My work, volunteer, and personal experiences made me realize that nursing was my calling. Nurses change the lives of patients and patients change theirs. My grandmother was a registered nurse and inspired me to go onto nursing. She began her nursing career at Mount Vernon Hospital as a floor nurse from 1970-1973 and nursing supervisor from 1973-1984. My grandmother remembers Maureen Pace’s excellence and extraordinary dedication to her work, colleagues, and patients. I hope to also make such significant clinical impacts in my nursing career. I understood from an early age the responsibilities of nurses from my grandmother and from my medical parents. When my sister was born with a segmental hemangioma that extended into her airway, I saw nurses care for my sister. I started to work at Mid-Hudson Podiatry and volunteer at The Pines at Poughkeepsie Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation to gain clinical experience working with patients. I became certain that I wanted to be a nurse and care, comfort, and advocate for patients through all stages of their lives. When I was volunteering at The Pines, I saw that multisensory activities improved dementia symptoms and slowed cognitive decline. I created a multi-sensory room for The Pines and collected over $3000 in donations through an Amazon Wish List which included heat and massage recliners, galaxy and aquarium lights, sensory boards and books, fidget and weighted blankets, music, a diffuser, dolls, plush pets, and sand/water bins. Nursery, laundry, fishing, plumbing, woodworking, and kitchen life stations were included so that patients can find comfort doing past activities and strengthen cognitive and motor function. I also created a brochure, “How to Create a Sensory Room,” to inspire other facilities and private homes to create similar spaces. The Alzheimer’s Association is now sharing my work, and my project has become a model for Memory Care sensory rooms. I earned my Girl Scout Gold Award for this project which is the highest award in Girl Scouts and earned by less than five percent of all Girl Scouts. I would like to continue my work with patients with dementia and neurological conditions as a nurse. In addition to my Gold Award, I earned my Girl Scout Silver Award for creating an Art Cart at The Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie and my Bronze Award leading toiletry drives for Dutchess Outreach. The Spirit Alive and Marian medals, the highest Girl Scout religious medals, were earned after doing projects and community service with the homeless. I look forward to continuing community outreach and service through nursing. I plan to graduate with my Bachelor of Science in Nursing and become a nurse practitioner. I have taken all advanced courses and devoted my life to giving back to the community. I will continue to do community outreach as a nursing student and nurse. I look forward to providing medical care and education in the community, especially in underserved areas or with patients who are unable to travel. I hope to inspire and train students at nursing programs and where I someday work. Nursing will allow me to make the most significant and lasting impact in the lives and health of others and live out the values and traits of Maureen Pace. My empathy and compassion for others propel me to make every day better for others. I want to identify problems and solve them. I want to be a patient educator and a leader and continue to make positive impacts and effective changes in the healthcare system. It is a gift to be a part of a patient’s life, and I look forward to my future nursing career.