Pursuing my nursing degree has not been easy, but it is something I have grown to love and care about deeply. I am a 22-year-old Arab American with a hearing disability, currently going into my second semester of nursing school. I did not have much financial or academic support growing up, and I have lived in a low-income household my whole life, but I never let that hold me back. I keep moving forward, even when things get hard or overwhelming, because I am determined to succeed. One of the biggest challenges I have faced is having a hearing disability. I have found ways to adjust, but it has made learning and communicating more difficult. It often took twice as much effort to keep up with my classmates, but I never gave up. I once struggled academically because of my hearing disability, and it was challenging not to lose hope, but I chose to keep pushing forward. I refused to let my disability define what I am capable of. Still, this experience taught me valuable lessons on how to be patient, speak up for myself, and, most importantly, how to listen to others, which are important skills in nursing and patient care. Although my parents did their best to support me, I had to work to support myself financially. I took a job as a cashier in a busy supermarket, which was demanding and fast-paced. Through that job, I learned how to stay calm in stressful situations, multitask, and connect with people from different backgrounds. Over time, these lessons helped me grow more confident, improving my communication and learning skills. Balancing school, work, and life has been challenging, but it has made me stronger and prepared me for my future. I have always wanted to become a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. I want to specialize in labor and delivery so I can support women through one of the most important and sometimes vulnerable moments of their lives. I especially want to stand by the women who often feel ignored or overlooked, and make sure they feel supported and heard during their care. I want to advocate for all women, no matter their background. Nursing is incredibly rewarding; it is not just a career to me, it motivates me every day to continue growing and to push through the challenges I face. Receiving this scholarship would ease a lot of the financial pressure I face. It would allow me to give more attention to my studies and classes, and bring me closer to becoming the kind of nurse I have always wanted to be.