My mother always tells me that I was a sickly child. She did not let me leave the house till I was two because I was showing signs of autism. She did not let me receive vaccines because she was afraid, I would have an adverse reaction to them. My mother —who is a pediatrician—took care of me meticulously for those first two years of my life. The only reason I was able to become a healthy young woman was because my parents nurtured me. Sometimes, I wonder if I would have reached age 17 without them. I am alive today because I had access to proper medical care. Unfortunately, this is not the reality for many children in America. Access to good medical facilities is a necessity, not a desire, but for many American children, this is not the case. It has become impossible to have access to doctors and nurses who can help because the costs are so high. There are many children with deficiency diseases because their parents lack the means to take care of them. My parents inspired me to do nursing because they took care of me when I was sick. I want to help other people who do not have this same opportunity. While my parents inspired me to do nursing, I did not conclude till I came to America. Nursing shortages exist in America, and I witnessed it firsthand on the 23rd of September when I accompanied my aunt and cousin to a Fort Worth children's hospital. I immediately realized that they were short-staffed as soon as I entered the building. To get to a doctor, we had to wait for six hours without a comfortable place to sleep. Even though we finally got some help from some nurses, I knew there would be much longer waits for others. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers have become some of the most important people in the world. As the world crumbled, our only saviors were the nurses in blue scrubs who worked hard. Despite this, nurses are underpaid, understaffed, and overworked, Many nurses leave the field for other jobs to improve their quality of life. I want to become a registered nurse so I can join the workforce. Whether conditions in the workforce are improving or not, an essential occupation like nursing cannot be ignored. After seeing first-hand how the nursing shortage affects American children, I am determined to become a nurse. For me to achieve my dream of becoming a nurse, I must finish the required prerequisites for nursing school at Tarrant County College. I plan to transfer to the University of Arlington in Texas in the fall of 2023 to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Even though I am transferring to UTA, I still plan to take some classes at TCC to finish my prerequisites. After this, I plan to work in a hospital as a registered nurse. I want to specialize in either Intensive Care Unit nursing or Neonatal nursing. I want to work for about two years to gain some experience and then go back to school to get my master's degree and doctorate in Nursing Practice. Despite my effort, finance is my biggest obstacle. This scholarship will help me with my tuition so I can become a registered nurse and join the workforce. I believe I will be able to make a positive impact if I become a nurse.

My name is Michelle Izuwah, and I aim to graduate as an honors student and become a registered nurse. I enrolled in Tarrant County College in the spring of 2022 to complete the necessary lower-division prerequisites for nursing. I aim to complete the prerequisites by the end of summer 2023. I also aim to take the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) nursing exam in the spring of 2023. I will transfer to the University of Texas at Arlington in the fall of 2023, where I will complete the remaining pre-nursing prerequisites before I can apply for the Nursing program. I plan to enroll in the Nursing program for the spring of 2024 where I will spend two years and graduate with a Bachelor's in Nursing Science. My career goal is to become a nurse working in the Intensive Care Unit at the Medical City Hospital. This is the reason I am transferring to the University of Texas at Arlington because it is one of the top nursing schools in the country. After I graduate and work for a few years, I will have gained experience in the nursing field. Next, I plan to enroll in classes to get a master’s degree and then a Doctor in Nursing Practice, so my academic achievements will grow in the future. I am determined to become a nurse in the future because of my parents. My mother always tells me that I was a sickly child. She did not let me leave the house until I was two because I was showing signs of autism. She did not let me receive vaccines because she was afraid I would have an adverse reaction to them. My mother—who is a pediatrician—took care of me meticulously for those first two years of my life. The only reason I was able to become a healthy young woman was because my parents nurtured me. Sometimes, I wonder if I would have reached the age of seventeen without them. I am alive today because I had access to proper medical care. Unfortunately, this is not the reality for children in America. Access to good medical facilities is a necessity, not a mere desire, but for American children, this is not the case. It is impossible to gain access to doctors and nurses who can help because the costs are too high. Many children suffer from deficiency diseases because their parents lack the means to care for them. My parents inspired me to study nursing because they took care of me when I was sick. I want to help others who do not receive the same level of care. Throughout my life, my father encouraged me to study. In his opinion, a good education is the greatest gift a parent can give their child. I was determined to apply to nursing school after hearing his encouraging words. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the fall of 2020 and passed away five months later. Although my father’s death was the most significant hardship I had to overcome, it also ignited my passion for intensive care nursing. I am focusing on my prerequisites which will prepare me for my nursing journey. I plan to receive specialized training in this field to help critically ill patients. I intend to help patients who need full-time care and are at risk of losing their lives. It is my mission to save people whose families believe they have no hope of survival.

My name is Michelle Izuwah, and I aim to graduate as an honors student and become a registered nurse. I enrolled in Tarrant County College in the spring of 2022 to complete the necessary lower-division prerequisites for nursing. I aim to complete the prerequisites by the end of summer 2023. I also aim to take the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) nursing exam in the spring of 2023. I will transfer to the University of Texas at Arlington in the fall of 2023, where I will complete the remaining pre-nursing prerequisites before I can apply for the Nursing program. I plan to enroll in the Nursing program for the spring of 2024 where I will spend two years and graduate with a Bachelor's in Nursing Science. My career goal is to become a nurse working in the Intensive Care Unit at the Medical City hospital. This is the reason I am transferring to the University of Texas at Arlington because it is one of the top nursing schools in the country. After I graduate and work for a few years, I will have gained experience in the nursing field. Next, I plan to enroll in classes to get a master’s degree and then a Doctor in Nursing Practice, so my academic achievements will grow in the future. I am determined to become a nurse in the future because of my parents. My mother always tells me that I was a sickly child. She did not let me leave the house until I was two because I was showing signs of autism. She did not let me receive vaccines because she was afraid I would have an adverse reaction to them. My mother—who is a pediatrician—took care of me meticulously for those first two years of my life. The only reason I was able to become a healthy young woman was because my parents nurtured me. Sometimes, I wonder if I would have reached the age of seventeen without them. I am alive today because I had access to proper medical care. Unfortunately, this is not the reality for children in America. Access to good medical facilities is a necessity, not a mere desire, but for American children, this is not the case. It is impossible to gain access to doctors and nurses who can help because the costs are too high. Many children suffer from deficiency diseases because their parents lack the means to care for them. My parents inspired me to study nursing because they took care of me when I was sick. I want to help others who do not receive the same level of care. Throughout my life, my father encouraged me to study. In his opinion, a good education is the greatest gift a parent can give their child. I was determined to apply to nursing school after hearing his encouraging words. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the fall of 2020 and passed away five months later. Although my father’s death was the most significant hardship I had to overcome, it also ignited my passion for intensive care nursing. I plan to receive specialized training in this field to help critically ill patients. I intend to help patients who need full-time care and are at risk of losing their lives. It is my mission to save people whose families believe they have no hope of survival.

My mother always tells me that I was a sickly child. She did not let me leave the house until I was two because I was showing signs of autism. She did not let me receive vaccines because she was afraid that I would have an adverse reaction to them. My mother —who is a pediatrician—took care of me meticulously for those first two years of my life. The only reason I was able to become a healthy young woman was because my parents nurtured me. Sometimes, I wonder if I would have reached the age of seventeen without them. I am alive today because I had access to proper medical care. Unfortunately, this is not the reality for many children in America. Access to good medical facilities is a necessity, not a mere desire, but for many American children, this is not the case. It is impossible to have access to doctors and nurses who can help because the cost of medical care is too expensive. Many children suffer from deficiency diseases because their parents lack the means to take care of them. My parents inspired me to study nursing because they took care of me when I was sick. I want to help other people who do not have this same opportunity. I want to become a nurse because of my parents; however, I did not make my decision until after I moved to America. I recently witnessed America’s nursing shortage firsthand when I accompanied my aunt and cousin to a Fort Worth Children's hospital. I immediately realized that they were short-staffed as soon as I entered the building. To see a doctor, we waited for six hours without a comfortable place to sleep. Even though we finally received help from some nurses, I knew there would be much longer waits for other people. Seeing the other children still waiting for nurses reminded me of the COVID-19 lockdown. During the lockdown, healthcare workers became some of the most important people in the world. After the lockdown, many nurses left the field for other jobs to improve their quality of life. I know that nurses are underpaid and overworked. Regardless of whether conditions in the workforce are improving or not, an essential occupation like nursing cannot be ignored. I want to become a nurse because I find joy in helping sick people regain their health. After witnessing first-hand how the nursing shortage affects American children, I am determined to become a nurse.

My name is Michelle Izuwah, and I aim to graduate as an honors student and become a registered nurse. I enrolled in Tarrant County College in the spring of 2022 to complete the necessary lower-division prerequisites for nursing. I aim to complete the prerequisites by the end of summer 2023. I also aim to take the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) nursing exam in the spring of 2023. I will transfer to the University of Texas at Arlington in the fall of 2023, where I will complete the remaining pre-nursing prerequisites before I can apply for the Nursing program. I plan to enroll in the Nursing program for the spring of 2024 where I will spend two years and graduate with a Bachelor's in Nursing Science. My career goal is to become a nurse working in the Intensive Care Unit at the Medical City hospital. This is the reason I am transferring to the University of Texas at Arlington because it is one of the top nursing schools in the country. After I graduate and work for a few years, I will have gained experience in the nursing field. Next, I plan to enroll in classes to get a master’s degree and then a Doctor in Nursing Practice, so my academic achievements will grow in the future. I am determined to become a nurse in the future because of my parents. My mother always tells me that I was a sickly child. She did not let me leave the house till I was two because I was showing signs of autism. She did not let me receive vaccines because she was afraid I would have an adverse reaction to them. My mother —who is a pediatrician—took care of me meticulously for those first two years of my life. The only reason I was able to become a healthy young woman was because my parents nurtured me. Sometimes, I wonder if I would have reached age 17 without them. I want to help others who do not receive the same level of care. Throughout my life, my father encouraged me to study. In his opinion, a good education is the greatest gift a parent can give their child. I was determined to apply to nursing school after hearing his encouraging words. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the fall of 2020 and passed away five months later. Although my father’s death was the greatest hardship I had to overcome, it also ignited my passion for intensive care nursing. I plan to receive specialized training in this field to help critically ill patients. I intend to help patients who need full-time care and are at risk of losing their lives. It is my mission to save people whose families believe they have no hope of survival.

My mother always tells me that I was a sickly child. She did not let me leave the house until I was two because I was showing signs of autism. She did not let me receive vaccines because she was afraid that I would have an adverse reaction to them. My mother —who is a pediatrician—took care of me meticulously for those first two years of my life. The only reason I was able to become a healthy young woman was because my parents nurtured me. Sometimes, I wonder if I would have reached the age of seventeen without them. I am alive today because I had access to proper medical care. Unfortunately, this is not the reality for many children in America. Access to good medical facilities is a necessity, not a mere desire, but for many American children, this is not the case. It is impossible to have access to doctors and nurses who can help because the cost of medical care is too expensive. Many children suffer from deficiency diseases because their parents lack the means to take care of them. My parents inspired me to study nursing because they took care of me when I was sick. I want to help other people who do not have this same opportunity. I want to become a nurse because of my parents; however, I did not make my decision until after I moved to America. I recently witnessed America’s nursing shortage firsthand when I accompanied my aunt and cousin to a Fort Worth Children's hospital. I immediately realized that they were short-staffed as soon as I entered the building. To see a doctor, we waited for six hours without a comfortable place to sleep. Even though we finally received help from some nurses, I knew there would be much longer waits for other people. Seeing the other children still waiting for nurses reminded me of the COVID-19 lockdown. During the lockdown, healthcare workers became some of the most important people in the world. After the lockdown, many nurses left the field for other jobs to improve their quality of life. I know that nurses are underpaid and overworked. Regardless of whether conditions in the workforce are improving or not, an essential occupation like nursing cannot be ignored. I want to become a nurse because I find joy in helping sick people regain their health. After witnessing first-hand how the nursing shortage affects American children, I am determined to become a nurse.

My dream in life is to become a registered nurse and have a positive impact on the healthcare industry. I aim to help those who cannot afford the same level of medical care as others. In addition, I intend to give back to my local community in Abia state, Nigeria.

My mother always tells me that I was a sickly child. She did not let me leave the house till I was two because I was showing signs of autism. She did not let me receive vaccines because she was afraid I would have an adverse reaction to them. My mother —who is a pediatrician—took care of me meticulously for those first two years of my life. The only reason I was able to become a healthy young woman was because my parents nurtured me. Sometimes, I wonder if I would have reached age 17 without them. I am alive today because I had access to proper medical care. Unfortunately, this is not the reality for many children in America. Access to good medical facilities is a necessity, not a mere desire, but for many American children, this is not the case. For many, it is impossible to gain access to doctors and nurses who can help because the costs are too high. Many children suffer from deficiency diseases because their parents lack the means to take care of them. My parents inspired me to study nursing because they took care of me when I was sick. I want to help other people who do not receive the same level of care. I want to become a nurse because of my parents; however, I did not make my decision until after I moved to America. I recently witnessed America’s nursing shortage firsthand when I accompanied my aunt and cousin to a Fort Worth children's hospital. I immediately realized they were short-staffed as soon as I entered the building. To see a doctor, we had to wait for six hours without a comfortable place to sleep. Even though we finally received help from some nurses, I knew there would be much longer waits for others. Seeing the other children still waiting for nurses reminded me of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, healthcare workers became some of the most important people in the world. After the pandemic, many nurses left the field for other jobs to improve their quality of life. I know that nurses are underpaid and overworked. Regardless of whether conditions in the workforce are improving or not, an essential occupation like nursing cannot be ignored. I want to become a nurse because I find joy in helping sick people regain their health. After witnessing first-hand how the nursing shortage affects American children, I am determined to become a nurse.

The key to starting a semester successfully is to build a strong mindset. It is essential to have a strong mindset to prevent emotional and mental breakdowns. People who have strong mindsets can set up schedules without overworking themselves. Moreover, people with strong mental attitudes know how to cope with school stress. People who are capable of coping with stress have better brain and memory functions. Even though school can be challenging, students who decide what they want to accomplish at the end of the semester tend to be more organized. Thus, before school starts, people should prepare their minds for the numerous assignments and exams they will have to take. Positive thinking is also essential. People who belittle themselves with negative words generally have low self-confidence. Self-confidence is necessary to have a positive mental attitude. It takes positivity, self-confidence, and a strong mindset to survive the semester. My Instagram handle is @zuwie_7.