I didn’t always know that nursing was the path I would choose. I wasn’t inspired by a dramatic hospital experience or a nurse in my family. My decision came from slowly realizing who I am, which is a person who likes to put people before myself, and what kind of difference I want to make in people’s lives. In high school, I was the person friends came to when they needed someone to listen. I helped classmates through tough times, volunteered at school events, and found joy in simply being there for others. At the time, I didn’t see those moments as anything special, but looking back, they showed me something important—I’ve always felt happiest when helping others feel safe, understood, and cared for. As I started thinking about careers, I kept coming back to healthcare. I was fascinated by the human body and how science could be used to heal. But what truly drew me to nursing was the human side of it—the chance to care for people not just physically, but emotionally. Nursing stood out because it combines skill with compassion. It’s a profession built on empathy, understanding, and service. It’s not just about medicine; it’s about connecting with people when they’re most vulnerable and helping them find strength. When I began researching nursing more seriously, I was amazed by how broad and meaningful the field is. Nurses are teachers, leaders, and advocates. They care for patients in hospitals, schools, communities, and even during disasters. The more I learned, the more I felt like nursing was where I belonged. It wasn’t because I had years of experience—it was because I had the heart for it, the curiosity to learn, and the determination to serve. Starting nursing school at Lander University has only strengthened that feeling. Every class, lab, and clinical experience has taught me something new about myself. I’ve learned how to think critically, communicate clearly, and stay calm under pressure. I’ve faced moments of doubt, but they’ve taught me to be resilient and to trust that growth takes time. Nursing school has shown me that I don’t need to have all the answers to make a difference—I just need the passion to keep learning and the courage to care deeply. My life experiences may not include hospital shifts or dramatic rescues, but they’ve given me qualities that truly matter in nursing: empathy, patience, and compassion. I’ve seen how small acts of kindness can change someone’s day, and I want to bring that same care to every patient I meet. To me, nursing isn’t just a career—it’s a calling to serve others with both skill and heart. I’m proud to be following that calling. Every step I take, every lesson I learn, brings me closer to the kind of nurse I hope to become—someone who listens, comforts, and helps others heal. I’m excited for the journey ahead and the chance to keep learning, growing, and making a difference—one patient at a time.

Hello, my name is Salena Ja’Nae Allen, and the reason I should receive the Scholarship is that I demonstrate all the characteristics of what it means to be a leader, a hard worker, and someone who gives back to the community. This scholarship opportunity will put me one step forward to help me pay to further my education and skills to pursue my passion and dream to be a nurse practitioner and then go into travel nursing, but I will also be the first woman in my family to graduate and receive a bachelor's degree from a four-year college. The first reason why you should consider me for this scholarship is because of the leadership skills that I demonstrated during my junior year of high school as the captain of my junior varsity lacrosse team. Being captain of my lacrosse team gave me the opportunity to be heard and seen, as well as to look after my teammates and not just myself, but to make sure they did not beat themselves down because of a bad game, but to encourage them to get better and learn from those bad games to improve. I also present these leadership skills at my job at Firehouse Subs as shift leader after being there for about six months of my employment. At Firehouse Subs, I train new people, teach them where everything is, and also make sure everything is set up properly, stations are clean before I leave, and everyone gets their daily tasks done while taking care of customers. This shows that I can be a leader anywhere I go and that I have the dedication and mindset to pursue those leadership roles. The second reason why I should receive this scholarship is because of the hard-working skills I demonstrated in all my classrooms during all four years of high school. I strive to get better, and I do not just take the first thing given to me; I work hard to get more. I am also a hard worker out of school during the days I work my job at Firehouse Subs, working hard to get that position as shift leader, working long hours, and sometimes doubles just to provide for the things I need and want because I know my parents can’t do everything. The final reason why I deserve this scholarship is because of my extraordinary acts of community service. The many clubs I am in have given me the opportunity to not find ways to give back to my community. These ways come from helping set up the blood drive and checking on people who are donating. I worked at the Lake Carolina Gator Fest on March 15th, helping out with kids and also working the candy station and the marshmallow launch for my club, the Science National Honors Society. Not to mention I volunteer at Ronald McDonald's and about to put smiles, hope, and happiness on people's faces, from making them homemade breakfast to making them feel at home. Having 30+ hours of community service really shows that I am active in my community, which is why you should pick me for this scholarship opportunity. In conclusion, you should pick me as a candidate to receive your scholarship because I have demonstrated the skill of what it means to be a leader, not just in school but out of school. I am hardworking in school and out of school, and because of the extraordinary acts of community service that I have demonstrated throughout my years of high school.

Is anything ever truly enough? Some individuals may answer positively to this inquiry as they believe they have accomplished their objectives and attained contentment. Some individuals may decline the opportunity because they trust they can achieve greater, higher accomplishments. Honestly, I have always seen myself as Feeling insufficient. It all began in the fifth grade. We hold an award ceremony every quarter to celebrate our accomplishments and achievements. Earning straight A's was considered a significant achievement. Now my parents came to every ceremony I had to see me receive a perfect attendance award that did not mean anything. Even though I received an award, I felt a part of the audience in a way watching for my classmates while they walked across the stage to receive the award for having the best grades, and me just sitting down and applauding. But this motivated me not to be a part of the audience but to be on that stage walking across to receive my honor roll award like my classmates. Every day since then, I went to every tutoring session I could, even if I had to do it after school because the only way to get better at something was to practice. To devote a lot of my time, effort, and dedication to achieving high grades. Eventually, I saw my hard work becoming a reality. as I started to make good grades on all my tests and quizzes. The Ultimate moment of truth. Has my academic performance improved? After nine weeks of staying after school and acing all my work for each of my classes, report cards were out. Then I started to take some time and reflect on various thoughts and ideas to open the report card at that precise moment. What if I did not reach my goal? Then I realized I worked so hard for this moment to be the one my parents see, to not only see me receive a perfect attendance award was not significant to me but to see me receive an award that made me feel a part of the stage so I proceeded to open the envelope. I had a feeling in my eyes. In disbelief of excitement when I saw that I had an A in science, Math, English, and History. The day of my last fifth-grade ceremony was memorable. I did not just see myself as part of the audience but to see myself as someone who has accomplished their goal. Once I received my certificate, it felt great for a moment, but afterward, it felt like this was not enough. Although it felt like nothing would be good enough to satisfy my needs. This life experience has taught me that accomplishing a goal will feel great for a moment but will not last forever. That is why I set higher expectations and goals for myself to get to where I want to be, but still, it will not be enough for me because I know I can always go beyond my limit to better myself.