The battle to provide top-quality care for everyone regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity drives my passion for nursing. I'm positive that nursing is my purpose in life. It is the gift God gave me and i pray every shift he shines through the care i provide. My story isn't a sob story or a fairy tale. It's my testimony to myself and my kids. I proudly own it. I do enjoy school, even on the hectic days when I feel like throwing the towel in. I got divorced when my kids were 3 months and a year and a half old. I was a single parent for 5 years. This included work at UAMS NICU at the time and additional contracts I would take on the side. With the way my divorce decree is set up, I have my children Sunday afternoon through Thursday evening, so I've always favored working weekend option nights. I went PRN in 2019 to be able to travel more. Contracts I've worked on include Shreveport, LA, Joplin, MO, Tampa, FL, Traverse City, MI, Frisco, TX, and most recently Austin, TX. So, even with graduate school on board since 2022, it's my normal to be with my kids, study, and do sports and church events Monday-Thursday. Every Thursday afternoon, I would commute by car to where my contract was and go to work Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night, then drive after 7am on Sunday back home in time to pick up my kids. Going through and extremely rocky divorce from a traumatic marriage, I had to do whatever was necessary to keep pushing because I had a lot of people relying on me. In March 2022, I got a phone call while I was in Frisco, TX to tell me that my mother had a stroke and was lying face down and unconscious on the bedroom floor. By the time she was flown to Baptist, she had a large bleed on the left side of her brain. We went through a trach, a PEG tube, significant aphasia, and pressure wounds. I gradually watched her decline. I was taking care of kids, driving to the nursing home every day(about an hour) to check on mom, then I'd drive back before school got out and pick up the kids, then after bed, I studied and completed assignments. I also was on her bank account and managed her finances in the meantime. I did this until February 19th of this year when she finally passed. Oddly enough, I lost my oldest brother to a stroke just a month before my mom. I'll be honest with you, I'm incredibly introverted, and anxious, and I struggle with giving myself enough credit from time to time. This passion of mine in a field of work I love, and to set an example for my kids on how to be strong through adversity and how to keep going when things get hard. I do pride myself on my work ethic and grit. I did get that from my mother and I'd hate to disappoint. Nursing is where I find my purpose and I truly believe that if chosen for this scholarship, this will be spent to go towards my future, my profession, and personal/professional growth. I want every chance to improve myself and i hope others in the medical field do too. We have to change and adapt over time to provide the best quality care to our emerging patient population. Thank you for hearing my story, I don't get a chance to share too much. Please consider me for your scholarship!