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Rina Nasser

1x

Finalist

1x

Winner

General information

Age
20
Gender
Female
US Citizenship
US Citizen
Ethnicity
Black/African
Religion
Christian
Church
Methodist (United)

Hobbies & Interests

  • Sports
  • Key Club
  • Animals
  • Cheerleading
  • Dance

Reading

  • Adventure
  • Romance

I read books multiple times a month.

Bio

I am a first-gen Sierra Leonean-American, IB Diploma recipient, and University of Maryland, Baltimore, nursing student dedicated to making pediatric healthcare compassionate and accessible. My drive for nursing stems from my love for children and my commitment to health equity. Volunteering as a pediatric reading partner inspired my dream to specialize in pediatrics. Meanwhile, witnessing the severe healthcare disparities my family faces in Sierra Leone during a 2024 trip ignited my desire to step up. I believe every child deserves quality care, no matter where they live. I plan to earn my BSN from the University of Maryland School of Nursing and gain hands-on clinical experience as a pediatric nurse. I will then pursue a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) to become a pediatric Nurse Practitioner (NP). Ultimately, I want to work as a travel NP, bringing advanced care to under-resourced areas, beginning with Sierra Leone. I am a resilient student who leads with empathy. In high school, I balanced my rigorous IB classes with active leadership—serving as Varsity Cheer co-captain, tutoring in the National Honor Society, and organizing events for the African Student Association and Black Student Union. My family currently faces heavy financial hardships, supporting newly immigrated relatives while managing my mother’s costly autoimmune bills. This scholarship will help ease this burden, allowing me to earn my CNA, BSN, and go on to complete my MSN to start saving lives.

Education

University of Maryland, Baltimore

Bachelor's degree program

2026 – 2026

Majors:
  • Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

Watkins Mill High

High School

2020 – 2024

Miscellaneous

Desired degree level:
Bachelor's degree program
Majors of interest:
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Medical school interest:
No

Career

  • Sales Associate

    Apparel & Fashion · Journeys Shoes

    Jan 2024 – Jan 2026

  • Sales Associate

    Luxury Goods & Jewelry · Pandora Jewlery

    Jan 2025 – Present

Miscellaneous

Dream career field:
Hospital & Health Care
Has nursing license:
No

Future Interests

  • Volunteering
  • Philanthropy
  • Entrepreneurship
Mighty Memorial Scholarship
Winner
As a first-generation Sierra Leonean-American, my inspiration to pursue a career in nursing blossomed at the intersection of two very different worlds. Growing up, I often listened to my parents’ weekly phone calls with our family back home in Freetown, Sierra Leone. One evening, I overheard them comforting my grandmother, who had been suffering from painful fluid accumulation in her ankle. When I asked why she didn't simply go to the hospital, my mother explained that the local healthcare system was too under-resourced to help her. That moment deeply unsettled me. Knowing that a condition so easily treated in the United States could cause prolonged suffering for my grandmother back home sparked a profound desire to take action. This curiosity transformed into a concrete, lifelong mission during my 2024 visit to Sierra Leone. Witnessing the healthcare crisis firsthand was an eye-opening experience. I saw severe clinic overcrowding and families suffering from preventable illnesses like malaria simply due to a lack of basic preventative care. Witnessing these systemic inequalities made me realize that healthcare access is a fundamental human right. I chose nursing because it sits at the very heart of patient advocacy; I want to gain the rigorous clinical skills and bedside empathy necessary to step directly into these gaps and bring hope to patients when they are at their lowest. While my global perspective shaped my commitment to healthcare, my local experiences helped me discover my specific calling within pediatric care. Volunteering weekly as a reading partner for the local children's library showed me the immense joy of working with youth. Beyond helping them build their literacy skills, I loved finding creative ways to connect with them, comfort them, and lift their spirits. This experience made me realize that I wanted a career where I could support children during their most vulnerable moments, inspiring my goal to specialize in pediatrics. My capacity for empathy has also been heavily shaped by my own home. Helping my family navigate my mother's chronic autoimmune disease has given me an intimate, firsthand look at the realities of managing long-term illnesses. Caring for her has taught me that exceptional nursing extends far beyond clinical treatment; it involves supporting the entire family unit as they bear emotional and financial burdens. Today, as a Nursing student at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, my path is clear. I plan to earn my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), gain critical hospital experience as a pediatric nurse, and eventually pursue my Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) to become a pediatric Nurse Practitioner (NP). Ultimately, I want to utilize my practice skills to work as a travel Nurse Practitioner, bringing high-quality, compassionate clinical care directly to under-resourced regions, beginning with Sierra Leone. My nursing journey began with a family phone call, but it has evolved into a lifelong commitment to healing and serving those who need it most.
Rina Nasser Student Profile | Bold.org