In my family, conversations about healthcare were normal. Both of my grandmothers were nurses, and even today, I still see the compassion they showed their patients throughout their careers. My mom, who is a pharmacist in oncology, shares that same compassion. Growing up, I realized that healthcare is so much more than just treating an illness; it's about helping people through some of their hardest, most vulnerable moments of life with patience and kindness. Their example inspired me to pursue nursing at Rutgers University and shaped the kind of impact I hope to make. My desire to make an impact became even more personal when my cousin lost his battle with brain cancer. Watching my family navigate his treatments and hearing about each new stage of his illness made me realize how important supportive healthcare workers are to families like my own. I want to become an oncology nurse who not only provides clinical care but also helps patients and families feel understood, supported, and informed during one of the most difficult times of their lives. Service has already become an important part of who I am. Having leadership roles in Key Club and Student Council for almost all of my high school career, I have learned that making a meaningful difference doesn't have to be seen in the biggest event or the largest amount of money raised. Sometimes it can be encouraging classmates to get involved or seeing younger peers experience the same joy as I did when I first started serving others. At Rutgers, I hope to continue serving through hospital volunteering, community outreach, and organizations that focus on the well-being of the less privileged. I chose nursing because it allows me to combine my interests in science and service. The field allows me to learn more about the human body while also building meaningful relationships with patients and their families. This scholarship would help me focus more on my studies and service opportunities by easing the financial burden of college. With fewer financial concerns, I would be able to devote more of my time to volunteering, gaining clinical experience, and preparing to dedicate myself to others through this career. Most importantly, this scholarship would bring me closer to my long-term goal of working in oncology while improving health and cancer awareness within my community. Kayla Nicole Monk's determination to pursue her dreams despite the challenges she faced is a reminder that a meaningful life can be measured by the impact that we have on others. Like Kayla, I have a vision for the future and a determination to use my education to not only care for patients, but to support families with knowledge, compassion, and hope. Every patient and family deserves to be seen and supported, and I am determined to build a career that reflects those values every day.

Growing up, healthcare was always a big part of my life. Both of my grandmothers were nurses, and my mom is a pharmacist, so stories about hospital life and patient interactions were common in our house. I understood at a young age how meaningful careers in healthcare can be. What always stood out most to me was that the careers not only required a substantial amount of scientific knowledge, but also a great deal of compassion to care for patients. My maternal grandmother was a mother-baby nurse, and my paternal grandmother worked for years as a rehab nurse. After years of serving others, they have so many stories about the patients they interacted with daily. Their stories always spoke of building trust and relationships with patients and making sure they feel seen and comfortable showed me that nursing is not just about treating an illness, but it is about caring for the person behind the diagnosis. The kindness, empathy, and patience that they showed to their patients and to me shaped the way I interact with others. They instilled in me a desire to pursue a similar path in nursing. As I grew older, I realized what I like most about the field of nursing is the opportunity to connect with people during their most vulnerable times; a nurse can be someone's only source of comfort and reassurance. I want to be a nurse who makes her patients feel safe, heard, and, most importantly, makes them feel as though they are never alone, no matter what they are facing. My experiences working with children at church programs and volunteering also reinforced my desire to pursue nursing. In those times, I saw how much a calm presence, a kind act, or even a listening ear can greatly impact someone. Through these experiences, I now believe that compassion and attentiveness are just as important as clinical skills are in healthcare. The moment I truly realized that I wanted to be a nurse came from remembering the examples of the women in my family. Seeing the dedication my grandmothers had to the profession and to their patients for decades helped me understand the impact nurses can have on a daily basis. Being a nurse will allow me to combine my interest in science and my passion for helping others. Just as my grandmothers did, I hope to bring kindness and compassion into every interaction I have with patients, making a positive difference in the lives I care for.