My name is Natalia Phan, and I am currently a third-year undergraduate student at the College of DuPage with a GPA of 4.0. I am pursuing my Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certificate while preparing to volunteer at Edward Hospital this upcoming fall. My long-term goal is to become a registered nurse, where I can provide compassionate care and make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. Nursing appeals to me because it combines technical skill with empathy—it’s not just about treating illnesses but also about listening, comforting, and advocating for patients during some of their most vulnerable moments. Sports have been an important part of my life, teaching me discipline, resilience, and teamwork. I have played badminton, a sport that requires both strategic thinking and physical endurance. Through practices and matches, I learned the value of perseverance—pushing through challenges and staying committed even when results weren’t immediate. Those lessons now guide how I approach my studies, my work, and my relationships. In healthcare, much like in sports, success often comes from consistent effort, focus, and the ability to keep going when things get tough. When I begin volunteering at Edward Hospital, I hope to bring comfort and kindness to every patient I meet. Whether it’s greeting them with a warm smile, assisting staff in preparing rooms, or simply offering a listening ear, I want each person to feel valued and cared for. Volunteering will also give me firsthand experience in a hospital setting, helping me grow into the compassionate and capable nurse I aspire to be. The legacy of Kalia D. Davis deeply resonates with me. Like her, I believe in maintaining a strong work ethic, striving for excellence, and uplifting those around me. Kalia’s balance of academic success, athletic involvement, leadership, and kindness is inspiring. I admire her ability to excel in multiple areas while still bringing joy to others. I hope to carry that same spirit forward in my own life—whether it’s mentoring someone new to the healthcare field, encouraging my peers, or pushing myself to achieve my goals. This scholarship would help me focus more on my education and clinical training, reducing the financial stress of tuition and program fees. It would allow me to dedicate more time to my CNA certification and volunteer work, ensuring I can give my best to the people I serve. Beyond financial support, receiving this scholarship in Kalia’s name would be an honor—a reminder to approach my education, career, and life with the same determination, kindness, and joy she demonstrated.

English is not my first language, rather it is my third language. Since I was little, I used technology a lot and became more self-disciplined. In school and at home– I used Canvas, YouTube, Khan Academy, and Duolingo to further my understanding and knowledge of the subjects I am studying. I used Canvas a ton throughout middle school, high school, and college. I love Canvas because of how organized, accessible, and navigational it is. On the homepage of Canvas, it displays all the courses I take. When I click on a class, it welcomes me to the homepage, and on the far left there is a sidebar that says syllabus, announcements, assignments, modules, grades, and more. I mostly go to two places: modules and assignments. I go to modules to see class notes, extra practice problems, study guides, extra resources, etc. In assignments, assignments are ordered by due dates and are the main place to submit homework, see feedback, and grades. YouTube has all types of YouTubers– from students, teachers, professors, tutors, and more. Most of them start with the basics then go into more detail or have a lot of practice for me to try out, then compare my work with theirs. This ensures that I am learning from my mistakes. Even if the Youtuber is not there in person to help, I can teach myself and be disciplined in my learning. Even YouTube shorts are helpful when I just need a brief review of how to do a math problem, review grammar for Mandarin, practice how to balance chemical equations, or review any other subjects. Some YouTube videos have external links where I can get personal assistance with that subject or links to other new YouTube links for more practice. I started to use Khan Academy more frequently for my SAT practice in 2022. Before SAT though, I used Khan Academy for math and social studies. Khan Academy has helped me relearn the basics (math problems or history) and further my understanding. The mini pop quizzes and the detailed explanation were helpful. Repetition is what allows me to remember problems or events better. Even more so when I can apply my knowledge from it in my classes. I use Duolingo to learn a fourth language: Chinese Mandarin (so that I can speak a different language besides English). I can create an account, choose a language (or multiple languages), start a pre-test to see what level of a language I know, and then Duolingo places me in a spot for me to start learning the language. There are daily quests that motivate me to do Duolingo every day for a few minutes. If I get time and feel like learning more, I will! I can choose to learn something new or review practices. It has interactive exercises (practice or a mini test) and challenges (legendary– where it is a review of everything within that topic and it has no assistance) on speaking, reading, writing, and listening to enhance content-based learning and repetition. Within each section, there are guidebooks (exploring grammar and key phrases) per unit. Duolingo additionally assists if needed. Most of the sentences have underlined dots– hover over those words, and you can see the translation to English and just piece them together to form sentences.