As a toddler, I spent time in the emergency room due to drinking Drano and witnessed both my grandmother and mother succumb to cancer before I turned 18. It is from my experience as a patient and family member that my passion for nursing originated. Nurses took care of me for years, impacting my health and well-being at a time when I was most vulnerable. My mother and grandmother became ill, and I was continuously asking the nurses questions and going in and out of various hospitals. My fascination with life, the human body, and the impact nurses can have on families across the globe led me to become a nurse. My main goals are to obtain my BSN-RN degree, followed by a master’s degree in nursing. I am passionate about helping the unhoused and those living in poverty. Due to the fact that I have been raising myself since the age of 14, my upbringing has been extremely challenging. I empathize with families in economic distress who do not have the resources to care for their health and wellbeing as others do. An aspiration of mine is to open a non-profit wellness clinic in which I can practice medicine, provide community health education, and collaborate with other professionals in the medical field, such as dietitians and physical therapists. I desire that people live healthier and happier lives in all respects. Growing up, I was raised in a very unhealthy family, both physically and mentally, and no one desired to obtain a higher education. As a result, I struggled to remain hopeful for my own education and health, but I have never given up during my journey toward nursing school. It is my goal to give others hope and the belief that they can achieve a higher education despite adversity. Additionally, I wish to contribute to the improvement of the lives of others who may have struggled with financial, mental, and physical issues, as I have. As a result of my perseverance, I have overcome the most challenging of circumstances. In addition to improving my own life, I will also be able to help thousands of others by obtaining this scholarship and my nursing degree. My strength and determination have proven that I am a survivor and a fighter. In the same way, I have fought for myself, I will continue to fight for others as well. With my education, background, and heart, I am confident I can make a positive impact on many communities and lives.

Growing up in poverty, obtaining a quality education was difficult. Attaining a higher degree was nearly impossible. I have noticed that my life has become more varied since I began gaining a higher education. My creativity has increased, and I have been able to expand my abilities both physically and mentally. Through education, I have been able to escape from what my reality could have been. The people I have been exposed to, the professors who have inspired me, and the books I have been given have allowed me to do things I might never have done on my own. Furthermore, I was given the opportunity to discover my personal passions and strengths by taking various classes with a variety of styles and sources of information. I have grown to be able to see and understand more people as a whole in contrast to being closed off and narrow-minded. A nursing degree gives me the opportunity to travel and help many others, as well as to learn about different people and cultures. My education is a privilege, as it allows me to have a significant impact on lives beyond the realm of medicine. Throughout the years, it was my educational experiences that truly shaped me into a better woman and future nurse. Having the ability to value each individual for who they are, as well as to allow them to speak freely and honestly with the utmost respect, enables me to give more care and make positive contributions to communities. Being from poverty and not being supported by my family, education has become even more essential for me to obtain and complete. Throughout my career, I received little support, which has strengthened me and inspired me to assist those just beginning their careers. As a result of my experience, I have been motivated to do more and to create more educational opportunities for those who may not otherwise have had such opportunities. My motivation to make these large changes lies in my desire to become the first member of my family to attend and complete college. So that I may see the changes in this world that I needed growing up and as a woman, I am becoming the change. To achieve this change, I feel the most effective way to proceed is to continue my education. This will enable me to provide more help to others and meet others who can assist me in making positive changes medically.

One of the people I admire is my grandmother. Despite having a child at such an early age, she persevered as a hard-working mother in the 1950s. She was tenacious, resilient, and determined. In my opinion, my grandmother was the sweetest and most genuine person I have ever encountered. Unfortunately, my grandmother had my mother while she was in high school. At the time, it was against the law for a student to be pregnant in school. In order to graduate, she concealed her pregnancy for five months and persevered, even during the most challenging times a young woman could experience. In spite of the lack of opportunities she was provided with, she pushed me to obtain an education. There has never been a woman in my family who attended college. Actually, I am the first member of my family to complete an educational program beyond high school. It was my grandmother who cheered me on after my mother passed away when I was 14 years old. Despite the fact that that was not her duty, she supported me nonetheless. Even when I was doubting my own abilities, she believed in me. The last thing I said to my grandmother before she passed away my junior year of high school was that I would go to college and earn my bachelor's degree in her honor. During that time, I was experiencing academic difficulties. Although college seemed insurmountable to me given the lack of support I had now, I constantly reminded myself of the days when I was doing homework at the dining room table with my grandmother. Although I resisted, she insisted that I complete the assignments. Her encouragement continued even when I failed tests. It was extremely difficult to witness the sudden passing of my mother, her daughter, who had succumbed to Pancreatic Cancer. However, she continued to smile and to tell me that I was capable of doing all that my mother and she were not able to do. Sadly, my grandmother was not given the opportunity to attend college and earn the higher degree she desired. Her ambition was to become a nurse, but her circumstances limited her ability to do so. Anytime I am having difficulty in my studies, I pray, I look at the photos of her and me, and I go for a walk, in order to help promote my confidence. Today, I am becoming an amazing nurse, thanks in large part to my grandmother, who always knew I would be so special. In spite of the fact that my mother and grandmother were not able to attend my high school graduation, my admiration and love for my grandmother drove me forward. I am proud to be able to say that I gained their strength, perseverance, and resilience to get myself through college and into an outstanding nursing program.

The experiences I have had during my time as a patient and with members of my family at the hospital played a critical role in my decision to choose Nursing as my field of study. At the age of two, I spent 17 days in a coma after drinking Drano (a pipe unclogging product). I was twelve years old when my mother underwent treatment at Massachusetts General Hospital for stage 4 pancreatic cancer. I also provided care for my grandmother during my adolescence, who was undergoing treatment for colon cancer. My family and I were always supported and encouraged by nurses during all the visits. I asked the nurses whenever I went to the hospital for all the medical information regarding what was going on. My mother's health as well as the welfare of the other patients in the hospital left me curious about the next steps. In addition to influencing my interest in public health and health care, the nurses left a lasting impression on me. I realized then that I had found my life's work. Patient care was my first opportunity in the nursing field. For multiple years, I worked as a nanny for children ages one and four and began working with patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease and dementia. As a student at my local community college, I obtained my EMT license, which introduced me to trauma care, a field that ignites my passion. I enjoy helping people with their daily activities, their medical needs, and answering questions about their health. My motivation comes from the belief that I can positively affect an entire family or even just one individual through my work. The nursing profession goes beyond academics and knowledge. You are able to make a substantial impact on individuals and their families. I used my traumatic experiences as a driving force to become a nurse and better the lives of others. Despite the fact that I was not able to cure my mother or grandmother, I understand how it feels to both be a patient and a family member. However, I am the one people turn to for medical assistance today. Being able to help others, as well as learning how to help many more people, gives me a great sense of fulfillment. This is an area where I am very passionate, and I believe that nursing will only enhance that passion. I hope, as a nurse, to have the same impact on people's health and lives as the nurses who influenced my own life. Throughout my life, I have experienced poverty, mental health struggles, and some of the most difficult situations one could imagine. As a result of my upbringing and experiences, I empathize with many people. Nursing provides me with the opportunity to positively influence the lives of those I come into contact with. I choose to love everyone unconditionally because that is what we all deserve. By using my hands and mind I can contribute to society in a positive manner to help us progress in the right direction in healthcare.

The experiences I have had during my time as a patient and with members of my family at the hospital played a critical role in my decision to choose Nursing as my field of study. At the age of two, I spent 17 days in a coma after drinking Drano (a pipe unclogging product). I was twelve years old when my mother underwent treatment at Massachusetts General Hospital for stage 4 pancreatic cancer. I also provided care for my grandmother during my adolescence, who was undergoing treatment for colon cancer. My family and I were always supported and encouraged by nurses during all the visits. I asked the nurses whenever I went to the hospital for all the medical information regarding what was going on. My mother's health as well as the welfare of the other patients in the hospital left me curious about the next steps. In addition to influencing my interest in public health and health care, the nurses left a lasting impression on me. I realized then that I had found my life's work. Patient care was my first opportunity in the nursing field. For multiple years, I worked as a nanny for children ages one and four and began working with patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease and dementia. As a student at my local community college, I obtained my EMT license, which introduced me to trauma care, a field that ignites my passion. I enjoy helping people with their daily activities, their medical needs, and answering questions about their health. My motivation comes from the belief that I can positively affect an entire family or even just one individual through my work. The nursing profession goes beyond academics and knowledge. You are able to make a substantial impact on individuals and their families. I used my traumatic experiences as a driving force to become a nurse and better the lives of others. Despite the fact that I was not able to cure my mother or grandmother, I understand how it feels to both be a patient and a family member. However, I am the one people turn to for medical assistance today. Being able to help others, as well as learning how to help many more people, gives me a great sense of fulfillment. This is an area where I am very passionate, and I believe that nursing will only enhance that passion. I hope, as a nurse, to have the same impact on people's health and lives as the nurses who influenced my own life. Throughout my life, I have experienced poverty, mental health struggles, and some of the most difficult situations one could imagine. As a result of my upbringing and experiences, I empathize with many people. Nursing provides me with the opportunity to positively influence the lives of those I come into contact with. I choose to love everyone unconditionally because that is what we all deserve. By using my hands and mind I can contribute to society in a positive manner to help us progress in the right direction in healthcare.

A significant part of my life has been dedicated to helping people and educating others about how to live a healthier lifestyle. As a result of this passion, I developed a desire to begin a wellness and fitness ministry at my church. In my church, which is a Baptist congregation, I am one of only a few white women. After I started speaking with my peers, I learned about the plethora of chronic health conditions that seem to be a generational issue in the African American community. I became curious to learn why such an issue had arisen, which led me to delve deeper into the lives and histories of my loved ones. As a health and fitness enthusiast, I felt this was the perfect opportunity to utilize my passion for educating and teaching about fitness and health. As a result, I established a ministry called Live In Victory Everyday (LIVE). The goal was to enable people to live healthier and better lives for themselves and for their loved ones. This ministry grew to welcome over 500 participants to the various events I hosted. I host a month-long event entitled "30 days to L.I.V.E" in which I host a new event every day during the month of January. The goal was to start the year out strong and build from there. Ultimately, I was advocating lifestyle changes rather than a quick fix. Since then, I have continued to hold such events but less frequently. Events are held at least twice each month and during January, they are held every week. After church on Sundays, we would occupy a football and baseball field with a track that was located conveniently across the street from the church. The location of the church made it easy for people to walk over as soon as they attended service, where I spent most of my time. We refer to these Sundays in January as "game days". On game day, I organized flag football, kickball, soccer, walking/running groups on track, and yoga. In addition to the Sunday game days, I would also host numerous other events throughout the week that anyone could attend, free of charge, and learn from. Anyone interested in health and wellness was encouraged to step up and provide classes as well. Among the classes offered are HIIT, yoga, nutrition, line dancing, running/walking groups, cooking classes, and tennis. Classes provided an opportunity to develop a sense of community and accountability partners in order to continue past the 30-day challenge. All events were suitable for people of all ages and anyone interested in attending. There have been participants as young as 13 and as old as 75 at the event. Being able to host these events was a dream come true. My position as a leader provided me with the opportunity to positively impact others. Through this, I was able to observe the ripple effect this had on families to improve or maintain their health through more education and information. I continue to teach classes frequently and encourage others to host their own classes. I am pleased to hear about each individual's success. Being able to be someone people can trust when they are struggling with advice or just need someone to listen to their feedback is exciting to me. I have learned a great deal through teaching others, which has given me great joy and fulfillment in my life. I enjoy seeing healthy and positive changes in my community, and I appreciate knowing I have made a significant contribution.

When I was 12, my mother was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. The estimated survival rate for that stage is 5%. She and I said goodbye 22 months later. As the last person to see her, I held her hand and told her how much I loved her. I had to persevere not only because at the age of 14 I was saying goodbye to my mother, who was my best friend and support system. In addition, my father walked out of my life 2 months later. While I had to ultimately take my life into my own hands during the most detrimental years a young woman could possibly go through, I had to hold onto my sanity. Since there was no one to hold me accountable for my actions or grades, I struggled through high school. I never had the opportunity to take the SAT, ACT, or college prep courses. Ultimately, I pushed myself to survive each day, and then I used my struggles to motivate myself to finish high school, and now am beginning nursing school. My journey through school and life was certainly not easy. However, these extremely challenging experiences allowed me to gain an appreciation for my life, education, health, mental health, and personal community. It is a privilege to have persevered in life and grown so much, and I know my mother is proud of me.

The pandemic has taught me a lot about myself. Most importantly, it has taught me a lot about the people around me. I started the pandemic working with Alzheimer's patients. I saw them go from seeing their families and walking to suddenly being bedridden and unable to see anyone for almost ten months. I also received my EMT certification and worked with a Rapid Response team for COVID-19 on top of working with Alzheimer's patients. I love being an EMT because I was the reason some people had hope for better days. COVID-19 taught me that our days are limited, and love is necessary. This virus has taken a mental toll on so many. I am thankful to see another day and be able to fight for myself and my patients' lives. The pandemic has made me a stalwart health care worker. Nursing school is an honor to start and experience. This past year has shown me that my fears were of failure when we all fail a little during the journey. It has taught me that I am a survivor and fighter in more ways than one. COVID-19 only enhanced my love for medicine and patient care.

I am always changing and evolving in my self-care as I change and evolve in my life. Throughout my journey, breathing exercises have remained an essential part of my self-care. Doing my breathing exercises helps calm my body down when I'm anxious or depressed. I especially enjoy breathing through my nose and structured breathing as I stretch. I use deep breathing as a way for me to let go of any emotion or feeling I'm experiencing at that moment. As I'm taking the time and really activating my parasympathetic nervous system, I'm seeing almost immediate results, which encourages me to keep doing this. Two or three walks with my dog for thirty minutes a day, where I have no electronics or distractions, are also part of my self-care. When I walk outside, I really ground myself in the simplicity of life. I also focus on gratitude to be able to walk and enjoy the sun and air. At a time when we are extremely connected to our phones or what's coming next in our lives, these walks help me to slow down and be present in the moment. I have noticed that the art of self-care has impacted and grown my mental, emotional, and physical health. I am looking forward to seeing the positive results of my healing journey and putting myself first more.

My best skill is the ability to empathize with people so well. Becoming a nurse and being in the healthcare system, empathy is crucial. A way that I am improving this is to place myself in uncomfortable situations with people I don't commonly handle or see. I aspire to be an ER nurse so I understand that there is no "one patient". There will always be dozens of people from so many different lifestyles and cultures. To continue to strengthen my best skill I have chosen jobs that are more difficult and challenging. For example, I currently work with Alzheimer's patients. Alzheimers patients usually have other health conditions on top of their neurological disease. This type of job has challenged my empathy because your days, and even minutes, are constantly changing and adjusting. This type of specialty allows me to be more patient and place myself in my patient's shoes to empathize more. I also feed the homeless, and help lead the childcare service in my church. Outside of my extracurricular activities, I have weekly check-ins with friends and mentors for feedback on how I can improve myself inside and outside of work. Gaining feedback from others allows me to see my actions from a different perspective and be willing to change to improve my life. When I improve my empathy and life, I am also improving others' lives as well. One of my favorite mantras to say on a daily basis is, "Explore the heart, not just your head." This humbles me to think from within rather than rush into daily living. I work a very fast-paced life in nursing school and work so it's important to be mindful throughout my days.

I’ve been exposed to patient care from my time in the ER as a toddler drinking Drano and then watching both my grandmother and mother pass away from cancer all before I was 18 years old. I know what it’s like to be a patient and family member, which is where my passion for nursing started. I was taken care of by nurses for years who impacted my health and well-being at the most detrimental time for a child. Then, once my mother and grandmother became sick, I was constantly asking the nurses questions and in and out of multiple hospitals. I became fascinated by life, how the human body works and the impact a nurse can have on families all over the world. A few of my main goals are to receive my BSN-RN, and then a Master’s in Nursing. I have a big heart for the unhoused and those in poverty. My upbringing was extremely difficult since I have had to raise myself since the age of 14. I empathize with struggling families who do not have the resources many others do for their health and wellbeing. An aspiration of mine is to start a wellness clinic where I can practice medicine and help educate communities and to partner with others in the medical field such as dietitians and physical therapists. I want people to live healthier and happier all around. I grew up in a very unhealthy family with no education past high school. I struggled to have hope for my own education, but I've never given up during my journey into nursing school. I want to give others the hope and dreams that they can complete a higher education when faced with adversities. I have faced the most difficult of times and persevered through. Earning this scholarship won’t only impact my life but allows me to help thousands of others. I have proven that I am a survivor and a fighter. I will give the same fight for others as I have done for myself. With my degrees, background, and heart, I know I can help change communities and influence many lives for the better.

At age 12 my mother was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. At that stage in cancer, your survival rate is 5%. 22 months later, I said goodbye to my mother. I was the last one to see her, and the last one who got to hold her hand telling her that I love her. This adversity changed who I was entirely only because at the age of 14 I was saying goodbye to my mother, but because my father walked out of my life 2 months later. Shortly after that, I was back in the hospital saying goodbye to my only grandmother as well. I had to ultimately hold my life in my own hands during the most detrimental years a young woman could have. I did not have accountability for my actions or grades, so I struggled through high school. I was never able to take the SATs, ACTs, or college prep classes. The beginning of my journey with school and life was most certainly not easy. However, these extremely difficult experiences allowed me to learn the value of my life, education, mental health, physical health, and community I now have. A few of my main goals are to receive my BSN-RN, Masters in Nursing, and Masters in Dietetics. With these, I will continue to practice as an NP and RD. I have a big heart for the unhoused and those in poverty. As I've explained my upbringing was extremely difficult, and I empathize with struggling families who do not have the resources many others do for their health. I strive to start my own wellness clinic where I can practice medicine and help with people’s nutrition and fitness. I want people to live healthier, and happier, all around. Another goal is to teach families how their food impacts their lives and make a change in the health crisis we see in America today. We need more education in the areas where we see most generational poverty and health decline. With my degrees, background, and heart, I know I can help change these communities and influence their lives and health for the better. I believe that what I have gone through made me a better woman to help empathize with more people. My mother and grandmother's death changed my life completely. My father walking out on his 14-year-old daughter hurt more than one could ever imagine. However, I am here writing this essay to you hoping you can see that I won't give up on myself, and I definitely won't give up on helping be a positive impact in this world. Through all of my trials and tribulations, I am still fighting for my education even when all odds were against me. I want others to see me and be inspired that they can do whatever their dreams are, big or small. Life is not always going to be easy, but life is enjoyable because I am here to witness another day to smile and love others.

I watched my family go through many health crises due to poor nutrition education and diet. I, personally experienced leaky gut, and GERD due to such inflammation from my poor nutrition as well. The lengths I've gone through to understand my body, and my nutrition is something I aspire to help others understand on a less complex aspect. I get inspired when I see my basil and vegetables growing knowing that I am not only helping the environment but my body as well. I also found it to be an amazing way to bring communities together and be active together as well. Gardening is more than planting foods that you can eat, it's a way we can bond and grow together. I went to IIN to deepen my understanding of holistic nutrition and aspire to be a Dietitian one day as well. I believe that my and my family's health issues give me the constant motivation to help others never experience that pain. If they are experiencing that pain already from poor nutrition, I can give them the hope of a better outcome. I want to show people that feeding their bodies with natural food can truly change their lives for the better. I started a wellness ministry at my local church called L.I.V.E. which stands for Live In Victory Everyday. Something everyone can accomplish with natural foods and better environmental/nutritional understanding. I am currently in nursing school and once that is completed, I will continue my education in Dietetics.