one class deter me. This was why I enrolled in a summer Human Anatomy class, to stay on track. I was set on the year I will graduate and I am not willing to go past that. To this day, my husband and our kids are so encouraging. I get encouragement for every exam I take, and the dreadful wait time to see my scores. My family will always be my motivation. As I study until 2 am or 3 am some nights, I think about our future, and about my kid's success. Thank you for your time.

I am 42 years young, and I am heading into my third semester this Fall. Growing up on the Navajo reservation, I spent most of my time with my grandfather when I was young. My grandfather was always calm and attentive and a great teacher of our traditions. My grandfather was a Medicine Man. He spent his life serving the needs of the community he lived in and near to. My grandfather never asked for payment for his traditional services. He only asked for plants that were from the areas he visited. With the plants he made more medicine so that he could continue to treat others. My grandfather passed when I was just a little kid. He became very ill suddenly and spoke with me one last time. I will always remember him for his kindness, his love, fun personality and traditional teachings. My grandfather is my inspiration for caring for others. He taught me that everyone matters. I have wanted to be a nurse for so long. I am older than all the students in my cohort, but I am learning the same material to become a nurse. I have worked as a medical assistant for 21 years and previously applied to a community college approximately 15 years ago, then putting that off because of family life, working to pay bills and providing for my family. About 3 years ago I decided that I would finally enroll in school with a full-time course schedule. We had a family meeting, discussed it with the kids, and with everyone's support and encouragement, it was full steam ahead. Working as a medical assistant I had the drive to learn more. I want to save lives. Managing chronic health is lifesaving to some degree, but it's not how I envisioned myself staying in healthcare. There was always this overwhelming feeling that I could do more to help people. Being a nurse is what I wanted to do before becoming a medical assistant. I just had no idea what to do, or how to enroll in college, and going to MA school seemed less intimidating at the time. Unfortunately, I have not been able to work as a medical assistant while in school due to the demanding full-time hours of lectures and assignments. Looking back through all the years of growing up in poor conditions and without stability, I used that as motivation to do better for my kids than my parents did for my sisters and myself. I want to be able to help my children at a moment’s notice when they're adults. As kids, I do everything I can for them now and it's a very rewarding feeling because my kids know how much I love them and how much they mean to me. I am teaching them to be caring and to have compassion for others. Nursing will allow me to provide a higher level of care for patients. I would like to be a trauma or an OR nurse. I have so much appreciation for nurses because of what they do, the sacrifices they make, and the level of skill they have in caring for complete strangers. Being a nurse is a demanding role to take on. Nursing comes with a lot of sacrifice; it takes compassion, empathy and patience. I am excited and I am ready for the challenge. I know I will be an excellent nurse, and I am confident in the quality care that I will soon be providing for many individuals in years to come. Outside of scrubs I am a mother to 4 amazing children. My oldest just graduated from College with a Bachelors, I have another daughter in college that is aiming for Biology and Pre-Med studies, I have a son in High School and another son going into Junior High. We have also taken in our nephew who lost his mom to the COVID-19 virus, and no father in the picture. To make sure he has an opportunity to be successful, he moved in with us instead of with siblings and has since enrolled in community college. I along with my husband have done everything we can so far to ensure that our children have worked towards opportunities to be independent, successful, and educated. We also love art, music and nature. We have struggled many times, and will continue to support our kids, and we will continue to play games and laugh together, especially when it comes to quoting cheesy movie lines.

I am a 42 years old Native American, Indigenous student. I just finished my third year of undergraduate studies at a university which included my second semester of nursing school. I am heading into my third semester this Fall. It has been very challenging with some rough days. I am strong, resilient, and appreciate what I learned growing up. Looking back through all the years of growing up in poor conditions and without stability, I used that as motivation to do better for my kids knowing that it is more than my parents did for my sisters and myself. I want to be able to help my children at a moment’s notice when they're adults. As kids, I do everything I can for them now and it's a very rewarding feeling because my kids know how much I love them and how much they mean to me. I am teaching them to be caring and to have compassion for others. I was the native kid that was left at my grandparents' home, while my parents went out partying and drinking with their buddies. However, we were receiving a completely different education than our cousins and peers at school. Tradition. I have memories of going to ceremonies with my grandmother, learning how to butcher sheep, cleaning all the organs, nothing went to waste. Chopping wood, building fires, cooking on the wood stove, boiling water to take warm baths. In the winter we would take in the baby sheep and baby goats to keep them warm and healthy near the wood stove. My childhood was rough, but I know it was the foundation that made me who I am today. I left the reservation to pursue a better life for my family, specifically my kids. In my family on and off the reservation, there has always been struggles for them with substance abuse, alcohol use and domestic violence. I did not want to raise my kids around it, since that was what I saw growing up. I know that my kids deserve better, and I wanted to protect them from that life. I do teach my kids about our traditional values, stories my grandfather told us, and for myself, I took a Navajo language class at the university I am currently attending. I know what I had to overcome in my childhood on the reservation. I miss my grandparents every day. My grandmother was my buddy. I would go for a run every day after chores and homework. When I got back my grandma would be coming out with her old glass, jam jar, but with water in it. She would wait for me to finish my cool down and I'd sit with her and listen to her speak. I can see it now, along with the light evening sky. My grandfather passed when I was a little kid, but I still remember what he taught me. He was a Medicine Man until he suddenly became ill. My grandmother lived into her nineties and was my protector. They're together now. I hope that once I gain experience and become confident in my skills as a registered nurse, I can make a positive impact in the healthcare field by becoming a teacher for newer nurses as they enter the field. I will continue to be efficient with the great quality of care I will provide to all patients. My instructor has asked me to be a peer mentor in the American Indian Program for nursing students; I want to continue to encourage them as they enter the nursing program or continue their studies.

I am 42 years young, and I just finished my third year of undergraduate studies at a university which included my second semester of nursing school. I am heading into my third semester this Fall. It has been very challenging with some rough days. Growing up on the Navajo reservation, I spent most of my time with my grandfather when I was really young. My grandfather showed patience when taking care of myself and my three sisters. He was always so calm and attentive. My grandfather was a Medicine Man. He spent his live serving the needs of the community he lived at and near to. My grandfather never asked for payment for his traditional services. He only asked for plants that were from the areas he visited. With the plants he made more medicine so that he could continue to treat others. My grandfather passed when I was just a little kid. He became very ill suddenly and spoke with me one last time. I will always remember him for his kindness, his love, fun personality and traditional teachings. My grandfather is my inspiration for caring for others. He taught me that everyone matters. Working as a medical assistant I had the drive to learn more. There was always this overwhelming feeling that I could be doing so much more to help people. Being a nurse is what I wanted to do before becoming a medical assistant. I just had no idea what to do, or how to enroll in college, and going to MA school seemed less intimidating at the time. Unfortunately, I have not been able to work as a medical assistant while in school due to the demanding full-time hours of lectures and assignments. I miss the interactions I had with patients, but I know that I am working toward providing excellent care to patients again. Nursing will allow me to provide a higher level of care for patients. I would like to be a trauma or an OR nurse. I have so much appreciation for nurses because of what they do, the sacrifices they make, and the level of skill they have in caring for complete strangers. Being a nurse is a demanding role to take on. Nursing comes with a lot of sacrifice; it takes compassion, empathy and patience. Becoming a nurse is not something to take for granted. I am excited and I am ready for the challenge. I know I will be an excellent nurse, and I am confident in the quality care that I will soon be providing for many individuals in years to come. I hope that once I gain experience and become confident in my skills as a registered nurse, I can make a positive impact in the healthcare field by becoming a teacher for newer nurses as they enter the field. I will continue to be efficient with the great quality of care I will provide to all patients. My instructor has asked me to be a peer mentor; I think that I can continue to encourage nursing students as they enter the nursing program or continue their studies.

I am a 42 years old Native American, Indigenous student. I just finished my third year of undergraduate studies at a university which included my second semester of nursing school. I am heading into my third semester this Fall. It has been very challenging with some rough days. I have wanted to be a nurse for so long. I am older than all the students in my cohort, but I am learning the same material to become a nurse. I have worked as a medical assistant for 21 years and previously applied to a community college approximately 15 years ago, then putting that off because of family life, working to pay bills and providing for my family. About 3 years ago I decided that I would finally enroll in school with a full-time course schedule. We had a family meeting, discussed it with the kids, and with everyone's support and encouragement, it was full steam ahead. At the time I was working as a full-time medical assistant, and the sole financial provider for our family. This was all about to change and so was the routine for my family, which includes myself, my husband and our four kids. Previously we had fostered my four nieces and nephews. And now we have a nephew living with us while he finishes high school. Working as a medical assistant I had the drive to learn more. There was always this overwhelming feeling that I could be doing so much more to help people. Being a nurse is what I wanted to do before becoming a medical assistant. I just had no idea what to do, or how to enroll in college, and going to MA school seemed less intimidating at the time. Unfortunately, I have not been able to work as a medical assistant while in school due to the demanding full-time hours of lectures and assignments. I miss the interactions I had with patients, but I know that I am working toward providing excellent care to patients again and becoming financially stable with a degree in healthcare. Looking back through all the years of growing up in poor conditions and without stability, I used that as motivation to do better for my kids than my parents did for my sisters and myself. I want to be able to help my children at a moment’s notice when they're adults. As kids, I do everything I can for them now and it's a very rewarding feeling because my kids know how much I love them and how much they mean to me. I am teaching them to be caring and to have compassion for others. Being a nurse is a demanding role to take on. Nursing comes with a lot of sacrifice; it takes compassion, empathy and patience. Becoming a nurse is not something to take for granted. I am excited and I am ready for the challenge. I know I will be an excellent nurse, and I am confident in the quality care that I will soon be providing for many individuals in years to come. I hope that once I gain experience and become confident in my skills as a registered nurse, I can make a positive impact in the healthcare field by becoming a teacher for newer nurses as they enter the field. I will continue to be efficient with the great quality of care I will provide to all patients. My instructor has asked me to be a peer mentor; I think that I can continue to encourage nursing students as they enter the nursing program or continue their studies.

Option 1: I am 42 years young, and I just finished my third year of undergraduate studies at a university which included my second semester of nursing school. I am heading into my third semester this Fall. It has been very challenging with some rough days. Growing up on the Navajo reservation, I spent most of my time with my grandfather when I was really young. My grandfather showed patience when taking care of myself and my three sisters. He was always so calm and attentive. My grandfather was a Medicine Man. He spent his live serving the needs of the community he lived at and near to. My grandfather never asked for payment for his traditional services. He only asked for plants that were from the areas he visited. With the plants he made more medicine so that he could continue to treat others. My grandfather passed when I was just a little kid. He became very ill suddenly and spoke with me one last time. I will always remember him for his kindness, his love, fun personality and traditional teachings. My grandfather is my inspiration for caring for others. He taught me that everyone matters. I have wanted to be a nurse for so long. I am older than all the students in my cohort, but I am learning the same material to become a nurse. I have worked as a medical assistant for 21 years and previously applied to a community college approximately 15 years ago, then putting that off because of family life, working to pay bills and providing for my family. About 3 years ago I decided that I would finally enroll in school with a full-time course schedule. We had a family meeting, discussed it with the kids, and with everyone's support and encouragement, it was full steam ahead. Working as a medical assistant I had the drive to learn more. I want to save lives. Managing chronic health is lifesaving to some degree, but it's not how I envisioned myself staying in healthcare. There was always this overwhelming feeling that I could be doing so much more to help people. Being a nurse is what I wanted to do before becoming a medical assistant. I just had no idea what to do, or how to enroll in college, and going to MA school seemed less intimidating at the time. Unfortunately, I have not been able to work as a medical assistant while in school due to the demanding full-time hours of lectures and assignments. I miss the interactions I had with patients, but I know that I am working toward providing excellent care to patients again. Looking back through all the years of growing up in poor conditions and without stability, I used that as motivation to do better for my kids than my parents did for my sisters and myself. I want to be able to help my children at a moment’s notice when they're adults. As kids, I do everything I can for them now and it's a very rewarding feeling because my kids know how much I love them and how much they mean to me. I am teaching them to be caring and to have compassion for others. Nursing will allow me to provide a higher level of care for patients. I would like to be a trauma or an OR nurse. I have so much appreciation for nurses because of what they do, the sacrifices they make, and the level of skill they have in caring for complete strangers. Being a nurse is a demanding role to take on. Nursing comes with a lot of sacrifice; it takes compassion, empathy and patience. Becoming a nurse is not something to take for granted. I am excited and I am ready for the challenge. I know I will be an excellent nurse, and I am confident in the quality care that I will soon be providing for many individuals in years to come. I hope that once I gain experience and become confident in my skills as a registered nurse, I can make a positive impact in the healthcare field by becoming a teacher for newer nurses as they enter the field. I will continue to be efficient with the great quality of care I will provide to all patients. My instructor has asked me to be a peer mentor; I think that I can continue to encourage nursing students as they enter the nursing program or continue their studies.

I am 42 years young, and I just finished my third year of undergraduate studies at a university which included my second semester of nursing school. I am heading into my third semester this Fall. It has been very challenging with some rough days. I have wanted to be a nurse for so long. I am older than all the students in my cohort, but I am learning the same material to become a nurse. I have worked as a medical assistant for 21 years and previously applied to a community college approximately 15 years ago, then putting that off because of family life, working to pay bills and providing for my family. About 3 years ago I decided that I would finally enroll in school with a full-time course schedule. We had a family meeting, discussed it with the kids, and with everyone's support and encouragement, it was full steam ahead. Working as a medical assistant I had the drive to learn more. I want to save lives. Managing chronic health is lifesaving to some degree, but it's not how I envisioned myself staying in healthcare. There was always this overwhelming feeling that I could be doing so much more to help people. Being a nurse is what I wanted to do before becoming a medical assistant. I just had no idea what to do, or how to enroll in college, and going to MA school seemed less intimidating at the time. Unfortunately, I have not been able to work as a medical assistant while in school due to the demanding full-time hours of lectures and assignments. I miss the interactions I had with patients, but I know that I am working toward providing excellent care to patients again. Looking back through all the years of growing up in poor conditions and without stability, I used that as motivation to do better for my kids than my parents did for my sisters and myself. I want to be able to help my children at a moment’s notice when they're adults. As kids, I do everything I can for them now and it's a very rewarding feeling because my kids know how much I love them and how much they mean to me. I am teaching them to be caring and to have compassion for others. Nursing will allow me to provide a higher level of care for patients. I would like to be a trauma or an OR nurse. I have so much appreciation for nurses because of what they do, the sacrifices they make, and the level of skill they have in caring for complete strangers. Being a nurse is a demanding role to take on. Nursing comes with a lot of sacrifice; it takes compassion, empathy and patience. Becoming a nurse is not something to take for granted. I am excited and I am ready for the challenge. I know I will be an excellent nurse, and I am confident in the quality care that I will soon be providing for many individuals in years to come. I hope that once I gain experience and become confident in my skills as a registered nurse, I can make a positive impact in the healthcare field by becoming a teacher for newer nurses as they enter the field. I will continue to be efficient with the great quality of care I will provide to all patients. My instructor has asked me to be a peer mentor; I think that I can continue to encourage nursing students as they enter the nursing program or continue their studies. I love learning.

Returning to school at the age of 39 has been difficult at times. Initially I was a little intimidated by the thought of returning to school more than 20 years since high school and directly into a university. Also, time had changed so much. I learned to use internet in the era of dial-up and when it would make your phone line busy at the same time. I stumbled in my first semester with math, my weakest subject. When I received my first math assignment in my 8th grade year, I was given a book. Looking at the book, I kept thinking that it looked very familiar. I then realized that I had already completed the same book in the 6th grade back in Alaska. Bringing this up to my teacher I asked for something that would be more challenging so I could learn something new with math, maybe something more advanced. My teacher said that it was the only math book they had for high school. I was shocked. I then went to the principal's office and questioned it as well. I was told again, that it was all they had. I spent the rest of my high school education at this school and never learned anything past 6th grade math. Fast forward to 2023 and in my Intro to Math course, we basically self-taught and it was done electronically. I must say that considering my math history and not being taught by an instructor I was proud to almost past the first time. I failed the class by 8 points. Not bad. I immediately enrolled into the same class for the next semester. Because I taught myself pretty well the previous semester, I was ahead. Since the class was self-paced, I was able to test early and finish the class early. I passed. Now it's 2026, I am in my Junior year and I am nearing the end of my second semester of the Nursing Program. I am now 42, I am the oldest student in my nursing cohort. Before returning to school I was a medical assistant for 21 years. This also brings a list of medical experience that I get to use as a student. My biggest challenge of returning to school has been juggling family life with full-time school and full-time work. The year I started at the university, my son decided to learn about soccer, teaching himself how to play, then asking us if he could play soccer with other kids, meaning join a team. He was only 7 to 8 at the time. Our youngest of four kids and the only one really interested in joining a sport. I am now a proud soccer mom, but to be able to go to his games, tournaments, and take him to practice, I do homework every chance I get every day of the week. Having 4 kids has been the greatest accomplishment of my life. My kids are disciplined, social, doing great academically, respectful and goal oriented. My husband and I have worked hard to provide them with what we didn't have when growing up and more to teach them about independence. I struggle daily to find a balance for my family. My return to school teaches my kids that they can achieve their goals, no matter their age, but my preference is that they do it at a much younger age than me. I want to be a nurse because it is rewarding, selfless, and inspiring. Being able to help others and be an advocate for others is important to me. Thank you

I am 42 years young, in my third year of undergraduate at a University and in my second semester of nursing school. I am heading into my second year this Fall. I have wanted to be a nurse for so long. I am older than the all the students in my cohort but I am learning everything they are to become a nurse. I have worked as a medical assistant for 21 years, and previously applied to a community college approximately 15 years ago, then putting that off because of family life, working to pay bills and providing for my family. About 3 years ago I decided that I would finally enroll in school with the certainty of enrollment and a full-time course schedule. And to make sure I didn't change my mind, my husband saved up, got me a laptop, and said there were no excuses to delay my return to school again. We had a family meeting, discussed it with the kids, and with everyone's support and encouragement, it was full steam ahead. Working as a medical assistant I wanted to learn more. I want to save lives, is how I felt before enrolling. Managing chronic health is life saving to some degree, but it's not how I envisioned myself staying in healthcare. There was always this overwhelming feeling that I could be doing so much more to help people. Being a nurse is what I wanted to do before becoming a medical assistant. I just had no idea what to do, or how to enroll in college, and going to MA school seemed less intimidating at the time. Looking back through all the years of growing up in poor conditions and without stability, I used that as motivation to do better for my kids than my parents did for my sisters and myself. Unfortunately there never was a great relationship with them, and as hurtful as it is at times, I tell myself to be stronger for it, especially for my own kids. I want to be able to help my children at a moments notice when they're adults. As kids, I do everything I can for them now and it's a very rewarding feeling because my kids know how much I love them and how much they mean to me. Nursing will allow me to provide a higher level of care to patients. I am learning for the possibility of caring for women in the OB unit like the nurses that cared for me after having my babies. Or learning how to be a trauma nurse like the ones who bandaged my bloody son after a skateboarding accident. Maybe I'll be an OR nurse like the ones that have assisted with surgeries I've had, or like the ones that saved my husband when he was a teenager, so we could meet years later. I have so much appreciation for nurses because of what they do, the sacrifices they make, and the level of skill they have in caring for complete strangers. Being a nurse is a demanding role to take on. Nursing comes with a lot of sacrifice, it takes compassion, empathy and patience. Becoming a nurse is not something to take for granted. I am excited, as naive as that sounds, I am an older, experienced in the medical field and in life, and I am ready for the challenge. I know I will be an excellent nurse and I am confident in the quality care that I will soon be providing to many individuals in years to come. Thank you for this opportunity. -Krystalynn

When I saw the photo of Nancy in her uniform, I immediately thought of my beloved mother-in-law. My mother-in-law passed away at the very young age of 61. From what I remember, she was in her thirties when she signed up for the Navy Reserves as a dental assistant, only retiring a few years before her passing to focus on earning a degree in Public Health. We were told she was 3 credits away from graduating, which was going to be her last semester. My mother-in-law was a woman of strength. She reminded me of myself in some ways. I also grew up on the Navajo Reservation with my maternal grandparents and spent some years in Anchorage Alaska as a kid, there my dad wanted us to learn about our Tlingit culture. After some time of weighing the pros and cons of returning to school for a degree and the long-term effect it would have on my family I enrolled in 2023 at the age of 39. My mother-in-law was in her early 60s, so there was that motivation of my age not stopping me from continuing my education. I started in the Fall of 2023 at Northern Arizona University. There I had to start my college education from scratch. I had been a medical assistant for 19 years at the time and was feeling the need to do more in the medical field after putting off nursing school for 12 years. During the first semester of college, I had to learn so much really fast. Not only learning the material to pass my classes, but the way everything is done and submitted electronically. To be honest, it was quite intimidating at first. I had no idea what a Google Doc or what a Google Slide was and now I am the one setting them up and sending them to my peers for group projects. In my first semester at N.A.U. I failed my first attempt at an Intro to Math class, and when that happened, I immediately enrolled into the same class with the same instructor for my second semester. I didn't want to feel defeated when that happened, because I knew that it was a result of my early education on the reservation. I went to a Boarding school as a kid and teenager, graduating from that same Boarding School. The school was being defrauded by the Director during my time there, which was a time we were expressing the need for learning materials. We were learning in High School at the 6th grade level because it was the only material they had. One thing I did was read a lot. My father also had my sisters, and I read encyclopedias and write about it, and also read dictionaries learning how to pronounce words and always practice our spelling. This helped me during and after high school. As a child I witnessed my grandfather care for people that would visit him from different areas. My grandfather was a Medicine Man, so naturally he was a healer. He would travel to visit people that needed traditional medicines or small ceremonies performed. What I remember about him is that he didn't ask for money to do this. He asked for plants from the areas he visited so that he could make more medicine for others. We lost him at a young age after a sudden illness that turned out to be terminal cancer. From the time of the onset of his illness until he passed, it must have been approximately two weeks. So, the good-bye was sudden. Even then, in his hospital bed, he was teaching my sisters and myself about our tradition. My grandfather taught me the importance of caring for others. He always had his door open to others and did what he could to heal, support or teach others. My grandfather played an influential role in why I want to be a nurse. As of the Fall of 2025 I have been in the Nursing program at N.A.U. I completed the entrance exam and passed with a score to be accepted into the program. The Nursing program is very competitive and difficult. I have completed two sets of clinicals. The first location was at a Rehabilitation and Transitional Care facility. There I was able to learn about the care provided to the patients that were transitioning from long or critical hospital stays to eventually going home. I was excited to see a different side of wound care and assisting patients with their rehab/ physical therapy sessions. Someone can learn a great deal of patience in this line of work. The patients were very welcoming to nursing students and were also patient with us learning from the nurses that were caring for them. It was a great experience. The second location for my clinical rotation was at the local hospital. At the hospital I was able to shadow a Trauma nurse for a 10-hour shift that was intense at times. I was a recorder for a trauma situation. Seeing a team of nurses keep a person alive was a great way to solidify why I am going to school to be a nurse. I had the opportunity to shadow in the Special Care Nursery which is another name for a NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). In the NICU I learned to feed a premature newborn while she was still learning the mechanics of feeding. It was an eye-opening experience. I have kids of my own and went through all the feeding stages, so it was a much different experience than what I had with my own kids. Seeing babies helplessly fight infections and being kept alive by machines had me reflecting on my different experiences in the hospital. I am 42 years old and attending school/ classes with students that are the same age as my daughters. I am very proud to say that I am in my second semester of the Nursing Program at N.A.U.s College of Nursing. I am working hard every day, doing my best to stay ahead and some days keep up. I ask so many questions, and at times, the mom in me comes out when I am speaking. My classmates think it's kind of funny, but I just can't help it at times. I know that I am the older student, but looking back, I couldn't see myself doing this when I was younger and with little kids. My kids are all older now and are part of my support system, even as I am their mother and a student that also has homework. I receive so much encouragement from my husband and our four kids. Being a recipient of this scholarship will allow me to focus on school rather than trying to pick up extra hours at work while I am trying to get through my studies. It may also allow me the time to be with my family instead of picking up a shift, especially when it's one of those days where I need a reset to move forward with school. I went on this journey knowing the difficulty that would come with it; however, I don't think anyone can really know until they're in it. That's where I am at now. Thank you for your time and consideration, I appreciate it very much. -Krystalynn.

I am a 42 year old Nursing student at Northern Arizona University, which means I am double the age if most of my peers. I enrolled at NAU, at the young age of 39. Over the past 21 years of working as a medical assistant, I always felt like there was more for me to do in the healthcare setting. And really, I kept thinking back to 12 years prior to when I first enrolled into the community college, but never got started. As a mom of four kids I had shifted my focus to just providing for them and working as much as I could to make sure they had what they needed. My children are now older and even though it is a struggle, I feel like they have been prepared for my return to school. It was a surprise to all of us, even myself. I arranged a family meeting to talk about my plans to become a student and what that meant for our family. Financially we would scale back on quite a few things and really try to budget my income that was about to be cut in half, even less at times. They were all in, showing support, encouragement and happiness for me to finally do what I should've done a long time ago, as they said. Now we have completed two years, I'm in my third year and it's been so fun. I say we because my family is going through all of this with me. Nursing school has been so challenging. Now keep in mind, I had graduated from high school in 2001, we had dial-up internet then, no tablets, and no smart phones. I'm one of those people that still doesn't have social media and didn't own a laptop before enrolling into college. Luckily, working as a medical assistant for so many years prior, I had learned how to navigate a software system. I learned a lot about computers, and having kids taught me a little about using a tablet and other electronics. E-book? What is that?, I asked myself. That was fun to experience. I have learned so much as a college student. I am more electronic literate in my third year. I am creating Google docs and Google slides like nobody's business. I love learning. Becoming a nurse has been a dream of mine for years. I am looking forward to providing care to patients at a higher level. I will be an advocate for my patients throughout their care process. It's important to be to know that a patient is being treated with grace, dignity, empathy and compassion. I am looking forward to performing efficient care to patients in the future. I am also waiting for when I graduate and then receive my RN license, I will take some time off to be with my family to celebrate this great accomplishment. Thank you for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

I am in my second semester of Nursing school. I recently completed a clinical shift at the local hospital and had requested to be placed in the hospital's Special Care Nursery, which is the NICU of the hospital. I spent my day with a nurse that was caring for a premature born infant. During my shift I was taught about her medical condition. She was one month old when I met her, and during that time I was able to complete assessments on her during my shift. Throughout the day I was able to feed her, with modifications because she was born so early. I learned a new way to feed a baby that was learning how to feed by bottle while also having an NG tube placed. These were all new experiences to me. I listened carefully and asked questions throughout my shift. I have an interest in pediatric nursing because I have four kids of my own. My older son did have a short stay in a pediatric unit after an injury, and I really appreciated the care the nursing staff provided to him. As a kid he was worried about everything that was going on, but when the nurses explained everything that was happening, he was more at ease. I previously worked as a medical assistant with pediatrics and always felt comfortable providing care to younger patients. I always made a point to include the patient, the parents and guardians with information during care. Kids are always curious and can become anxious, so it is important to make sure they are comfortable throughout their care. I am interested in working with the Special Care Nursery or Pediatrics. During my clinical shift, I was complemented and asked by the nurses I followed if I would consider working in their unit after I graduate next year. I have since started thinking about how I can be more specialized in the care of pediatrics and infants as a nurse. I understand calculations are very different and specific to weight in pediatrics. Being able to work with pediatrics would be very rewarding. This specialty is needed across the globe and is lacking in so many locations. There is a hospital not too far from the town I live in and they only have two available rooms for a pediatric unit, others in need of critical care have to be flown out or diverted to the next town over. This is an example of the need for pediatric care in hospitals. Thank you for the opportunity to submit an application for this scholarship.

I am a first-generation college student, undergraduate, pursuing a BSN to become a Registered Nurse. I am in my forties and a mother to four. I grew up with three sisters, taking care of each other and making sure that we were always clean and fed. Most of our childhood was spent living with our grandparents, later in our teen years with our grandmother. We were raised on tradition and taught to learn as much as we can to be prepared to go out in the world. Being told that was one thing, then learning at a boarding school on a reservation was the challenge we had to break through by teaching ourselves more reading, math, and social skills. I decided to finally get back to school at the age of 39. I had already put off college for 12 years because of costs and worries about how to provide for my family while I attend school. With four kids, it was a difficult choice to make but it was something I had wanted to do for so long. I also didn't want my kids to think that just because someone has kids, they can change the path they are on. I am now 42 years old and in my second semester of Nursing School. It has been difficult at times, it is very challenging as expected and a very competitive program. I have wanted to be a nurse for so many years because I would like to be able to provide care in a hospital setting. I have just completed my clinicals for this semester and was able to be in the role of a student nurse, learning what the daily tasks are for nurses during their regular shifts. We were also scheduled in a block of the day that allowed us as students to be present for shift change. This might be the busiest time of the nurse's day, and it was exciting to see the amount of detail that goes into shift changes for nurses to take over for the night shift. I am currently considering two very opposites to go into as a nurse. So far, I either want to be a Trauma nurse, or a NICU (Special Care Nursery) nurse. They both require skills that place the nurse in a specialty within the hospital. I was able to shadow a Trauma nurse for a day and also spent a shift in the Special Care Nursery. Knowing that lives are being placed in your hands, along with your colleagues is intimidating, and it is something I want to be great at. I am looking forward to becoming a nurse. Receiving a scholarship would enable me to place more focus on my courses and my clinicals while attending school. Thank you for the opportunity to submit an application for this great scholarship.

My name is Krystalynn. I grew up most of my life on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona spending most of my days learning from my grandmother how to cook, clean and care for the animals (mostly sheep and goats). I was also learning from my grandfather who was a medicine man, teaching my sisters and I about our traditions. I grew up with four sisters, with my older sister and myself taking care of the younger two, making sure they were clean and fed every day. I look back and think that I learned from my grandfather that caring for others is important. He took care of so many people as a medicine man but still believed in the science that fought to help him through his illness. I have been able to teach my own children some of the traditions taught to me by my grandparents. I attended school at the Boarding School that was approximately 3 to 5 miles away, and over an hour for a school bus ride there until I was put in the dormitory. I lived in the dorm until I graduated from high school. I graduated at the top of my class as a Salutatorian. However, my graduating class consisted of only about 12 students. Academically it seemed like I was doing well but put a kid that went to school on the reservation, I had to teach myself a lot of things. I read as much as I could, even reading a dictionary to learn more than what the boarding school could teach me. I ended up going to school to be a Medical Assistant. I worked as a Medical Assistant for 21 years before enrolling into courses at Northern Arizona University. Over the years since high school, I had a family, we have four kids. I chose to return to school at the age of 39 (I'm now 42) as a graduate from a Boarding School and putting off my return for 12 years. Knowing I would struggle, I did take a math class twice and learned how to write papers in my English classes. I am proud of myself and happy to say that I tested into the Nursing Program last Spring (2025) and I am now in my second semester of the Nursing Program. I love being in the medical field especially when I am caring for our Native elders. It makes me happy when patients tell me that they are happy and proud of me for going to school to be a nurse as a Native American student. They feel more comfortable when they see a familiar face as Native American patients. My goal is to provide care to the Native American and non-Native American communities as a nurse that will advocate for them and their well-being. I want to make sure that I provide as much care and support to patients in their time of need. Working in the medical field is a rewarding opportunity that I have never taken for granted. I enjoy caring for patients and educating them to care for themselves. I am excited for the next year ahead because it means that I will be closer to becoming a licensed Registered Nurse and teaching my kids that they can always go to school for a career they love. Receiving a scholarship will allow me to spend more time to focus on my studies and clinicals in the upcoming semester rather than trying to get more hours at work. Thank you for the opportunity to submit an application for this scholarship.

Hello, my name is Krystalynn Thompson. I am currently enrolled at Northern Arizona University, pursuing a degree in Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with the outcome of becoming a Registered Nurse. I am 42 years old, and I am very excited to be in school for this degree. I am a mother of four and we have also taken in our teenage nephew to live with us. I was raised within a family that didn’t have much at all, except for each other. We lived on the Navajo reservation and various other places as well, as my parents moved us around often. Growing up, being home alone without parents, my sisters and I learned how to survive with very little, and I have made it my life goal to provide a better future for my children. Even graduating from the small reservation school at the top of my class almost didn't seem like opportunity was opening up for me. My parents didn't celebrate my graduation, not even a cake or "Good Job!" from them. As an adult I have never had support from my parents. I have only been able to turn to the family I made with my husband. I grew up on the reservation most of my life and as a person that moved away and was exposed to culture and diversity from another state, I was not treated well by the locals on the reservation. I had to overcome adversity with the people I went to school with. I have worked in the medical field for more than 21 years. Twenty-one years as a Medical Assistant, and this past year as a Patient Safety Attendant. For many years I had postponed returning to school for a nursing degree while my kids were very young. I wanted to return to school for a nursing degree so that I could provide care for patients at a higher level, this was my "pie in the sky". The drive I had as a medical assistant made me feel like I was depriving myself of being able to care for people in critical conditions. I wanted to gain the knowledge of being a registered nurse so that I can care for patients when they are in their most vulnerable condition. It is important for people to be taken care of with the attention to detail that I strive to give when I become a nurse. I want a patient to feel confidence in me as their nurse as I advocate for them and their well-being and their recovery. I remember feeling intimidated when I was enrolling for my first semester of classes which included one online class and at the age of 39. I grew up at a time when we didn’t have computers, laptops, and internet instantly at our fingertips. I had to quickly figure out a completely new way of learning. Lectures, the fastest note taking I’ve ever done in my life, downloading, uploading, and submitting everything on the school platform, these were all new to me. Becoming a nurse has been a goal of mine for at least 10 to 15 years. I have always worked hard for myself and my family. Being able to show my kids that this can be done is important to me. I like to talk to them about how important it is for them to have their own independence as they get older and become young adults. I’d like to say thank you for this opportunity and thank you for your time and consideration. Always my Best, Krystalynn Thompson

Hello, my name is Krystalynn Thompson. I am currently enrolled at Northern Arizona University, pursuing a degree in Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with the outcome of becoming a Registered Nurse. I am 42 years old, and I am very excited to be in school for this degree. I am a mother of four and we have also taken in our teenage nephew to live with us. I have worked in the medical field for more than 21 years. Twenty-one years as a Medical Assistant, and this past year as a Patient Safety Attendant. For many years I had postponed returning to school for a nursing degree while my kids were very young. I wanted to return to school for a nursing degree so that I could provide care for patients at a higher level. The drive I had as a medical assistant made me feel like I was depriving myself of being able to care for people in critical conditions. I wanted to gain the knowledge of being a registered nurse so that I can care for patients when they are in their most vulnerable condition. It is important for people to be taken care of with the attention to detail that I strive to give when I become a nurse. I want a patient to feel confidence in me as their nurse as I advocate for them and their well-being and their recovery. I was raised within a family that didn’t have much at all, except for each other. We lived on the Navajo reservation and various other places as well, as my parents moved us around often. Growing up, being home alone without parents, my sisters and I learned how to survive with very little, and I have made it my life goal to provide a better future for my children. As an adult I have not had any family support, especially from my parents, except for the family I made with my husband. I grew up on the reservation most of my life and as a person that moved away and was exposed to culture and diversity from another state, I was not treated well by the locals on the reservation. I had to overcome adversity with the people I went to school with. I remember feeling intimidated when I was enrolling for my first semester of classes which included one online class. I grew up at a time when we didn’t have computers, laptops, and internet instantly at our fingertips. I had to quickly figure out a completely new way of learning. Lectures, the fastest note taking I’ve ever done in my life, downloading, uploading, and submitting everything on the school platform, these were all new to me. I’ve also had the opportunity to speak in front of people, something I hope to get used to someday. While I am attending classes at NAU I have learned more about myself. I have been able to participate with much younger peers in my classes. We get to compare our perspectives, as a 42-year-old, and my peers being anywhere from 18 to their twenties. Becoming a nurse has been a goal of mine for at least 10 to 15 years. I am excited for what the future has on hold for me. I have always worked hard for myself and my family. Being able to show my kids that this can be done is important to me. I’d like to say thank you for this opportunity and thank you for your time and consideration. Always my Best, Krystalynn Thompson

Hello, my name is Krystalynn Thompson. I am currently enrolled at Northern Arizona University, pursuing a degree in Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with the outcome of becoming a Registered Nurse. I am 42 years old, and I am very excited to be in school for this degree. I am a mother of four and we have also taken in our teenage nephew to live with us. My kids and my husband are my inspiration for becoming a nurse. Becoming a nurse has been a goal of mine for at least 10 to 15 years. It has been difficult so far, struggling financially while I am going to college, but I am excited for what the future has in store for me. I have worked in the medical field for more than twenty-one years. Twenty-one years as a Medical Assistant, and this past year as a Patient Safety Attendant. For many years I had postponed returning to school for a nursing degree while my kids were very young. I wanted to return to school for a nursing degree so that I could provide care for patients at a higher level. I wanted to gain the knowledge of being a registered nurse so that I can care for patients when they are in their most vulnerable condition. It is important for people to be taken care of with the attention to detail that I strive to give when I become a nurse. I want a patient to feel confidence in me as their nurse as I advocate for them and their well-being and their recovery. This is the "human touch" that every patient needs. The "human touch" isn't just for one person, which is why I studied several courses of public and population health. I took several Public Health classes to learn more about the needs of the public population. I learned about the diseases affecting people all over the world. I also learned that the disparities and inequalities of health, healthcare, and lack of healthcare have on the population are important to be aware of. These classes have taught me to be aware of the level of compassion I show to patients and their families when I am caring for them at work as a patient safety attendant or while I am doing my clinical rotations, I will carry these traits into my nursing career. I remember feeling intimidated when I was enrolling for my first semester of classes which included one online class. I grew up at a time when we didn’t have computers, laptops, and internet instantly at our fingertips. I had to quickly figure out a completely new way of learning. Lectures, the fastest note taking I’ve ever done in my life, downloading, uploading, and submitting everything on the school platform, these were all new to me. I’ve also had the opportunity to speak in front of people, something I hope to get used to someday. While I am attending classes at NAU I have learned more about myself. I have been able to participate with much younger peers in my classes. We get to compare our perspectives, as a 42-year-old, and my peers being anywhere from 18 to their twenties. I have always worked hard for myself and my family. Being able to show my kids that this can be done is important to me. However, I am encouraging them to go to college right after high school versus waiting. I like to talk to them about how important it is for them to have their own independence as they get older and become young adults. I’d like to say thank you for this opportunity and thank you for your time and consideration. Always my Best, Krystalynn Thompson

Hello, my name is Krystalynn Thompson. I am currently enrolled at Northern Arizona University, pursuing a degree in Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with the outcome of becoming a Registered Nurse. I am 42 years old, and I am very excited to be in school for this degree. I am a mother of four and we have also taken in our teenage nephew to live with us. I have worked in the medical field for more than twenty-one years. Twenty-one years as a Medical Assistant, and this past year as a Patient Safety Attendant. For many years I had postponed returning to school for a nursing degree while my kids were very young. I wanted to return to school for a nursing degree so that I could provide care for patients at a higher level. I wanted to gain the knowledge of being a registered nurse so that I can care for patients when they are in their most vulnerable condition. It is important for people to be taken care of with the attention to detail that I strive to give when I become a nurse. I want a patient to feel confidence in me as their nurse as I advocate for them and their well-being and their recovery. I have also taken several Public Health classes to learn more about the needs of the public population. I learned about the diseases affecting people all over the world. I also learned that the disparities and inequalities of health, healthcare, and lack of healthcare have on the population is important to be aware of. These classes have taught me to be aware of the level of compassion I show to patients and their families when I am caring for them at work as a patient safety attendant or while I am doing my clinical rotations, I will carry these traits into my nursing career. Becoming a nurse has been a goal of mine for at least 10 to 15 years. I am excited for what the future has in store for me. I have always worked hard for myself and my family. Being able to show my kids that this can be done is important to me. I want to show them that they can achieve anything they set their minds to. I’d like to say thank you for this opportunity and thank you for your time and consideration. Always my Best, Krystalynn Thompson

Hello, my name is Krystalynn Thompson. I am currently enrolled at Northern Arizona University, pursuing a degree in Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with the outcome of becoming a Registered Nurse. I am 42 years old, and I am very excited to be in school for this degree. I am a mother of four and we have also taken in our teenage nephew to live with us once his family was no longer able to provide him with housing after the passing of his mother (my sister-in-law). I have a very busy family. I have worked in the medical field for more than twenty-one years. Twenty-one years as a Medical Assistant, and this past year as a Patient Safety Attendant. For many years I had postponed returning to school for a nursing degree while my kids were very young. I wanted to return to school for a nursing degree so that I could provide care for patients at a higher level. I wanted to gain the knowledge of being a registered nurse so that I can care for patients when they are in their most vulnerable condition. It is important for people to be taken care of with the attention to detail that I strive to give when I become a nurse. I want a patient to feel confidence in me as their nurse as I advocate for them and their well-being and their recovery. I have also taken several Public Health classes to learn more about the needs of the public population. I learned about the diseases affecting people all over the world. I also learned that the disparities and inequalities of health, healthcare, and lack of healthcare have on the population is important to be aware of. These classes have taught me to be aware of the level of compassion I show to patients and their families when I am caring for them at work as a patient safety attendant or while I am doing my clinical rotations, I will carry these traits into my nursing career. I remember feeling intimidated when I was enrolling for my first semester of classes which included one online class. I grew up at a time when we didn’t have computers, laptops, and internet instantly at our fingertips. I had to quickly figure out a completely new way of learning. Lectures, the fastest note taking I’ve ever done in my life, downloading, uploading, and submitting everything on the school platform, these were all new to me. I’ve also had the opportunity to speak in front of people, something I hope to get used to someday. While I am attending classes at NAU I have learned more about myself. I have been able to participate with much younger peers in my classes. We get to compare our perspectives, as a 42-year-old, and my peers being anywhere from 18 to their twenties. Becoming a nurse has been a goal of mine for at least 10 to 15 years. I am excited for what the future has on hold for me. I have always worked hard for myself and my family. Being able to show my kids that this can be done is important to me. However, I am encouraging them to go to college right after high school versus waiting. I like to talk to them about how important it is for them to have their own independence as they get older and become young adults. I’d like to say thank you for this opportunity and thank you for your time and consideration. Always my Best, Krystalynn Thompson

Hello, my name is Krystalynn Thompson. I am currently enrolled at Northern Arizona University, pursuing a degree in Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with the outcome of becoming a Registered Nurse. I am 42 years old, and I am very excited to be in school for this degree. I am a mother of four and we have also taken in our teenage nephew to live with us. Becoming a nurse has been a goal of mine for at least 10 to 15 years. For many years I had postponed returning to school for a nursing degree while my kids were very young. I wanted to return to school for a nursing degree so that I could provide care for patients at a higher level. I have worked in the medical field for more than twenty-one years. Twenty-one years as a Medical Assistant, and this past year as a Patient Safety Attendant. The drive I had as a medical assistant made me feel like I was depriving myself of being able to care for people in critical conditions. I wanted to gain the knowledge of being a registered nurse so that I can care for patients when they are in their most vulnerable condition. It is important for people to be taken care of with the attention to detail that I strive to provide when I become a nurse. I want a patient to feel confidence in me as their nurse as I advocate for them and their well-being and their recovery. The areas of nursing that I would like to go into are Trauma, OB/GYN or Pediatrics. Trauma has always been an interesting area for me. As a trauma nurse, the pt is unaware of the lifesaving efforts you are practicing for them. The wounds that need attention are vital in the patient's ability to regain full function. OB/GYN, I have four children, and I have always admired the attention to detail that these nurses provided to me as their patient and then the care they provided during the deliveries of my children as newborns. Peds, the infants and children that require specified care can be very challenging. The parents entrust the nursing staff with caring for their children while they are in the hospital. I have also taken several Public Health classes to learn more about the needs of the public population. I learned about the diseases affecting people all over the world. I also learned that the disparities and inequalities of health, healthcare, and lack of healthcare have on the population is important to be aware of. These classes have taught me to be aware of the level of compassion I show to patients and their families when I am caring for them at work as a patient safety attendant or while I am doing my clinical rotations, I will carry these traits into my nursing career. I’d like to say thank you for this opportunity and thank you for your time and consideration. Always my Best, Krystalynn Thompson

Hello, my name is Krystalynn Thompson. I am currently enrolled at Northern Arizona University, pursuing a degree in Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with the outcome of becoming a Registered Nurse. I am 42 years old, and I am very excited to be in school for this degree. I am a mother of four and we have also taken in our teenage nephew to live with us. Becoming a nurse has been a goal of mine for at least 10 to 15 years. I am excited for what the future has on hold for me. I have always worked hard for myself and my family. Being able to show my kids that this can be done is important to me. However, I am encouraging them to go to college right after high school versus waiting for years like I did. I like to talk to my children about how important it is for them to have their own independence as they get older and become young adults. I am also showing my children what we can be capable of once we put our minds and determination to it. For many years I had postponed returning to school for a nursing degree while my kids were very young. I wanted to return to school for a nursing degree so that I could provide care for patients at a higher level. I have worked in the medical field for more than twenty-one years. Twenty-one years as a Medical Assistant, and this past year as a Patient Safety Attendant. The drive I had as a medical assistant made me feel like I was depriving myself of being able to care for people in critical conditions. I wanted to gain the knowledge of being a registered nurse so that I can care for patients when they are in their most vulnerable condition. It is important for people to be taken care of with the attention to detail that I strive to provide when I become a nurse. I want a patient to feel confidence in me as their nurse as I advocate for them and their well-being and their recovery. I have also taken several Public Health classes to learn more about the needs of the public population. I learned about the diseases affecting people all over the world. I also learned that the disparities and inequalities of health, healthcare, and lack of healthcare have on the population is important to be aware of. These classes have taught me to be aware of the level of compassion I show to patients and their families when I am caring for them at work as a patient safety attendant or while I am doing my clinical rotations, I will carry these traits into my nursing career. I remember feeling intimidated when I was enrolling for my first semester of classes which included one online class. I grew up at a time when we didn’t have computers, laptops, and internet instantly at our fingertips. I had to quickly figure out a completely new way of learning. While I am attending classes at NAU I have learned more about myself. I have been able to participate with much younger peers in my classes. We get to compare our perspectives, as a 42-year-old, and my peers being anywhere from 18 to their twenties, returning to school is one of the best things I have done for myself as well as my family. I’d like to say thank you for this opportunity and thank you for your time and consideration. Always my Best, Krystalynn Thompson

Hello, my name is Krystalynn, I am a 42 year old Nursing student. I grew up in various places throughoutmy childhood. The Navajo reservation, different towns and cities. Because my parents have always been financially unstable, my sisters and I grew up with very little. I graduated from a very small school on the reservation and was the Salutatorian of the graduating class of approximately 12 students. I have always loved learning and I never took it for granted. This is what I teach my kids as well. I decided to return to school about 3 and a half years ago and enrolled 2.5 years ago. I have completed my prerequisites and passed my Nursing entrance exam in the Spring of this year (2025). I am very excited to be going into my second semester of Nursing school. I will graduate with a BSN in a year and a half, the Spring of 2027. I have been in healthcare, working as a Medical Assistant for 21 years, right now I work in the local hospital as a Patient Safety Attendant. Working in healthcare for so long has been so rewarding, in what I have learned over the years. Financially it has been difficult, but what I have learned about people, patience, dignity, understanding, empathy and care outweighs those struggles. I decided to become a nurse so that I can provide Healthcare, at a higher level. The first personal challenge for myself was enrolling into school. Then setting up my first advising appointment to map out my first semester. Keeping in mind, I haven't been in school for approximately 20 years and at a reservation boarding school. Then getting my books, both regular and electronic. That was interesting. So far, in the first 2 years of school, I have become comfortable being the oldest student in all of my classes. All my classmates are the same ages as my daughters. I have made the Dean's list twice, had straight As in my public health courses, and had so much fun doing my Bio classes and labs. What I look forward to as a future nurse is the ability to spend more time with my kids and my husband, my family. I cherish every moment I have with them. I look forward to having more financial stability. I can't wait to be able to provide care to patients at a higher level than what I have done for so many years. I am excited for the knowledge I will continue to gain in nursing school. I am more excited about what I will experience in clinical rounds each semester. It's not too late to go back to school, and I am happy to be where I am at today. Being a recipient of this scholarship will help me financially while I pursue this degree in nursing. Thank you for your time and consideration. Always my best, Krystalynn Thompson

My name is Krystalynn, I am 42 years old and an undergraduate nursing student. I decided to enroll in college at the age of 39. I have four children, two of which are in college on scholarships, one in high school and one in elementary school. My family gives me the courage, strength and support to go back to school. I had worked as a Medical Assistant for 21 years from the moment my oldest was born until the end of 2024. I had to stop working as a medical assistant due to my full time nursing school schedule. Knowing that I had to put my schooling first and really prioritize that, I had to make the difficult decision not to work as a M.A. while I'm in school. I chose to return to school, even though it's later than I had wanted, it has been a great opportunity for me to show my kids that they can do anything they want. I am able to show them that with some very hard work and perseverance we can meet our goals in life. We can be successful if we choose to be. It had always been a goal for me to be able to provide for my family and support my kids financially as they get older and become adults. Although they are being taught to create their own opportunities and to be independent individuals, I still want to know that I have worked hard enough in life to provide them some help if they need it. Another reason for going back to school was to become a nurse and provide medical care to patients at a higher level. I want to become an advocate for the patients, especially in their most vulnerable state. Don't get me wrong, I have provided excellent patient care as a medical assistant, but I couldn't help but feel like there was more out there for me to do. I want to make a positive impact on the lives of the patients that I will have the privilege of caring for, as well as my own children. I didn't have positive influences in my life growing up, but I know that my kids will be able to experience that. Everyday that I have been in school up until now, I have felt so proud of myself, especially as the oldest person in all of my classes until now. I appreciate each day that I walk into a lecture or lab. I appreciate the moments that I get to walk into clinicals, knowing that I will be there to help people. I am excited at the thought of being a nurse, I know that this is becoming a dream come true. Receiving this scholarship will provide me more opportunity to focus more of my time in my studies, and maybe to even spend a little more time to be at home with my family. I appreciate the opportunity for applying for this scholarship. Thank you for supporting the older group of women that are going back to school. Always my best, Krystalynn Thompson 🪻

Hello, my name is Krystalynn. I am starting the nursing program in the Fall of 2025. In just another week I will be consumed with my cohort's meetings and workshops for week zero of the nursing program. Then, it will be full speed ahead into my first semester as a nursing student. When I was was a kid, my grandfather became very ill suddenly. At the time I couldn't understand how it was possible for him to be sick. We are Navajo, which is a Native American tribe in Arizona. My grandfather was an excellent Medicine Man. He took care of so many people with different illnesses throughout the vast reservation we come from. He never asked for monetary compensation. Instead, he would ask for herbs that came from the areas he was visiting. He took so much pride in his ability to heal people. He was never disrespectful to the gifts he had that allowed him to be a Medicine Man. Because I was so young when he suddenly got sick, and passed approximately 2 weeks later, it is something I have always thought about. My grandfather was the kindest person to my sisters and I. My parents would leave us for days and my grandfather never made us feel like we were interfering with his life. Everyone else did, but he never did. He was our best buddy, my sisters and I. I still miss him so much as I write about this time in my young life. Years later as I got older, with much hesitation, I asked my mother what it was that took him from us. She said that they were told it was stomach cancer. It was never caught early on and by the time he felt sick, he was at the end stage. My grandfather went from being full of energy and life, to suddenly being really sick. This man went to the hospital with a dark head of hair, and when we able to visit him within a week, his hair turned white. My grandfather was the person that held our large family together. My grandparents had 10 kids, so you can only imagine the effort that went into keeping everyone near and included. He did that. Because of this great big loss our family had, I had become more and more interested over the years with Medicine and the healing process. I want to be able to help someone in their most vulnerable state, to advocate for them, to help them heal or recover from an illness or injury. I won't be practicing the same type of medicine as my grandfather, but I will be helping others in their healing journey. Now, I am a mother of four wonderful children. I want to be the person that encourages them to get a higher education after high school. I am teaching them about independence. Their lives have been filled with teachings of caring, kindness, bringing joy to themselves and others, and loving life. The support my husband and I give to our children, is the support and encouragement we never received as we were kids. My family is my happiness in life. I have a great support system in my husband and our four children. I can't wait to be a nurse. Thank you for your time. Always my best, Krystalynn Thompson

Hello, my name is Krystalynn, I am a 41 year old Nursing student. I grew up in various places. The Navajo reservation, different towns and cities. Because my parents have always been financially unstable, my sisters and I grew up with very little. I graduated from a small school on the reservation and was the Salutatorian of the graduating class. I have always loved learning and I never took it for granted. This is what I teach my kids as well. I decided to return to school about 3 years ago and enrolled 2 years ago. I have completed my prerequisites and passed my Nursing entrance exam in the Spring of this year (2025). I am very excited to begin my Nursing school career. I will be a nurse in 2 years, the Spring of 2027. I have been in healthcare, working as a Medical Assistant for almost 21 years, right now I work in the local hospital as a Patient Safety Attendant. Working in healthcare for so long has been so rewarding, in what I have learned over the years. Financially it has been difficult, but what I have learned about people, patience, dignity, understanding, empathy and care outweighs those struggles. I decided to become a nurse so that I can provide Healthcare, at a higher level. The first personal challenge for myself was enrolling into school. Then setting up my first advising appointment to map out my first semester. Keeping in mind, I haven't been in school for approximately 20 years. Then getting my books, both regular and electronic. That was interesting. So far, in the first 2 years of school, I have become comfortable being the oldest student in all of my classes. All my classmates are the same ages as my daughters. I have made the Dean's list twice, had straight As in my public health courses, and had so much fun doing my Bio classes and labs. What I look forward to as a future nurse is the ability to spend more time with my kids and my husband, my family. I cherish every moment I have with them. I look forward to financial stability. I can't wait to be able to provide care to patients at a higher level than what I have done for so many years. I am excited for the knowledge I will gain in the next two years of nursing school. I am more excited about what I will experience in clinical rounds each semester. It's not to late to go back to school, and I am happy to be where I am at today. Being a recipient of this scholarship will help me financially while I pursue this degree in nursing. Thank you for your time. Always my best, Krystalynn Thompson

Hello, my name is Krystalynn, I am 41 years old, soon to be 42, and a first generation college student. I grew up in a household that was always struggling. My sisters and I grew up with very, very little, but we always showed our love for each other as siblings. When I graduated from my small high school as a Salutatorian, I felt excited for what my future was going to hold for me. However, I ended up struggling for many years. I had no guidance, encouragement or support from my parents. In fact, they were always coming to me for money to get them through the week. Being their daughter, for a long time I felt like it was my obligation to make sure they were ok, even though I didn't get that from them in my childhood. I became a mother at the age of 20, and have been with the love of my life for 24 years. Our oldest daughter is now 21. Over the years we have not had the support from our families, the same support so many people take for granted. Yet, we have come a long ways. We now have 4 kids, ages 21, 19, 15 and 10. A few years ago, I started to think of what I wanted my life to be like when my kids become adults and after retirement. Would I even be able to retire? I immediately thought of how my parents are still living to this day and immediately felt the need to go back to school. Returning to school at my age and with the technology that I did not grow up using, I have to say I was a little intimidated. This time around with school, I have the encouragement from my husband and our kids. I never thought I could be intimidated by technology. I have been the oldest student in all of my classes. I learned how to upload and use e-books. I have had to use Chat GPT (A.I) for a class, which was a little terrifying to be honest. I have definitely been out of my comfort zone for the past 2 years, and I made the Dean's list twice. In the Spring of this year (2025) I did the hardest test so far, I passed and I have been accepted into my University's Nursing Program. I was able to be 1 of 10 seats for my programs cohort. I am excited to show my kids that anything is possible. I want to continue to encourage them to aim for a higher education. I show my kids the love and support I didn't have in my childhood. I know that I will struggle financially while I finish out the next 2 years of school. Being a recipient of this scholarship with provide myself the financial support I need to complete school. Thank you for taking the time to review my application. Always my best, Krystalynn Thompson

I am 41 years old. I started my college education 2 years ago in the Fall of 2023. I grew up on the Navajo reservation most of my life with my siblings, in my grandmother's home. Throughout my childhood we were treated unfairly at the reservation boarding school because we aren't fully Navajo. In the cities, we were treated differently by many because we are Navajo. My mother is full Navajo and my father is Caucasian, Scottish, and Tlingit. During my childhood and adolescence my parents moved us around alot because of their financial insecurities. They were never financially stable. My 3 sisters and I (4 of us) all slept in one bedroom of an old run down trailer. We grew up receiving our food from shelters or food banks. Finally, we moved back to the reservation to my grandmother's home. This became our home base. This became our permanent home during my teenage years. In high school I was the Salutatorian of my graduating class of approximately 12 students. My parents did not celebrate my accomplishment or my graduation. I spent my graduation night with my older sister. I did not know that I could enroll in college, with my 4.0 GPA. I didn't know that I could apply for funding or scholarships. My parents didn't know about these things to teach me. College was not an option for me as far as I knew. I am now 41 years old and half way through my college career. Enrolling in the University and starting my first semester were the most nerve-wracking experiences of my life. And I am a mother of four kids. I am enrolled at Northern Arizona University and passed my Nursing entrance exam in the Spring of 2025. I was accepted and will start the Nursing program in the Fall of 2025. I returned to school to accomplish a higher education so that I could be a better provider for my kids, more than my parents were for me. I had already worked in the medical field for 21 years...and counting. I have loved working in the medical field, and I look forward to providing care to patients at a higher level. Receiving this scholarship will help me achieve my goals during Nursing school. It will be difficult for me to work during this next semester due to my 7 class schedule. This next semester will be my first semester for the Nursing Program and my schedule is stacked with 7 classes for 20 credits. I know that it will be hard, and I expect myself to do well with my studies. Last semester, I had straight A's and made the Dean's list for the second semester in a row. I appreciate any and all help I receive as well as the time that is taken for this application to be reviewed. Thank you for your time, Krystalynn Thompson

Hello, my name is Krystalynn Thompson. I am currently enrolled at Northern Arizona University, pursuing a degree in Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). I am 41 years old, and I am very excited to be in school for this degree. I am a mother of four with 2 children also attending college. I have been a medical assistant for 21 years and put off returning to school for a Nursing degree while my kids were very young. I want to become a nurse so that I can care for patients at a higher level. It is important for people to be taken care of with the attention to detail that I strive to give when I become a nurse. I want to be able to care for someone in their most vulnerable state and advocate for them when they need it. I was raised within a family that didn't have much at all, except each other. We learned to survive on very little and I have made it my life goal to provide a better future for my children. As an adult I have not had any family support except the family I made with my husband. I grew up on a reservation for most of my life and as a person that was exposed to culture and diversity from another state, I was not treated well. I had to overcome adversity with the people I went to school with. For many years of not being treated well as a child and teenager, I think that I have done pretty well for myself, my kids and my husband. I knew that returning to school would not be easy. It was not going to be easy financially for my family of six. My husband has been a great support system for me and even more over the past 2 years since I enrolled at Northern Arizona University. I remember feeling intimidated when I was enrolling for my first semester of classes. I also had one online class. I grew up at a time when we didn't have computers, laptops, and internet instantly at our fingertips. I had to quickly figure out a completely new way of learning. Lectures, the fastest note taking I've ever done in my life, downloading, uploading, and submitting everything on the school platform. These were all new to me. I've also had the opportunity to speak in front of people, maybe I'll get used to it one day. While I am attending classes at Northern Arizona University I have learned more about myself. I have been able participate with the much younger peers in my classes. We get to compare our perspectives. Myself as a 41 year old, and my peers being anywhere from 18 into their twenties. My classmates are in the same age group at my daughters. To become a nurse I had to go on this life journey to get where I am at today and to be the person that I am today. Becoming a nurse has been a goal of mine for at least 10 to 15 years. I am excited for what the future has on hold for me. I have always worked hard for myself and my family. Being able to show my kids that this can be done is important to me. However, I am encouraging them to go to college right after high school. I like to talk to them about how important it is for them to have their own independence as they get older and become young adults. Over the years, working as a medical assistant I have been able to experience working in different specialties. My favorite thing to do has been wound care and injuries. I would always ask to do the wound care, wound dressings (bandaging). I have gained so much experience in chronic health as well. I have learned how to educate patients with their medical conditions, treatment, and medication. I have also had the opportunity with working at campus Health medical clinic at Northern Arizona University. Working at various places over the years has taught me so much about medicine. I am looking forward to completing the nursing program at Northern Arizona University in the next two years. People have been asking me since I enrolled, if I know or have an idea of what type of nursing I want to go into. At this time I want to go into Trauma. People are so vulnerable in those conditions. I want to learn the skills that will be fast and efficient in case it is needed for a rapid response to a situation. I want to learn to provide the highest level and quality of care that people should have while receiving medical care. I'd like to say thank you for this opportunity and thank you for your time and consideration. Always my best, Krystalynn Thompson

My name is Krystalynn Thompson. I have been a mother since 2004, when I had my first child, my oldest daughter. Then up to 10 years later I had three more children with my husband. I was nearing he end of the Medical Assistant program in Phoenix, AZ. I had moved to Phoenix with my future husband when I was 19 to go to school to get into healthcare. When I was a teenager I never thought that I would be in healthcare. I had always imagined my life as an artist. After high school, thinking about what would be a more economical choice, I decided to apply for my tribes trade opportunity program. I went to this trailer almost daily, four to five times a week to apply and take ridiculous amounts of paperwork to them. Finally, I was accepted into the program. From that moment, I knew the path my future was headed was not going to be on the reservation for the rest of my life. I wanted to make a positive impact in the lives of others. Nearing the end of the 10 month Medical Assistant program, my husband and I welcomed our daughter. I was required to postpone school for one month. After that month I returned and finished my last month of classes and then completed the externship. I ended up graduating with a high GPA. Instead of the 4.0 I aimed for I was just below that because I could not afford interview clothes for my final professional class. But I know I worked hard and was proud of what I accomplished. 20 years later I am still a Medical Assistant at an Internal Medicine private practice. In 2012 I signed up to go to the local community college, I didn't make it to officially enrolling into classes. I did that at least two more times. In January of 2023, I started thinking about where I was seeing myself in 5 more years, when I am in my mid-40s. I actually imagined struggling financially, still living paycheck to paycheck, and not being able to spend time with my family because I am trying to get all the work hours I can. I felt unhappy and overwhelmed with those thoughts. That evening I went home and spoke to my husband about it. I told him that I want to enroll at the University for the upcoming Fall semester. The next day, I remained committed. I logged on the computer, and applied to be enrolled. The next 4 months, I stayed committed to my family's future and continued the enrollment process. Once I knew that school was official, my husband and I called a family meeting with our four children. Our daily routines were about to change in the next 2 to 3 months, for the next 4 years. My husband was a stay at home dad. He took care of everything for our family since our girls were about 3 years old. We chose this option because it would allow me to be able to work as much as I needed to. I could stay later, work my way up the chain in the clinic I was working at. I could be more available for my position. Now my husband is working, I work part-time to help with bills. I go to school full-time. My first 2 semesters were 6 classes each. This semester is 5 classes and working. I am excited for what my family's future holds and the quality of life we will have. I am going to be a Registered Nurse.