My career goals as a nurse are to find a sustainable practice, that encourages personal growth, emphasizes teamwork, and provide resources to support nurses. I came to choose nursing through difficult events in my personal life, and the desire to learn how to respond during traumatic situations. I hope to one day work in the Emergency Department or ICU. But I greatly appreciate the wide variety of opportunities within nursing, and I am sure that my own career will lead me down multiple routes over the years to come. To speak to some of the hardships I have experienced and why I chose nursing, three weeks before college graduation in 2017, I lost my older brother to a drug overdose. This led me to decline the design job that I had secured, to move back to Maine and heal with my family. From there I began a career in high-end cocktail bartending which eventually led to my current position as the general manager of The Block Saloon. I also have spent some months during the winter crewing aboard elite sailing yachts and crossing oceans. Like many, I lost my job/jobs during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In late March of 2020, I also lost my beloved grandmother to stage four cancer. In the 6 months prior I was her primary caregiver, and although extremely traumatic, that experience did teach me some things about myself along the way. One lesson I learned through my time caring for my grandmother is the ability to endure unsavory situations such as tending to and cleaning, a disabled elder through the hardship of chemotherapy sickness. I can apply my patience and grace learned in the service industry, to provide comfort and care for others, even on their worst days. It’s also worth noting that my experiences in long-distance sailing and high-volume restaurants ensure that I have the toughness and physical ability to handle long strenuous shifts in a fast-paced and high-stress environment. I also currently commute around 4 hours a day to my nursing program, including waking up at 3 am to be at the clinical site early. The investment of my time and energy is worthwhile, and I am looking forward to my future career as a nurse. Receiving a scholarship to help cover the costs of going back to school would be greatly appreciated and make this dream possible. Thank you for this opportunity.

My own path to pursuing a degree in nursing has not been conventional, as I'm sure is true with numerous others. To start out on a lighter note with my academic experiences: I began my college career at Syracuse University, then transferred to Mount Holyoke College, which is a historically all female liberal arts college. I graduated with high honors and have a bachelor’s degree in architecture with a minor in psychology. This highlights my ability to learn, and excel, in a variety of academic settings, especially with the two anatomy prerequisites being remote and self directed learning. I have enjoyed these classes immensely, and earning A’s in both courses has given me the extra confidence to take on the rigorous nursing program. Three weeks before college graduation, I lost my older brother to a drug overdose. This led me to decline the design job that I had secured, to move back to Maine and heal with my family. From there I began a career in high end cocktail bartending which eventually led to my current position as the general manager of The Block Saloon. I also have spent some months during the winter crewing aboard elite sailing yachts and crossing oceans. Like many, I lost my job/jobs during the start of COVID-19 pandemic. In late March, I also lost my beloved grandmother to stage four cancer. In the 6 months prior I was her primary caregiver, and although extremely traumatic, that experience did teach me some things about myself along the way. One lesson I learned through my time caring for my grandmother is the ability to endure unsavory situations such as tending to, and cleaning, a disabled elder through the hardship of chemotherapy sickness. I can apply my patience and grace learned in the service industry, to provide comfort and care for others, even on their worst days. It’s also worth noting that my experiences in long distance sailing and high volume restaurants ensures me that I have the toughness and physical ability to handle long strenuous shifts in a fast paced and high stress environment. Lastly, I want to speak to the events of this pandemic. It’s been the healthcare personnel that have gone to work everyday to care for others in the face of the unknown, and many have given their lives. Many more are experiencing the extremely real personal trauma and suffering burnout due to the events they have endured. As we look for how to recover and heal, a new generation of nurses needs to be ready to step in. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to be an essential part of that next generation of frontline nurses. Receiving a scholarship to help cover the costs of going back to school would be greatly appreciated and make this dream possible.

My own path to pursuing a degree in nursing has not been conventional, as I'm sure is true with numerous others. To start out on a lighter note with my academic experiences: I began my college career at Syracuse University, then transferred to Mount Holyoke College, which is a historically all female liberal arts college. I graduated with high honors and have a bachelor’s degree in architecture with a minor in psychology. This highlights my ability to learn, and excel, in a variety of academic settings, especially with the two anatomy prerequisites being remote and self directed learning. I have enjoyed these classes immensely, and earning A’s in both courses has given me the extra confidence to take on the rigorous nursing program. Three weeks before college graduation, I lost my older brother to a drug overdose. This led me to decline the design job that I had secured, to move back to Maine and heal with my family. From there I began a career in high end cocktail bartending which eventually led to my current position as the general manager of The Block Saloon. I also have spent some months during the winter crewing aboard elite sailing yachts and crossing oceans. Like many, I lost my job/jobs during the start of COVID-19 pandemic. In late March, I also lost my beloved grandmother to stage four cancer. In the 6 months prior I was her primary caregiver, and although extremely traumatic, that experience did teach me some things about myself along the way. One lesson I learned through my time caring for my grandmother is the ability to endure unsavory situations such as tending to, and cleaning, a disabled elder through the hardship of chemotherapy sickness. I can apply my patience and grace learned in the service industry, to provide comfort and care for others, even on their worst days. It’s also worth noting that my experiences in long distance sailing and high volume restaurants ensures me that I have the toughness and physical ability to handle long strenuous shifts in a fast paced and high stress environment. Lastly, I want to speak to the events of this pandemic. It’s been the healthcare personnel that have gone to work everyday to care for others in the face of the unknown, and many have given their lives. Many more are experiencing the extremely real personal trauma and suffering burnout due to the events they have endured. As we look for how to recover and heal, a new generation of nurses needs to be ready to step in. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to be an essential part of that next generation of frontline nurses. Receiving a scholarship to help cover the costs of going back to school would be greatly appreciated and make this dream possible.

My own path to pursuing a degree in nursing has not been conventional, as I'm sure is true with numerous others. To start out on a lighter note with my academic experiences: I began my college career at Syracuse University, then transferred to Mount Holyoke College, which is a historically all female liberal arts college. I graduated with high honors and have a bachelor’s degree in architecture with a minor in psychology. This highlights my ability to learn, and excel, in a variety of academic settings, especially with the two anatomy prerequisites being remote and self directed learning. I have enjoyed these classes immensely, and earning A’s in both courses has given me the extra confidence to take on the rigorous nursing program. Three weeks before college graduation, I lost my older brother to a drug overdose. This led me to decline the design job that I had secured, to move back to Maine and heal with my family. From there I began a career in high end cocktail bartending which eventually led to my current position as the general manager of The Block Saloon. I also have spent some months during the winter crewing aboard elite sailing yachts and crossing oceans. Like many, I lost my job/jobs during the start of COVID-19 pandemic. In late March, I also lost my beloved grandmother to stage four cancer. In the 6 months prior I was her primary caregiver, and although extremely traumatic, that experience did teach me some things about myself along the way. One lesson I learned through my time caring for my grandmother is the ability to endure unsavory situations such as tending to, and cleaning, a disabled elder through the hardship of chemotherapy sickness. I can apply my patience and grace learned in the service industry, to provide comfort and care for others, even on their worst days. It’s also worth noting that my experiences in long distance sailing and high volume restaurants ensures me that I have the toughness and physical ability to handle long strenuous shifts in a fast paced and high stress environment. Lastly, I want to speak to the events of this pandemic. It’s been the healthcare personnel that have gone to work everyday to care for others in the face of the unknown, and many have given their lives. Many more are experiencing the extremely real personal trauma and suffering burnout due to the events they have endured. As we look for how to recover and heal, a new generation of nurses needs to be ready to step in. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to be an essential part of that next generation of frontline nurses. Receiving a scholarship to help cover the costs of going back to school would be greatly appreciated and make this dream possible.

My own path to pursuing a degree in nursing has not been conventional, as I'm sure is true with numerous others. To start out on a lighter note with my academic experiences: I began my college career at Syracuse University, then transferred to Mount Holyoke College, which is a historically all female liberal arts college. I graduated with high honors and have a bachelor’s degree in architecture with a minor in psychology. This highlights my ability to learn, and excel, in a variety of academic settings, especially with the two anatomy prerequisites being remote and self directed learning. I have enjoyed these classes immensely, and earning A’s in both courses has given me the extra confidence to take on the rigorous nursing program. Three weeks before college graduation, I lost my older brother to a drug overdose. This led me to decline the design job that I had secured, to move back to Maine and heal with my family. From there I began a career in high end cocktail bartending which eventually led to my current position as the general manager of The Block Saloon. I also have spent some months during the winter crewing aboard elite sailing yachts and crossing oceans. Like many, I lost my job/jobs during the start of COVID-19 pandemic. In late March, I also lost my beloved grandmother to stage four cancer. In the 6 months prior I was her primary caregiver, and although extremely traumatic, that experience did teach me some things about myself along the way. One lesson I learned through my time caring for my grandmother is the ability to endure unsavory situations such as tending to, and cleaning, a disabled elder through the hardship of chemotherapy sickness. I can apply my patience and grace learned in the service industry, to provide comfort and care for others, even on their worst days. It’s also worth noting that my experiences in long distance sailing and high volume restaurants ensures me that I have the toughness and physical ability to handle long strenuous shifts in a fast paced and high stress environment. Lastly, I want to speak to the events of this pandemic. It’s been the healthcare personnel that have gone to work everyday to care for others in the face of the unknown, and many have given their lives. Many more are experiencing the extremely real personal trauma and suffering burnout due to the events they have endured. As we look for how to recover and heal, a new generation of nurses needs to be ready to step in. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to be an essential part of that next generation of frontline nurses. Receiving a scholarship to help cover the costs of going back to school would be greatly appreciated and make this dream possible.