My name is Sofia Hanson, and I am a high school senior with a strong passion for pursuing a degree in nursing. I have always been drawn to healthcare because it combines my love for science with my desire to help people. I believe that healthcare is not just about treating illnesses but also about caring for people during some of the most vulnerable times in their lives. This is why I am committed to becoming a nurse. Growing up, I was inspired by the nurses and doctors who cared for my family members during their hospital stays. Their compassion and dedication left a lasting impression on me. I realized that healthcare professionals have the power to make a real difference in people's lives, and I want to be a part of that. I want to offer comfort and support to patients and their families, just like those nurses did for mine. As a woman entering the healthcare field, I hope to bring empathy and understanding to my role as a nurse. I believe that women have a unique perspective and can offer a nurturing approach to patient care. In a field that is constantly evolving, I aim to be a positive force for change, advocating for patients' needs and ensuring that everyone receives the best possible care. I am particularly interested in working in underserved communities where access to healthcare is limited. I want to use my skills to help bridge the gap in healthcare disparities and provide quality care to those who need it most. I believe that everyone deserves equal access to healthcare, and I am determined to work towards that goal. In addition to providing direct patient care, I hope to inspire other young women to pursue careers in healthcare. Representation matters, and I want to be a role model for future generations of women in healthcare. By sharing my experiences and encouraging others to follow their passions, I hope to contribute to a more diverse and inclusive healthcare workforce. My academic journey has prepared me for the challenges of a nursing program. With a GPA of 3.7, I have worked hard to maintain a strong academic record. I am excited about the opportunity to study at a university that aligns with my values and goals, whether it is Oregon State University, Montana State University, or one of the other schools I am considering. Each of these institutions offers a supportive environment and excellent nursing programs that will help me achieve my dreams. In conclusion, I am committed to making a positive impact in the healthcare field as a woman and as a nurse. I am driven by a desire to help others and to be a part of a profession that makes a difference every day. With the support of the Women in Healthcare Scholarship, I am confident that I can achieve my goals and contribute meaningfully to the healthcare community.

My name is Sofia Hanson, and I am a high school senior with a strong passion for pursuing a degree in nursing. I have always been drawn to healthcare because it combines my love for science with my desire to help people. I believe that healthcare is not just about treating illnesses but also about caring for people during some of the most vulnerable times in their lives. This is why I am committed to becoming a nurse. Growing up, I was inspired by the nurses and doctors who cared for my family members during their hospital stays. Their compassion and dedication left a lasting impression on me. I realized that healthcare professionals have the power to make a real difference in people's lives, and I want to be a part of that. I want to offer comfort and support to patients and their families, just like those nurses did for mine. As a woman entering the healthcare field, I hope to bring empathy and understanding to my role as a nurse. I believe that women have a unique perspective and can offer a nurturing approach to patient care. In a field that is constantly evolving, I aim to be a positive force for change, advocating for patients' needs and ensuring that everyone receives the best possible care. I am particularly interested in working in underserved communities where access to healthcare is limited. I want to use my skills to help bridge the gap in healthcare disparities and provide quality care to those who need it most. I believe that everyone deserves equal access to healthcare, and I am determined to work towards that goal. In addition to providing direct patient care, I hope to inspire other young women to pursue careers in healthcare. Representation matters, and I want to be a role model for future generations of women in healthcare. By sharing my experiences and encouraging others to follow their passions, I hope to contribute to a more diverse and inclusive healthcare workforce. My academic journey has prepared me for the challenges of a nursing program. With a GPA of 3.7, I have worked hard to maintain a strong academic record. I am excited about the opportunity to study at a university that aligns with my values and goals, whether it is Oregon State University, Montana State University, or one of the other schools I am considering. Each of these institutions offers a supportive environment and excellent nursing programs that will help me achieve my dreams. In conclusion, I am committed to making a positive impact in the healthcare field as a woman and as a nurse. I am driven by a desire to help others and to be a part of a profession that makes a difference every day. With the support of the Women in Healthcare Scholarship, I am confident that I can achieve my goals and contribute meaningfully to the healthcare community.

My name is Sofia Hanson, and I am a high school senior with a strong passion for pursuing a degree in nursing. I have always been drawn to healthcare because it combines my love for science with my desire to help people. I believe that healthcare is not just about treating illnesses but also about caring for people during some of the most vulnerable times in their lives. This is why I am committed to becoming a nurse. Growing up, I was inspired by the nurses and doctors who cared for my family members during their hospital stays. Their compassion and dedication left a lasting impression on me. I realized that healthcare professionals have the power to make a real difference in people's lives, and I want to be a part of that. I want to offer comfort and support to patients and their families, just like those nurses did for mine. From the day I started crawling it has been on the floor of the funeral home my family owns. I lived there for the first 12 years of my life and it taught me more about caring for people than any person could've. As a woman entering the healthcare field, I hope to bring empathy and understanding to my role as a nurse. I believe that women have a unique perspective and can offer a nurturing approach to patient care. In a field that is constantly evolving, I aim to be a positive force for change, advocating for patients' needs and ensuring that everyone receives the best possible care. I am particularly interested in working in underserved communities where access to healthcare is limited. I want to use my skills to help bridge the gap in healthcare disparities and provide quality care to those who need it most. I believe that everyone deserves equal access to healthcare, and I am determined to work towards that goal. In addition to providing direct patient care, I hope to inspire other young women to pursue careers in healthcare. Representation matters, and I want to be a role model for future generations of women in healthcare. By sharing my experiences and encouraging others to follow their passions, I hope to contribute to a more diverse and inclusive healthcare workforce. My academic journey has prepared me for the challenges of a nursing program. With a GPA of 3.7, I have worked hard to maintain a strong academic record. I am excited about the opportunity to study at a university that aligns with my values and goals, whether it is Oregon State University, Montana State University, or one of the other schools I am considering. Each of these institutions offers a supportive environment and excellent nursing programs that will help me achieve my dreams. In conclusion, I am committed to making a positive impact in the healthcare field as a woman and as a nurse. I am driven by a desire to help others and to be a part of a profession that makes a difference every day. With the support of the Women in Healthcare Scholarship, I am confident that I can achieve my goals and contribute meaningfully to the healthcare community.

My name is Sofia Hanson, and I am a high school senior with a strong passion for pursuing a degree in nursing. This choice in career has been influenced greatly by my coaches during my time playing volleyball, the sport that has been a part of my life since I was 8 years old. I started playing YMCA volleyball at the ripe age of 8, and I fell in love with it. Almost as much as I did soccer. I've dedicated 9 years to this sport and just finished up my senior season a couple of weeks ago. It feels very unusual not going to practice every day, but I know that the lessons I've learned from it will stick with me for my entire life. One thing I look back on now is that every year season was going on I met someone in the healthcare field that was either an assistant or a coach, after all of the conversations I've had with these individuals it has shaped me into the driven person I am today. I have always been drawn to healthcare because it combines my love for science with my desire to help people. I believe that healthcare is not just about treating illnesses but also about caring for people during some of the most vulnerable times in their lives. This is why I am committed to becoming a nurse. As a woman entering the healthcare field, I hope to bring empathy and understanding to my role as a nurse. I believe that women have a unique perspective and can offer a nurturing approach to patient care. In a field that is constantly evolving, I aim to be a positive force for change, advocating for patients' needs and ensuring that everyone receives the best possible care. I am particularly interested in working in underserved communities where access to healthcare is limited. I want to use my skills to help bridge the gap in healthcare disparities and provide quality care to those who need it most. I believe that everyone deserves equal access to healthcare, and I am determined to work towards that goal. In addition to providing direct patient care, I hope to inspire other young women to pursue careers in healthcare. Representation matters, and I want to be a role model for future generations of women in healthcare. By sharing my experiences and encouraging others to follow their passions, I hope to contribute to a more diverse and inclusive healthcare workforce.My academic journey has prepared me for the challenges of a nursing program. With a GPA of 3.7, I have worked hard to maintain a strong academic record. I am excited about the opportunity to study at a university that aligns with my values and goals, whether it is Oregon State University, Montana State University, or one of the other schools I am considering. Each of these institutions offers a supportive environment and excellent nursing programs that will help me achieve my dreams. In conclusion, I am committed to making a positive impact in the healthcare field as a woman and as a nurse. I am driven by a desire to help others and to be a part of a profession that makes a difference every day. I will carry the lessons that volleyball has taught me about time management and the information from those in healthcare given to me and whom I'd like to remember for my whole life. With the support of the Anthony Bruder Memorial Scholarship, I am confident that I can achieve my goals and contribute meaningfully to the healthcare community.

My name is Sofia Hanson, and I am a high school senior with a strong passion for pursuing a degree in nursing. I have always been drawn to healthcare because it combines my love for science with my desire to help people. I believe that healthcare is not just about treating illnesses but also about caring for people during some of the most vulnerable times in their lives. This is why I am committed to becoming a nurse. Growing up, I was inspired by the nurses and doctors who cared for my family members during their hospital stays. Their compassion and dedication left a lasting impression on me. I realized that healthcare professionals have the power to make a real difference in people's lives, and I want to be a part of that. I want to offer comfort and support to patients and their families, just like those nurses did for mine. As a woman entering the healthcare field, I hope to bring empathy and understanding to my role as a nurse. I believe that women have a unique perspective and can offer a nurturing approach to patient care. In a field that is constantly evolving, I aim to be a positive force for change, advocating for patients' needs and ensuring that everyone receives the best possible care. I am particularly interested in working in underserved communities where access to healthcare is limited. I want to use my skills to help bridge the gap in healthcare disparities and provide quality care to those who need it most. I believe that everyone deserves equal access to healthcare, and I am determined to work towards that goal. In addition to providing direct patient care, I hope to inspire other young women to pursue careers in healthcare. Representation matters, and I want to be a role model for future generations of women in healthcare. By sharing my experiences and encouraging others to follow their passions, I hope to contribute to a more diverse and inclusive healthcare workforce. My academic journey has prepared me for the challenges of a nursing program. With a GPA of 3.7, I have worked hard to maintain a strong academic record. I am excited about the opportunity to study at a university that aligns with my values and goals, whether it is Oregon State University, Montana State University, or one of the other schools I am considering. Each of these institutions offers a supportive environment and excellent nursing programs that will help me achieve my dreams. In conclusion, I am committed to making a positive impact in the healthcare field as a woman and as a nurse. I am driven by a desire to help others and to be a part of a profession that makes a difference every day. With the support of the Women in Healthcare Scholarship, I am confident that I can achieve my goals and contribute meaningfully to the healthcare community.

The huge basement full of caskets and cleaning supplies was the one place the mice ran around scavenging for any crumbs they could find. They were always searching for the bare minimum, they were dependent on each other, and they never searched for a way out because they were comfortable. Eventually, they would run into a trap and that would be the end of their lives. I was seven years old and would find myself watching these rodents go about their daily routine every time I had to go down and grab the car wash supplies I needed. One day I sat there trying to understand their reasoning for putting their life on repeat. While all of this was going through my brain I was also trying my best to dodge the caskets that I swore were haunted. I had spent a majority of my time in the funeral home my family owned, not only because I lived there the first twelve years of my life but because it was the place where I learned my biggest life lessons and saw the most meaningful parts of life. Whether it was coming home and watching my dad run around day after day stressed about work and having to search for a balance between his job and the three kids he was raising at the time. Repeating the same cycle. Or the whole house waking up at three in the morning from a phone call signifying that another community member had lost a loved one and were depending on my family to go pick them up. And finally, witnessing the inside of the crematory, the place where the people we’d have to pick up were brought to. All of the scariest parts of my childhood rooted there but it also helped me figure out who I really am and what my purpose is. Experiencing all of this at such a young age forced me to grow up a little bit quicker than my peers so figuring out what I wanted to do when I got older wasn’t too difficult. I actually came to a conclusion the day I caught a glimpse of a cold body without a soul and shortly after seeing the family's heartbreak after losing their loved one whom I never met but instead saw the mannequin version of. I promised to myself that I was going to help comfort and love people no matter what because life really is short and love is more than a feeling, it’s a choice. Whether it’s at my home, workplace, school, sports, class officer meetings, community activities, or family gatherings. I have and will always carry this trait within me, throughout my life, and everywhere I go. I am now older, and ready to start my life. I know who I am and what I can offer to those around me in any given place or time. I can offer my energy, my comfort, my time, my commitment, my helpfulness, and most importantly my love. I will not put my life on repeat or ever rely on others to do things for me. I will not search for the bare minimum and eventually die without getting myself out of a sad, repetitive state. I will not choose comfortable or waste the opportunities that my father whom I’ve idolized has worked so hard for me to have. But most importantly, I will not be one of those mice stuck in a mouse trap.

My community has my heart. I grew up in my family's funeral home in the small rural town I live in, and it was not always the greatest experience to say the least. But from that, I learned most of my life lessons, I have truly seen the worst but also the most beautiful parts of life. Growing up in a small community isn't all bad, though, we create a big family outside of our own families, and I wouldn't be where I am today without every person who believed in me. Looking around day after day, I have been able to learn a huge thing that will stick with me: love. We all share love for one another and care about where each other will go. I could continue on forever about how great my small town is but at the end of the day, I know that I have bigger and better things ahead of me. Growing up in a place like this has forced me to look at the world and all of the opportunities I could get outside of here, and one of my biggest goals has formed from that thought. I want to be successful in life, and I am ready to work as hard and as long as I need to in order to do that and bring back some benefits to my family and community. I want to explore and finally be able to breathe on my own for the first time. There is so much out there and the further away I can get the better. I am not blaming my community for wanting to leave, I'm thanking them. They have impacted me by making me realize that all of my hard work is going to go to something extraordinary one day. A piece of my heart will always be in my hometown but I am determined to find somewhere that will help me learn more about myself, what I am capable of, and what I can bring to the world around me. Since a young age, I have been at a higher maturity level than I should've because of my living circumstances, but I wake up fortunate every single day because of the people I have in my corner. My family is the most supportive and all I want is to repay them someday and I will do everything in my power to do that. I will make them proud, and my community proud. I will return the favor.

Growing up my mom has always been the most beautiful singer I've heard. She has loved music forever and watching her made me realize how much I really needed it in my life too. I've always been looking at lyrics trying to understand the beauty behind it and although I haven't had the opportunity to enroll in a music course it is something I would like for my future for sure. When I am struggling there is always this voice in my head telling me to just calm down and put some headphones in, it's like an escape. An escape from my reality and into something bigger than myself. Songwriters are writing about something that matters to them and this often times relates to me personally so when I get the chance to find a writer that I can relate to then it is all I can think about. I would love to grow up in the music industry and learn about it more because there are not only opportunities but so much love that comes with it. After growing up listening in on my mom and the lyrics she's always loved the most it has struck something inside of me that I am constantly drawn to. The instruments are also a huge aspect of music, there are so many different kinds that just go great with the words and even when there is no words the instrument can carry the whole thing. I have found myself walking through my high school looking at the instruments we have but the piano and guitar are the only two I've been able to really look further into. I am not a professional by any means but when it comes to music I am always excited to be learning. I hope that throughout my life I will be able to be in a position where I can show others how perfect and beautiful the music industry really is and just the music in general because there is always a deeper meaning to it. I am in love with everything music now I just need to figure out how to incorporate it in my life and show those who are lost a way to be found through the wonderful stream of words that show relations and hope for life to get better. There isn't always a pit we need to be stuck in when we have a whole world of music out there. Thank You.