To accomplish something you really want, you must set a goal. I am here to tell you that my life goal is to graduate from Mount Mercy University with my Bachelor’s degree in medical administration and management. After I receive my degree, I would like to go into the hospital setting as a medical administrator or manager. I want to be the amazing manager that everyone dreams of. One who is appreciative, understanding, helpful, and empathetic. I would love to give my children the life that they deserve. My son is in hockey, and boy, is that an expensive sport! I want to sign my son up for as many hockey skills, camps, etc. because the passion he has for hockey is crazy! I want to go on adventures with my children and have them experience and see as much as they can. I am very family oriented and my goal is to spend as much time as I can with my children making memories. I am excited to graduate and live the life I have always dreamed of.

Have you ever felt like you were never good enough at something and all you needed to hear from someone is “you can do it”? I’ve been there, especially with my college work. There are some tasks that can be so overwhelming and so stressful that make someone want to give up. Well, if that ever happens to you, please come find me. I get joy out of encouraging others. For example, my sister-in-law just passed away and my other sister-in-law is struggling to grieve. She wants to get over this grieving process quickly, which I understand. All I could do is give her words of encouragement that it’s okay to grieve, the grieving process takes time, and that she can take as long as she can to grieve. The look in her eyes and the sound of her voice sounded like she was relieved and that someone understood what she was going through. Another person I like to encourage is my son in hockey. Before every hockey game I like to encourage to do his best, don’t let anyone upset you and setting a goal on making goals. I can tell he feels relieved to know that someone is out in the stands rooting for him and wanting him to do his best. Encouraging others definitely takes stress away and lifts up their spirits. I encourage others to bring joy, peace, and relief to those around them.

We all have what’s called a “love language”. If you don’t know what love language is, it’s how you show your love to others. I like to buy my husband, family, and friends gifts, without anything in return. You ask for it, I will find a way to get it, other than my husband asking for a Corvette. Trust me, if I could get him one, I would in a heartbeat! I make sure I express my appreciation to my coworkers. Any small thing they do for me or any answer that I get back after a question, I always make sure to tell them “Thank you, I appreciate you/it”. Same with my husband and son. They definitely do not clean the way that I do (I’m a clean freak), but I make sure I tell them that I love them and appreciate what they’ve done. Yes, I do go back over their work and do it my way secretly, but expressing your love and appreciation for someone can make a huge difference in your relationships and with you internal self.

Have you ever felt so good when doing something for someone? I have. My happiness comes from helping others and lifting others up. I love to see people smile and feel good about themselves. I love seeing people smile after I do something nice for them or show them kindness. It makes me happy to know that I made a difference in someone's life. I am happy when I am donating my time to volunteer at my church or donating essentials to the Women’s Shelter. I am happy when I get to buy someone a coffee in the Starbucks line. I am happy when I get to see a man or woman that is in the line of duty and I am able to make their day by buying their breakfast or lunch. It’s the little things that bring me joy. I don’t care about materialistic things. I’ve been in the unhappy state before, and I wanted was a pick-me-up from someone.

I started at my community college when my son was just a few months old. I was working night shifts at a local gas station so I was able to go to school during the day. The job only paid $8.50 per hour at that time so I had to work as much as I could in order to keep up with bills. It broke my heart to constantly be busy with school and working, and I wasn’t able to find a better job and one that would work around my school schedule, say the least. I kept telling myself it will benefit us in the end. I finally got to the point where I gave up on trying to go to school and pursue a good career, to just getting my Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts/Sciences. This degree hasn’t taken me anywhere, I’m still living paycheck to paycheck. Now that I am a little older and wiser, I have decided to go back to school for my Bachelor’s in Medical Administration/Management. Boy, is it tough! I had to quit a good paying job (dental assisting) to more of a low key, less paying job so I can sit and do homework during some of my free time. I will use my higher education to become a manager of a medical clinic or inside the hospital. In this position I will be able to live financially stable and still have time for my family at the end of the day. I will be able to help my husband pay for bills, help take our children on vacation to make memories, and not stress about where we are going to get money to have my son do extracurricular activities. I’m also stressing about where I am going to get the money to pay for college so I can become more financially stable. All I want is the best for my family, I would do anything for them and to give them the life they deserve.

As a mother of two, full-time employee and student, it’s sometimes difficult to enjoy the simple pleasures in life. My life is on a routine schedule and my mind is always racing. But when I do get that down time, the peace and quiet (usually after I drop the kids off at daycare and school) I get to watch the sunrise. As I get to watch the sun rise, I smile and thank God for his beauty of the sunrise and for another day to make my life meaningful. I remember a time where I was in Myrtle Beach, SC. The sand was between my toes and the sun was rising over the ocean. I always wanted to do that, and when that day came, I was able to enjoy the simple pleasure of God’s creation which brought joy to my heart.

Have you ever heard the saying, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”? Well this is where I am trying to get in my career. After I finish college and receive my Bachelor’s degree in Medical Administration/Management, I would love to manage a clinic or area in the hospital, preferably pediatrics. The reason why I am so passionate about managing a clinic is I have had some terrible experiences with leadership. I have felt unappreciated for my hard work, an issue with a hostile work environment wasn’t taken care of, and some places only cared about the money and not their employees’. My dream for my future career is to manage employees’ and give them a work environment that they enjoy. Give the employees appreciation. It is hard to work for someone who only acknowledges the money, and that is something I would like to change. Without happy employees, there is no business.

The most inspiring book that I have read is, “Make Your Bed” by William H. McRaven. William is a retired U.S. Navy Seal. And in his book, he gives ten lessons that he learned while in the U.S. Navy, but only three really hit home to me. Number one, start your day with a completed task, such as making your bed. “...It was the first task of the day, and doing it right is important. It showed my attention to detail, and at the end of the day it would be a reminder that I had done something well, something to be proud of, no matter how small the task…”. Because of this book, the first thing I do when I get out of bed is make my bed. Why? It gives me a sense of accomplishment. I think to myself, if I can do this then I definitely can take on the next task that comes my way, and I just keep accomplishing task after task. At first I was skeptical of this book and thought it would be boring. I am so glad that I didn’t skip over this book on my list. William’s advice has stuck with me for two years now and I will continue to apply his life lessons to my life.

At the age of 16 I had dropped out of high school. As a sophomore in high school I decided to hang out with the seniors. I don’t know how it is now, but back in my day seniors had periods where they didn’t have a class, so they would leave school grounds. And, at the high school I attended, nobody was questioned by administrators when leaving school grounds. So I would act like I’m a senior, leave with my senior friends and skip classes. Eventually I started slacking off in classes I did attend, drinking and partying, and just not showing up to school at all. Because of my behavior, I was a semester behind in school and I ended up in night school and having to take sophomore classes my junior year. I felt so behind that I eventually dropped out of high school. Because I dropped out, I missed out on the best four years of my life and the importance of education. I missed high school football games, getting involved in my graduation class, missing prom, graduation ceremony and having a graduation party. I look back and regret it all. I did end up getting my GED, but it took me to being pregnant with my first child to even get it. I was so wrapped up in having a good time, that I didn’t think about my future. After I received my GED, I was motivated to go to college to better my and my son’s life. But again, having fun took over my college life to where I didn’t really care about my grades, all of the money I have borrowed and have to pay back. I just wanted to do the bare minimum and abuse the borrowing power. I wasted five years of my life to complete a two year Associate’s Degree and wasted thousands of dollars when I could be doing something big by now. I eventually hit rock bottom, financially and was tired of living paycheck to paycheck. I also did go through some life experiences to get me where I decided to go back to college and get my Bachelor’s in Medical Administration/Management. Before being accepted at Mount Mercy University, I had to write to their administration on what I will do differently with my academics before I was accepted. Because of my immaturity as a teenager and young adult, I learned that I can have fun and can do it after I complete my schooling. I also learned that the government is not going to give me all of the money that I need to go to school, so I have used my financial aid wisely and have been applying for scholarships so I don’t have a bigger bill then what it already is after I graduate. I have also learned that reading my material, doing my homework before or on time, and doing my best on my school work will get me to the Dean’s List and a 3.87 GPA. I have come a long way and I’m not stopping now.

I deserve this scholarship because I am terrible at school, I don’t have a high GPA, and I have money to pay for college without any help from loans or scholarships. My academic goals as of right now is to go at my own pace, turn in uncompleted assignments whenever I get them done, guess on tests and not read my course material. My career goal is to figure out what I want to do after I graduate college. A time that I overcame an obstacle is when I was deciding to get off of the couch to get another snack. After about twenty minutes of deciding, I decided to walk to the fridge and stand there with the door open for about another twenty minutes to find out I wasn’t even hungry.

Did you know that 38 percent of undergraduates are adult learners, (Post University, 2020)? I am part of that 38 percent. I thought I knew what I wanted to do for my career in my early 20’s, but came to find out I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do until now. At the age of 32 I have realized that I want to be in the medical field, but not doing patient care. Why? I started out going to college for nursing and during that time I was working as a CNA at the children’s hospital. I loved every bit of it, until I saw how stressed out nurses were and how much they missed being with their family. So I decided to become a Dental Assistant. I knew with dental assisting I could still help people and have a home life. Once again, I loved what I did, but dental office managers are very hard to work with and working in the dental field was super hard on my body. So, with the combination of my medical background, experience with horrible management and not being able to tolerate the pulled muscles, I have decided to go back to college and get my Bachelor’s in Healthcare Administration/Management. I thought by now I would have my career together, but life experiences keep changing me. I hope to bring joy, fun, appreciation, and kindness to my future employees.

Did you know that regular gratitude has been shown to result in 5% to 15% increase in optimism? (Amin, 2014) I can admit, I take things for granted daily without even realizing it. I don’t think about the breaths I am able to take, my sight, my hearing, my health, my family until I see someone without one of these. Every morning I write a gratitude journal, which helps me realize how blessed I am to be alive, healthy and that I truly do have an amazing life. Every morning and every night I pray and I thank God for all that he has given me, which also helps me with my gratitude and appreciation. I recently lost my sister-in-law. The one thing that everyone kept commenting on about her is how she was always happy with life. This made me think twice about how I view my life and the things that I have. Her passing opened my eyes to be happy, joyful, and to happy all that I have; To not dwell on the things that I don’t. Everyday I choose to live a life full of thankfulness, happiness, and appreciation.

We have always learned about the golden rule, treat others the way you want to be treated. I live by this rule. Why do you ask? First of all, I have needed and was hoping someone could be that help. So when I see someone in a tough situation, I think to myself, what if I were in their shoes? Second, I believe in karma; I believe good things happen when you do good. Third, I have a passion for helping others. I love the joyful feeling I get when I get to help someone. Everyday I try to find a way that I can help someone, whether it be my family, my co-workers, or a stranger. I love to help my son with his homework, my husband with outside chores, co-workers when they need help with a task, or a stranger that may need something. I have recently donated to the Women’s Shelter, volunteered my time to do Meals of the Heartland, and help a stranger at my workplace. I also enjoy giving compliments. I try to give at least five compliments a day. I want others to feel good about themselves and know that they are special. I make sure I tell my co-workers how much I appreciate them and their help. One small gesture or comment. could be another's pick me up for the day.

“You cannot live your life other than walking in the truth. Your means are as important as your ends,” - Chuck Coleson. Everyone has a purpose in life. God created each and every one of us for a reason. I believe my purpose in life is to help others. God has blessed me with an empathetic, kind, loving heart. I get joy out of helping those in need, especially those in poverty. I get joy out of talking to people about God and what he has done for me. I believe I am here to help those who are lost to God. Outside of my spiritual life, the meaning of life for me is getting up every morning to do and be better than what I was yesterday. Everyday I work on being a better wife, mother, employee, college student, friend, daughter, and sister. I get up every morning, put myself together, fill out my gratitude journal and face the day. Everyday I choose to love life and to live as it was my last day.

Confidence to me is having self-esteem, self-trust, and having pride in a non-arrogant way. I am working on loving myself and telling myself that I am good enough, that I can do this or do that, or that I'm beautiful enough. In today's world, social media has played a huge affect on my life. I see others my age who seem like they have their life together and that stress is not aging them. I have turned away from social media and am leaning on myself to feel good about me and where my life is.

We all have different opinions and see things differently. Empathy isn't always easy, but it can be learned. Empathy isn't a solution, it's an understanding. Growing up, especially as a teenager, I never saw the importance of empathy. I always thought it was my way, or no way at all. Now that I am older, I put myself in other people's shoes. I have grown to look at others' points of view, I have learned to actively listen, and take action. I have now realized to treat others' opinions as I would want them to treat mine. Because of my empathy, I have made new friends, helped others out, and have had better relationships with those who are close to me.

Did you know that Taking even a minute or two to consciously relax between tasks can greatly increase your ability to focus and concentrate on tasks at hand? (DailyJournal, 2018) As a Mother of two, working full-time, and going to college, I don't get much down time. Therefore, when I do get to relax, I enjoy reading, doing my nails, or just sitting in silence. If I had it my way of completely getting away from all of my responsibilities, I'd go get a manicure and pedicure, massage, and soak for hours in a nice warm bubble bath.

I enjoy going to new places, seeing historical sites, and seeing God’s beauty on this earth. I love to fill my life with new adventures and to tell stories. I love to travel. Although, I haven’t been everywhere, it definitely is on my list. I began to travel as a child. Going on family vacations was my favorite part of summer break. I got to tell exciting stories to my friends and now I get to look back on all of the great memories from traveling. My all time favorite destination, so far, is Washington D.C. There was something about seeing all of the historical sites that made me open my eyes to history and I came to love history. I live in Iowa, which is a pretty boring state. When I get a chance to travel and be free, I take in the beauty that God has created. The mountains in Colorado, the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf, and the animals / sea creatures I don’t get to see very often take my breath away. Traveling is wonderful, therefore I plan to travel somewhere new every year. Not only do I get to see God’s beautiful creation, I get to sit back and have a mental break from everyday life. “We travel not to escape, but for life not to escape us” (Brabbu).

One thing that gives me hope that the future will be better is having faith in God. God puts us through hard times to come to Him and build our hope and faith in Him.

Did you know that an average person will change careers 10 to 15 times during their working years? (Aleksandar Dimovski, 2020). I have only been in the working field for 13 years and have changed my mind four times, so I'm doing pretty good! I started out wanting to be a dental assistant, to nurse, back to dental assistant and now I'm going to school to earn my degree in Medical Administration/Management. I never became a nurse, but I did become a dental assistant. The reason why I changed my mind so much is due to personal experiences. When I decided I wanted to go to school to be in the dental field, it's because I had experienced a terrible overbite and getting braces changed my life; It gave me self confidence and I wanted to help others feel that way. As I was waiting to get into the Dental Assistant program, I became pregnant and had a bad experience with the delivery doctor and labor/delivery nurses. So then I changed my mind to go to nursing school, because I wanted to be the caring and empathetic nurse that everyone deserves. Unfortunately I couldn't work overnights at the hospital and go to school 5 days a week, 8 hours a day, and take care of a two year old. So I jumped back into dental assisting. I loved my patients' and the dentists' I got to work with, but I wasn't too fond of management. I cannot say that there was one office manager that appreciated us clinical workers', they honestly worked us to death for the money. Which here I am, almost 10 years later deciding on my forever career to become a great office manager for either a dental office or medical office. I plan to use my education to become a manager who values employees and patients. I like to make people feel good and important and that they matter. If it takes me going to school to do that, then this is my calling.

My Mom was a single mother to my brother and I. She worked three jobs to keep food on the table and to provide for the two of us. Watching my Mom go through the hard seasons in life taught me to never give up and to be strong; It also taught me to help others in need or who are struggling to make ends meet. I now volunteer to help my community through my church by collecting food and school supplies and distributing them to the poverty around Des Moines. I also have gotten the chance to volunteer at Meals for the Heartland to help pack food to be sent overseas. On my own, I like to do random acts of kindness by donating items to the Women's Shelter in Des Moines and leaving money for the vending machines around the hospital I work at. In conclusion, my Mom was a strong woman with a very big heart. I am so grateful that I can be just like her. I will always continue to fight through the hard seasons and will forever give what I can to this world.

I think it is important for people to get involved in their communities to help others in need and to get to know other people. I volunteer a lot at my church by packaging meals for Meals of the Heartland, donating school supplies to kids in need, donating non-perishable foods, and volunteering my time at the food bank at my church. I would love to work for a non-profit, public health center to help those in need.

It has taken me almost 10 years to figure out where I want to be in my career. I started working as a full-time employee in 2009. I have jumped job to job due to not feeling appreciated for my hard work and feeling used in my work area because the manager or supervisor knew I would do whatever it takes to learn new things and do what I can to continue my over achievement behavior. These past 10 years has brought me to wanting to continue my career and education in medical administration. I am currently going to Mount Mercy University to achieve my dream job. I want to become a medical administrator to uplift employees, let them know that they are important and appreciated, be a support system and to stay in the field I know the most...medical. Your grant would help me to achieve my goal to become a medical administrator to uplift and show others appreciation, and their importance to helping others.