My plans for the future begin with completing my nursing education and building a career centered on helping others. I am currently pursuing my goal of becoming a registered nurse, with the long-term aspiration of becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). Although I know this journey will require years of education, dedication, and sacrifice, I am committed to seeing it through because I understand the opportunities that education can create for me and the people I hope to serve. Growing up, I learned the importance of perseverance from my mother, who raised me as a single parent. Watching her work hard and make sacrifices taught me not to take opportunities for granted. My educational journey has not always been straightforward. I have experienced academic setbacks, financial challenges, and moments when balancing school, work, and personal responsibilities felt overwhelming. However, those experiences have taught me to adjust, keep moving forward, and remain focused on what I want to accomplish. My experiences working as a Registered Behavioral Technician have also strengthened my commitment to healthcare. Supporting children with developmental needs has taught me the importance of patience, compassion, and advocating for individuals who may not always be able to communicate their needs. It has shown me that meaningful care begins with understanding people as individuals. I want to carry that same approach into nursing and make sure my future patients feel respected, heard, and supported. In the future, I hope to use my nursing education to improve access to quality healthcare, particularly for individuals and families who may face financial or other barriers to receiving care. I also want to become a source of encouragement for younger students who may question whether college or a career in healthcare is possible for them. I understand how important it is to have people who believe in your potential, and I hope to eventually provide that same support through mentorship and community involvement. Receiving this scholarship would help relieve some of the financial responsibilities that come with pursuing higher education. Nursing school involves more than tuition alone. There are expenses for books, supplies, uniforms, transportation, and other requirements that can quickly add up. Financial assistance would help me manage these costs while allowing me to dedicate more time and attention to my education instead of worrying as much about how I will cover each expense. It could also reduce the amount I may need to rely on student loans. Ultimately, I want to build a future where I can support myself and my family while making a positive difference in the lives of others. I know that receiving this scholarship would not accomplish my goals for me, but it would give me additional support as I continue working toward them. I am determined to make the most of my education and use the opportunities it creates to give back to my community.

Something I want to build is a future where I can use my education, career, and experiences to make a lasting difference in the lives of others. For me, building a future is about more than earning a degree or reaching a certain career position. It is about creating opportunities for myself while also putting myself in a position to help others. My journey toward nursing has been shaped by the people and experiences that have influenced me. Growing up with a single mother taught me the importance of hard work and making the most of the opportunities available to me. My great-grandmother also played an important role in shaping the person I want to become. Although she never ultimately practiced nursing, she received her nursing education and spent her life helping others in different ways. Her example showed me that serving people is about more than a job title. It is about how you treat others and the difference you make in their lives. Currently, I am pursuing nursing while working as a Registered Behavioral Technician. Supporting children with developmental needs has taught me patience, compassion, and the importance of advocating for people who may have difficulty communicating their needs. These experiences have strengthened my desire to work in healthcare and reminded me that even small actions can have a meaningful impact. My immediate goal is to become a registered nurse, and my long-term goal is to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I want to build a career that allows me to continue learning, provide high-quality care, and help patients during some of their most vulnerable moments. I also hope to use my experiences to encourage young people, especially those who may not have many examples of people pursuing careers in healthcare, to explore opportunities they might not have considered. In the future, I want to give back through mentorship, community involvement, and health education. I want to help people better understand their health and feel comfortable advocating for themselves. I also hope to be someone younger students can turn to for guidance as they navigate college and pursue careers in healthcare. Ultimately, I want to build something that extends beyond my own success. I want my education to create a foundation for a career of service, a life of continued growth, and opportunities for others. I know reaching these goals will require dedication and sacrifice, but I am willing to put in that work because I want the future I build to benefit more than just myself.

My name is Traedan Wise, and I am a nursing student working toward a future where I can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. Growing up, I learned the importance of hard work, perseverance, and supporting the people around me. Being raised by a single mother taught me not to take opportunities for granted and to understand the sacrifices that often go into creating a better future. Those lessons continue to motivate me as I pursue my education. My interest in healthcare is also deeply connected to my great-grandmother. Although she never ultimately practiced nursing, she was educated as a nurse and spent her life serving others in different ways. Her compassion and willingness to help people left a lasting impression on me. Losing her was difficult, but her example helped me recognize the kind of person I want to become: someone who uses their abilities and education to serve others. Currently, I work as a Registered Behavioral Technician, supporting children with developmental needs. This experience has taught me patience, communication, and the importance of understanding each person's individual needs. It has also shown me that making a difference does not always require a major action. Sometimes it starts with listening, advocating for someone, or helping them accomplish something they once struggled with. My immediate goal is to become a registered nurse, and my long-term aspiration is to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I want to continue challenging myself academically while gaining the knowledge and experience necessary to provide quality care. Beyond my career, I hope to contribute to my community through health education, outreach, and mentorship. I especially want to encourage young people who may not have many examples of individuals pursuing careers in healthcare to believe that those opportunities are possible for them. Receiving this scholarship would help reduce some of the financial pressure that comes with pursuing higher education and allow me to focus more of my attention on becoming the nurse I aspire to be. I also believe in paying it forward. The support and encouragement I have received throughout my journey have helped me continue moving forward, and I hope to offer that same encouragement to others. Ultimately, I want my success to mean more than what I accomplish for myself. I want it to create opportunities for others and leave a positive impact on the community that helped shape me.

I believe improving people's health starts with more than treating an illness after it develops. It also means helping people understand how their everyday choices can affect their long-term well-being. As I pursue a career in nursing, I want to be someone who not only provides compassionate care but also teaches patients how to take better care of themselves. Nutrition is an important part of that responsibility because the foods we eat can influence our energy, development, recovery, and risk of developing chronic health conditions. One of the ways I plan to make a difference is by making nutrition education easier for patients to understand and apply to their everyday lives. I recognize that telling someone to eat healthier is not always enough. Some people may struggle with the cost of groceries, limited access to fresh foods, busy schedules, or simply not knowing where to begin. I want to approach these conversations without judgment and help patients identify realistic changes they can make. For example, I could encourage patients to learn how to read nutrition labels, understand portion sizes, drink more water, and find affordable alternatives to foods that may not support their health. I also want to place an emphasis on prevention. Conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease can have a major impact on a person's quality of life. Although nutrition is not the only factor involved in these conditions, healthier eating habits can play an important role in managing risk and improving overall health. As a nurse, I plan to educate patients about the connection between their diets and their health while encouraging them to take an active role in their care. I also understand that nurses are not expected to know everything, so I would work alongside registered dietitians and other healthcare professionals to make sure patients receive accurate guidance and the resources they need. My experience working as a Registered Behavioral Technician has also helped shape the way I approach education and communication. Working with children has taught me that everyone learns differently. Sometimes, information needs to be broken down into smaller steps, repeated, or explained in a different way before someone understands it. I plan to carry that lesson into nursing by being patient, listening to people's concerns, and adjusting how I communicate based on their needs. Ultimately, I want my nursing career to have an impact both inside and outside the healthcare setting. I hope to encourage healthier habits through patient conversations, community education, and outreach opportunities. Whether I am helping one patient understand a nutrition label or supporting a family as they make healthier choices, I want my efforts to make a difference. My long-term goal is to continue my education and become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. Regardless of the specialty I pursue, I know that promoting overall health will remain an important part of my responsibility as a nurse. I want patients to leave their interactions with me feeling cared for, informed, and more confident in their ability to make decisions about their health.

Growing up, I learned that life does not always provide you with everything you need, but that does not mean you should stop working toward everything you want. Being raised in a single-parent household with just my mother and me taught me the importance of perseverance, sacrifice, and making the most of the opportunities available to me. My mother worked hard to provide for us, and as an only child, I saw firsthand how much responsibility she carried. Although we did not always have everything we wanted, I never questioned the importance of education or the value of working toward a better future. My grandparents also played an important role in shaping who I am. They provided guidance, support, and encouragement throughout my life. I have come to understand that many of the opportunities I have today are the result of sacrifices made by the people who came before me. One person who especially influenced me was my great-grandmother. She had a nursing education but never ultimately practiced nursing. Instead, she found other ways to serve her community and help those around her. Her compassion and willingness to give back left a lasting impression on me. Losing her was one of the most difficult experiences I have faced, and it affected me emotionally and academically. However, over time, I began to view her life as a reminder of the kind of impact I want to have on others. Today, I am a college student working toward a career in nursing while also working as a Registered Behavioral Technician (RBT). My journey through higher education has not always been straightforward. I have experienced academic setbacks, financial challenges, and moments when I questioned whether I was moving in the right direction. There have been times when balancing employment, educational expenses, and personal responsibilities felt overwhelming. However, those experiences have taught me how to adjust, remain focused, and continue pursuing my goals even when the path looks different than I originally imagined. Working as an RBT has also helped me grow into the person I am today. Supporting children with developmental disabilities has taught me patience, compassion, and the importance of understanding people beyond what they may be able to communicate. I have learned that sometimes the greatest difference you can make in someone's life comes from simply being willing to listen, show up consistently, and advocate for their needs. Outside of work, I have also participated in community service through food bank volunteering and youth basketball camps. These experiences have reinforced my belief that success should not only be measured by what I accomplish for myself, but also by what I contribute to others. The person I am striving to become is someone who can turn the opportunities I receive into opportunities for other people. My immediate goal is to complete nursing school and become a registered nurse. Eventually, I hope to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). I want to build a career that provides financial stability for myself and my family while allowing me to make a meaningful difference in healthcare. I am especially interested in serving communities that have historically faced barriers to quality healthcare and encouraging young people from underrepresented backgrounds to consider careers in healthcare. I also want to become someone my mother and grandparents can be proud of, knowing that their sacrifices helped me reach opportunities that were not always easy to access. I understand that my journey will require continued sacrifice, discipline, and growth, but I am willing to put in that work. When I think about where I started and where I hope to go, I realize that my circumstances have influenced my journey, but they do not have to determine my future. I cannot change every challenge I have faced, but I can decide what I do with the opportunities ahead of me. Ultimately, I want to become someone who not only achieves his own dreams but also makes it easier for the people who come after him to believe that theirs are possible.

For me, pursuing a career in healthcare has always been about more than earning a paycheck. I want to build a future where I can take care of myself, support the people I love, and have the opportunity to give back to my community. Growing up, I learned that financial stability can affect much more than someone's bank account. It can influence their stress, their opportunities, and even their ability to focus on the things that matter most. As I work toward becoming a nurse and eventually a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), I see education as an opportunity to build that kind of stability for myself. My journey toward nursing has required me to think carefully about how I manage my time, money, and responsibilities. While pursuing my education, I have also worked as a Registered Behavioral Technician (RBT), supporting children with developmental disabilities. Balancing work and school has taught me discipline, but it has also shown me how important it is to have financial security. I want to be able to focus on becoming the best healthcare professional I can be without constantly worrying about whether I can afford my next educational expense or cover my basic needs. One moment that really made me think about this was preparing to transition into nursing school. As I looked at the expenses associated with continuing my education, I realized I had less than $500 in savings and still had to account for moving expenses, school-related costs, and everyday responsibilities. I also did not know exactly how much financial aid I would receive. Instead of assuming everything would work itself out, I began looking more closely at my budget and considering how many hours I could realistically continue working while attending school. I had to make the decision to prioritize my education while still finding a way to maintain an income. I began planning around working approximately 10–25 hours per week so I could contribute financially without sacrificing the time and energy nursing school would require. That experience helped me understand that financial stability is not something that happens overnight. It takes planning, discipline, and sometimes making sacrifices in the present for opportunities in the future. It also made me realize that having financial freedom would give me something just as valuable as money: peace of mind. I want to reach a point where an unexpected expense does not become a major setback and where I can make decisions based on my goals rather than financial pressure. My long-term goal is to become a CRNA, but I also want to use the opportunities that come with my career to make a difference beyond myself. I hope to support my family, mentor young people from underrepresented backgrounds, and contribute to communities where access to quality healthcare and financial resources may be limited. I want to be in a position where I can give back because I understand how important it is to have opportunities and support when building a future. I am still working toward that stability, but I am learning that every decision I make today contributes to the life I want tomorrow. To me, financial success means having the freedom to live with less stress, pursue meaningful opportunities, and help others without losing sight of my own well-being. I used ChatGPT to help organize my ideas and refine my writing, but the experiences, goals, and perspectives shared in this essay are my own.

When I think about making a positive impact on the world, I think about the difference one person can make in someone else's life. I do not believe you have to be wealthy, famous, or in a position of authority to change the world. Sometimes, making a difference starts with something as simple as showing up for someone, offering support, or making them feel like they are not alone. As I continue my education and work toward a career in healthcare, I hope to build a life centered around those values. My desire to help others is one of the biggest reasons I chose to pursue nursing. Through my experience as a Registered Behavioral Technician (RBT), I have had the opportunity to work with children with developmental disabilities and support them as they develop important life skills. This experience has taught me patience, compassion, and the importance of understanding that everyone has different needs. It has also shown me how meaningful it can be to play even a small role in someone's progress. I want to carry those lessons with me throughout my nursing career. My long-term goal is to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). I understand that this path will require years of education, hard work, and dedication, but I see it as an opportunity to make a difference in healthcare. I want to provide patients with quality care during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. I also hope to work with communities that have historically faced barriers to healthcare, including individuals who may struggle to afford treatment or receive the attention they deserve. I believe everyone should feel respected and valued when seeking medical care, regardless of their background or financial circumstances. Another reason service is important to me is the example my great-grandmother set for our family. She was a nurse by education, and although she never ultimately practiced nursing, she found other ways to serve the people around her. Her willingness to help others left a lasting impression on me. Losing her was difficult, but her example continues to influence the person I want to become. I hope that through my own career and involvement in my community, I can carry forward the same spirit of compassion and generosity that she demonstrated. Beyond my career, I want to continue giving back through community service, health education, and mentorship. I especially want to encourage young people from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue higher education and careers in healthcare. I know firsthand that reaching certain goals can come with financial, personal, and educational challenges. I want to be someone who reminds others that their circumstances do not have to determine their future. Ultimately, I hope my impact will be measured not only by the career I build, but by the people I help along the way. I want to use the opportunities I receive to create opportunities for others and make a difference that continues beyond my own lifetime.

Giving back to others has always been something I have valued, but as I have gotten older, I have begun to understand that service goes beyond volunteering or donating your time. To me, it means recognizing that people need support in different ways and being willing to step in whenever you have the opportunity to make a difference. Whether through my work, community involvement, or future career in healthcare, I want to make a positive impact on the lives of others. One way I have given back to my community is through volunteering at local food banks with my basketball team. These experiences allowed me to help support families who may be struggling to afford basic necessities. I have also participated in youth basketball camps, where I had the opportunity to work with younger athletes and encourage them as they developed their skills. Although these experiences may seem small, they taught me that giving back does not always require having a lot of resources. Sometimes, simply showing up, offering your time, and being willing to help can mean a great deal to someone else. My current role as a Registered Behavioral Technician (RBT) has also become an important part of how I serve others. Working with children with developmental disabilities has taught me patience, understanding, and the importance of meeting people where they are. I have learned that every individual has different needs and that sometimes making a difference means being willing to listen, adjust, and advocate for someone who may have difficulty communicating for themselves. My work has shown me that even the smallest improvements in someone's life deserve to be celebrated. My desire to serve others is also connected to my great-grandmother, who was a nurse. Although she did not ultimately practice nursing, she found other ways to serve and support the people around her. Her impact on our family and community helped shape how I view helping others. Losing her was difficult, but it also strengthened my desire to carry forward the values she demonstrated throughout her life. As I continue my education in nursing, I hope to expand my involvement in community service by participating in health outreach programs, volunteering in underserved communities, and helping individuals who may not have consistent access to healthcare. My long-term goal is to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). I understand that reaching this goal will require years of dedication, but I also see it as an opportunity to serve patients during some of their most vulnerable moments. I want to use my education and career to make quality healthcare more accessible while encouraging other young people, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, to pursue careers where they can make a difference. Ultimately, I do not measure success only by the goals I accomplish for myself, but also by the lives I can positively influence along the way. I hope to continue building a life centered on service, compassion, and giving others the same encouragement and support that have helped me along my own journey.

I used to think that having a voice simply meant being able to speak up for myself and express my opinions. However, through my experience working as a Registered Behavioral Technician (RBT), I have learned that sometimes using your voice is more important when you are speaking up for someone else. Working with children with developmental disabilities has taught me that not everyone can communicate their needs in the same way, and sometimes it takes someone willing to listen, pay attention, and advocate for them. When I first started working as an RBT, I understood that my responsibility was to follow treatment plans, teach new skills, and help my clients work toward their individual goals. As I gained more experience, I began to realize that my job involved much more than that. I had to learn how to recognize when a client was frustrated, understand what certain behaviors might be communicating, and figure out how I could better support them. There were times when I noticed that certain situations or approaches were causing frustration for a client. Instead of overlooking those moments, I began communicating my observations and concerns to my supervising Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). I remember one experience in particular when a client continued displaying challenging behaviors during certain parts of treatment. After observing these patterns, I shared my concerns with my BCBA so we could discuss what might be contributing to the client's frustration. Through supervision, we were able to look more closely at the situation and consider adjustments to better support the client. Although it may have seemed like a small conversation, it taught me something important. I realized that my observations mattered and that speaking up could make a difference in someone else's experience. I also learned that I did not have to be the person in charge to have something valuable to contribute. That experience changed the way I viewed communication. I began to understand that advocating for someone does not always require a big speech or having all the answers. Sometimes it simply means being willing to bring attention to something that others may have overlooked. It also taught me that confidence develops when you recognize the importance of what you have to say and are willing to communicate it, even when you are unsure of how your message will be received. As a young Black man pursuing a career in healthcare, I also understand how important it is to have people who are willing to speak up for communities that are often underrepresented. I want to be someone who helps create opportunities for others and makes people feel comfortable being heard. My experiences have shown me that everyone deserves to have their concerns taken seriously, regardless of their background, circumstances, or ability to communicate. My experience as an RBT has also strengthened my desire to pursue nursing and eventually become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I know that reaching this goal will require dedication, continued education, and a willingness to grow both personally and professionally. However, I also know that being a good healthcare professional involves more than understanding the science behind patient care. It requires listening, building trust, communicating effectively, and advocating for people when they need someone in their corner. I hope to carry the lessons I have learned as an RBT into every stage of my nursing career. Looking back, I never expected that a job would teach me so much about the importance of my own voice. I have learned that I do not need to have the loudest voice in the room to make a difference. What matters is being willing to use it when someone needs an advocate. As I continue my education and work toward my career goals, I hope to use my voice to make a difference in healthcare, encourage other underrepresented students to pursue their ambitions, and help ensure that people who may struggle to speak for themselves are never overlooked.

My decision to go into healthcare has come from the experiences I have had and the people I have met along the way. I am a Black student pursuing nursing, and my long-term goal is to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I currently work as a Registered Behavioral Technician, which has given me experience working directly with patients and their families. Working as an RBT has taught me that healthcare is not just about treating someone. It is also about being patient, communicating with families, paying attention to the small things, and making people feel comfortable and respected. I have also volunteered at a dialysis clinic, helped with rehabilitation activities, worked with youth through basketball camps, and been involved in organizations that have encouraged me to give back to my community. All of these experiences have helped me realize that healthcare is where I want to build my future. Being a Black student going into healthcare also makes representation very important to me. When you look at the number of Black physicians and other healthcare professionals compared to the overall Black population, there is still a major gap. I want to be part of closing that gap. I want younger Black students to see someone who looks like them working in healthcare and know that they can do it too. I also want to use my career to make patients feel heard and comfortable, especially people who may feel overlooked or misunderstood in healthcare settings. My goal is to provide the best care I can while treating every patient with respect and understanding. I believe that sometimes simply having someone who understands your background or can relate to you can make a major difference in the healthcare experience. Receiving this scholarship would help me continue my education and take another step toward becoming a CRNA. Paying for college and preparing for a career in healthcare can be challenging, so any financial support would help me focus more on my education and less on the financial burden that comes with it. However, my goals go beyond earning a degree and getting a good career. I want to use my education to give back to the same communities that have helped shape me. I want to become a healthcare professional who patients can trust, someone who advocates for them, and someone who encourages other Black students to pursue careers in healthcare. I know I am only one person, but I believe that my career can have an impact not only through the patients I care for, but also through the people I inspire to follow the same path.

I grew up surrounded by strong women who taught me that caring for others is one of the most meaningful things a person can do. My mother was my primary parent, and my grandmother also played an important role in my upbringing. Having both of them influence the person I became gave me different perspectives on responsibility, perseverance, family, and service. My grandmother was someone people could depend on, not only within our family but throughout our community. Watching her care for others taught me that being there for someone can have an impact that lasts far beyond a single moment. My mother taught me the importance of education and perseverance, while my grandmother showed me the importance of compassion and service. Together, those lessons shaped the person I am today. Those experiences have had a direct impact on my educational and professional goals. I am pursuing a career in nursing and ultimately hope to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. My path toward healthcare has been influenced by the example of the women who raised and supported me, but it has also been strengthened through my own experiences. Working as a Registered Behavioral Technician has taught me patience, communication, advocacy, and the importance of individualized care. I have also volunteered at a dialysis clinic, rehabilitation programs, and food-bank events, which have shown me how much a person can impact their community simply by being willing to serve. These experiences have made me want a career where I can combine my education with the values I learned growing up and provide skilled, compassionate care to people during vulnerable moments. As I continue my education, I want my story to become an example for other students who may come from backgrounds where higher education does not always feel easily attainable. Being supported by my family taught me that success is rarely achieved alone. The sacrifices, guidance, and encouragement of the people who believe in you can become the foundation for everything you accomplish. I want to honor the people who invested in me by using my education to give back through healthcare, mentorship, and community service. As a Black male entering a healthcare profession where people who look like me remain underrepresented, I also hope to encourage younger students to see healthcare as a place where they belong. My ultimate goal is not simply to earn a degree or become a CRNA; it is to take the lessons my family gave me and use them to create opportunities, provide care, and make a positive impact on the people and communities around me.

Going to college means far more to me than earning a degree. As someone who was raised by a single mother, I understand that education can represent opportunity, stability, and the ability to create a different future for yourself and the people who come after you. My mother always emphasized the importance of education and worked hard to give me opportunities that she wanted me to take seriously. As I have gotten older, I have realized that every step I take toward my education is connected to the sacrifices she made for me. College is my opportunity to turn those sacrifices into something meaningful. It represents the chance to build a future that my mother worked hard to make possible while creating a foundation for future generations of my family. I also understand that being able to attend college is an opportunity that not everyone receives, which motivates me to make the most of my education and never lose sight of why I started. I am pursuing higher education because I want to become a registered nurse and eventually a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. My goal is not simply to earn a respected career, but to develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence necessary to provide excellent care to people during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. My experiences as a Registered Behavioral Technician and through volunteering at a dialysis clinic, rehabilitation programs, and food-bank events have shown me the impact that compassionate service can have on individuals and communities. Working directly with others has taught me that healthcare requires more than academic knowledge. It requires patience, communication, empathy, accountability, and the willingness to advocate for people who may not always be able to advocate for themselves. College is giving me the opportunity to turn those experiences into a profession built around knowledge, service, and advocacy. As a Black male entering healthcare, I also want to contribute to greater representation in a field where people from backgrounds like mine remain underrepresented. I want patients to see someone who understands the importance of representation, and I want younger students to see someone who looks like them pursuing an advanced career in healthcare and realize that they can do the same. Ultimately, I hope my education becomes bigger than my own success. I want to use the opportunities I receive to create opportunities for others through mentorship, community service, and encouraging students from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue higher education and healthcare careers. I want to be able to tell young people that their circumstances may influence their journey, but they do not have to determine their destination. My own path has taught me that setbacks do not have to be the end of the story. They can become motivation to keep working, learning, and moving forward. I want my future career to allow me to serve my community while also becoming an example of what is possible when someone is given an opportunity and chooses to make the most of it. My mother taught me to value education, work hard, and never take opportunities for granted, and I want to honor those lessons throughout my life. To me, going to college means breaking barriers, building a legacy, and turning an opportunity that was once only a dream into something that can positively affect generations beyond my own.

My experiences in healthcare have taught me that meaningful change rarely happens all at once. More often, it comes from small actions repeated consistently: encouraging someone to make a healthier choice, helping them develop a routine, listening when they need support, or giving them the knowledge to take better care of themselves. As a Registered Behavioral Technician, I have seen how small, consistent steps can lead to meaningful progress over time. My work has taught me patience, individualized care, and the importance of recognizing progress even when it may seem small. Volunteering at a dialysis clinic and rehabilitation programs has further shown me that healthcare should not only focus on treating problems after they occur, but also on education, prevention, and helping people build healthier lives. These experiences have shaped my belief that sustainable change begins with making improvement realistic and achievable. I am pursuing a career in nursing and ultimately hope to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. Through my education and future career, I want to combine advanced clinical care with patient education and wellness. A healthcare professional may only spend a limited amount of time with a patient, but the knowledge and habits they help develop can continue long after that interaction ends. I want to help patients understand their health rather than simply telling them what to do. Whether that means encouraging healthier daily routines, helping someone understand their treatment, promoting recovery, or giving a patient the confidence to take an active role in their health, I want to focus on practical changes that people can realistically maintain. To me, wellness is not about perfection; it is about consistently making choices that move a person toward a healthier future. As I continue my education, I want to extend that philosophy beyond individual patients and into my community. Health information can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially when people are told they need to completely change their lifestyle overnight. I want to help make health and wellness feel more accessible by encouraging people to start with one achievable change and build from there. Whether through patient care, community service, mentorship, or health education, I want to use my career to show that small improvements can create lasting results. Dr. Steve Aldana’s emphasis on sustainable habits resonates with me because it reflects what I have already learned through serving others: consistency creates progress. My goal is to use my education, compassion, and future career in healthcare to help people make small changes that improve not only their own lives, but the health of the communities around them.

Growing up in a single-parent household taught me that opportunities should never be taken for granted. It was just me and my mom, and watching her work hard to provide for me showed me what perseverance looks like. She always emphasized the importance of education and encouraged me to keep moving forward, even when things became difficult. Her sacrifices motivate me to make the most of every opportunity I receive. I am actively working toward my goal of becoming a registered nurse and eventually a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I currently work as a Registered Behavioral Technician, where I have developed patience, communication, and advocacy skills while directly supporting others. I have also volunteered at a dialysis clinic, rehabilitation programs, and food-bank events. These experiences have strengthened my commitment to healthcare and taught me that meaningful impact often begins with simply being willing to serve others. In the future, I want to use my education and healthcare career to give back to communities that may face barriers to opportunity and quality care. I also want to encourage students from single-parent and underrepresented backgrounds to pursue higher education and believe in their potential. My mother taught me that where you begin does not determine where you finish, and I want to use the opportunities her sacrifices gave me to create opportunities for others.

Growing up, it was just me and my mom. I did not fully understand everything she sacrificed for me when I was younger, but as I have gotten older, I have come to appreciate how much strength, patience, and perseverance it took to raise me while making sure I had every opportunity to succeed. My mother taught me that circumstances do not determine your future. She made education a priority and encouraged me to take advantage of every opportunity available to me. Because of her, I learned to keep moving forward even when things do not go according to plan. That mindset has shaped my educational journey. I have experienced both accomplishments and setbacks while pursuing my goal of entering healthcare, but I have continued to push forward because I know the opportunities I have are connected to sacrifices that were made for me. My mother did not raise me to settle for what was comfortable; she raised me to pursue what was meaningful. My goal is to become a registered nurse and eventually a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I want to use my talents in healthcare to provide skilled and compassionate care to people during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. My experiences volunteering at a dialysis clinic, rehabilitation programs, and food-bank events, along with my work as a Registered Behavioral Technician, have shown me how meaningful it is to serve others. They have also taught me that making a difference does not always require something extraordinary. Sometimes it starts with listening, showing patience, advocating for someone, or simply being a person another individual can depend on. These experiences have strengthened my desire to build a career centered around service and have shown me that the impact I make on others can be just as important as the career title I eventually earn. In the future, I want my impact to extend beyond my career. I want to give back through mentorship, community service, and encouraging young people—especially those who may come from circumstances similar to mine—to believe that their starting point does not define their destination. My mother gave me an example of perseverance, and I want to carry that example into everything I do. The greatest way I can make her proud is not simply by becoming a successful healthcare professional, but by using the opportunities she helped create for me to create opportunities for others. I hope to build a life where her sacrifices become part of a larger legacy of service, perseverance, and positive change.

Growing up, it was just me and my mom. Being raised in a single-parent household shaped much more than my childhood; it shaped the way I view education, responsibility, and what it means to give back to the people who helped me along the way. My mother taught me that circumstances do not have to determine where you end up. She worked hard to provide for me while making sure that education remained a priority. Because of her, I understood from an early age that the opportunities I had were not something I should take for granted. Every step I take toward my education is also a reflection of the sacrifices she made to give me the opportunity to reach this point. My educational journey has not always been straightforward. I have had to adapt to different environments and overcome setbacks, but I continued moving forward because I understood what was at stake. Pursuing higher education is important to me not only because I want a career in healthcare, but because I want to create a future where the sacrifices my mother made become part of something bigger. My goal is to become a registered nurse and eventually a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I want to use my career to provide compassionate, high-quality care while becoming someone my community can depend on. My experiences volunteering at a dialysis clinic, rehabilitation programs, and food-bank events have already shown me how meaningful it can be to serve others. Working as a Registered Behavioral Technician has further taught me patience, empathy, communication, and the importance of advocating for people who need support. Being raised by a single mother has also made me especially aware of how important support systems are. I know that not every student has someone who can guide them through college, encourage them when things become difficult, or remind them why they started. In the future, I want to become that source of encouragement for others. Whether through mentorship, community service, or supporting students from single-parent and underrepresented households, I want to help make educational and professional opportunities feel more attainable. My mother gave me more than an upbringing; she gave me an example of perseverance. The best way I can honor that example is by using my education to serve others. I want to build a career that allows me to care for my community, create opportunities for those coming behind me, and show that where you start does not have to determine where you finish.

Some of the most important lessons about healthcare are not learned in a classroom. For me, they began with watching my grandmother care for the people around her. My grandmother has always been someone others could depend on. She cared for our family and extended that same compassion to people in our community. Watching her taught me that caring for someone is more than simply helping them through a difficult moment. It means being present, listening, showing patience, and making people feel valued when they may be at their most vulnerable. Her example planted the first seed of my desire to pursue a career centered around helping others. As I got older, that desire became more intentional through my own experiences. I have volunteered in a dialysis clinic and rehabilitation programs, participated in community service through a food bank, and worked as a Registered Behavioral Technician. Each experience has shown me a different side of healthcare, but they have all reinforced the same lesson: patients need more than someone with medical knowledge. They need someone who sees them as a person. My work as an RBT has especially shaped the way I think about healthcare. Working directly with clients has taught me patience, communication, consistency, and the importance of individualized care. I have learned that progress does not always happen quickly, and that sometimes the smallest improvements can represent something significant for a person and their family. Those experiences have made me more certain that I want a career where I can make a meaningful difference in people's lives. My goal is to become a registered nurse and eventually a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I am drawn to nurse anesthesia because it combines advanced medical knowledge, critical thinking, technical skill, and direct patient care. As a CRNA, I want to be someone patients can trust during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. I also want to bring the compassion I learned from my grandmother into every patient interaction. Making a difference through my career will mean more to me than simply achieving a professional title. As a Black male entering healthcare, I want to contribute to greater representation in the medical profession and encourage other students from underrepresented communities to believe that they belong in healthcare too. I want younger people to see someone who looks like them pursuing an advanced healthcare career and realize that the same path can be possible for them. Ultimately, I want my career to reflect the lesson my grandmother taught me: use what you have to care for others. I hope to turn that lesson into a lifetime of service, providing skilled and compassionate care while creating a path for others to follow.

For much of my life, mental health was not something my family openly discussed. My grandparents came from a generation where struggles with mental health were often misunderstood or dismissed. My mother helped change that perspective for me. She introduced me to the importance of mental health and gave me the opportunity to have a therapist of my own. That experience taught me that having someone to talk to should not be something a person has to be ashamed of or fortunate enough to afford. As a Registered Behavioral Technician, I have continued to see how important individualized support, patience, and understanding can be. These experiences have strengthened my desire to become a healthcare professional who treats mental health as an essential part of overall health. As I pursue nursing and eventually become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, I want to advocate for making mental healthcare easier to access, particularly in communities where stigma, cost, or lack of resources can prevent people from seeking help. I want to use my position in healthcare to encourage earlier conversations about mental health and connect people with resources before they feel like they have to face their struggles alone. I believe asking for help should be viewed as a strength, not a weakness.

Long before I knew what a CRNA was, I learned what it meant to care for people. I learned it from my grandmother. She was the kind of person people could depend on, the person who cared for our family and extended that same compassion to people around her. Watching her taught me that caring for others is not simply an act of kindness; it is a responsibility. Years later, that lesson has become one of the foundations of my decision to pursue a career in healthcare. My goal is to become a registered nurse and eventually a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). I want to provide highly skilled, compassionate care while becoming a healthcare professional that patients from underrepresented communities can trust and identify with. More importantly, I want my career to mean something beyond my own accomplishments. I want the education and opportunities I receive to become a pathway for others. My journey toward healthcare has given me opportunities to see the importance of both clinical care and human connection. Through volunteering at a dialysis clinic and rehabilitation programs, participating in food-bank service, and working as a Registered Behavioral Technician, I have interacted with people from different backgrounds and circumstances. As an RBT, I have learned that providing care requires far more than technical knowledge. It requires patience, communication, consistency, empathy, and the ability to recognize the individual behind the diagnosis. These experiences have reinforced my belief that every patient deserves to feel respected, heard, and valued. That belief is also why racial diversity in healthcare matters to me. Black Americans remain underrepresented across many healthcare professions. This is not simply a statistic; it represents an opportunity to expand who has a voice in patient care, healthcare education, research, and leadership. A diverse healthcare workforce can bring different life experiences and perspectives into spaces where important decisions are made. Representation can also inspire the next generation. When students see someone who looks like them wearing a white coat, scrubs, or a badge, a career in healthcare can begin to feel possible rather than distant. As a Black male pursuing nursing and ultimately nurse anesthesia, I understand that my presence in healthcare can have meaning beyond my individual career. I want to be an example for young people who may not see many people who look like them in healthcare professions. I want them to know that they belong in these spaces and that they are capable of reaching them. My ambition is to become a CRNA. My drive comes from the people and experiences that have shaped me. My impact will be measured not only by the patients I care for, but also by the doors I can help open for those who come after me. I want my career to honor the example my grandmother gave me: use what you have to care for others, and leave your community better than you found it.

When I think about what it means to show up for someone, I immediately think about my job as a Registered Behavior Technician. One day, I was helping a child with autism who was struggling a lot. Nothing we tried didn't work, and they were upset because they couldn't explain what they wanted. I could see they were thinking about giving up, but I knew that wasn't what they needed from me. Instead of getting too frustrated, I stayed calm, took things slower, and kept cheering them on with every little progress they made. By the end of the session, they finally managed to do something they had been having trouble with for weeks. To someone else it might have seemed like a small achievement, but watching how proud they were and knowing how much it meant to their family made me realize that sometimes the biggest impact you can have is just by being there and believing in someone when they can't see it themselves. That moment stayed with me because it changed the way I think about healthcare. It showed me that taking care of people is about more than just knowing the right answers or following the correct steps. It's about helping people feel noticed, valued, and secure, especially when they're feeling scared or really stressed. Thinking about Shaun Hudson brought back some memories. He was remembered not just because he did his job well. He was remembered because of how he treated people. That's the kind of person I want to be. Whether I'm helping a child, a patient, or a family member, I want everyone to feel that they're in good hands with someone who really cares about their well-being. I am working to get my Bachelor of Science in Nursing and later become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist because I want to make that kind of difference every day. As a Black man entering the healthcare field, I also want to inspire other students from similar backgrounds to feel they are welcome and can succeed in this area too. Getting this scholarship would help reduce the financial stress of my studies and let me concentrate on becoming the best nurse I can. More than anything, I want my career to be about showing up for people the way others have shown up for me, with compassion, patience, and a willingness to make a difference one person at a time.

As I grew up, I found out that working hard and never giving up can help you get opportunities that just having good luck alone can't. I was raised by my single mother, who worked really hard to take care of me.Seeing all the efforts she made showed me how important it is to be disciplined, thankful, and always try my best in everything I do. Those lessons have helped me in school, sports, and helping others in the community. Basketball in high school gave me more than just a chance to compete. It showed me the importance of working with others, taking responsibility, and not giving up when things get tough. As I kept going with my studies, I stayed focused on that same way of thinking. I put in a lot of effort to get a good GPA, even though I faced difficult challenges that made me work even harder. As I went along, I became a Registered Behavior Technician, and I work with kids who have autism to help them learn how to communicate, make friends, and take care of themselves in everyday situations. Seeing them grow has made me more patient and brought back the reason I chose to work in a career that helps people. Every experience, whether in school, at a job, or when helping out in the community, has shown that being a leader isn't about getting noticed. It's about being there regularly, putting in effort, and helping others in a good way. My aim is to get my Bachelor of Science in Nursing and later become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I want to offer caring, excellent care while also helping young people who might not think such opportunities are available to them. I hope to inspire students who come from backgrounds like mine to consider careers in healthcare and to use their abilities to help their communities. I think real success is about the people you help, and I want my job to show that every day. Receiving the Kalia D. The Davis Scholarship would make it easier for me to afford my degree and let me concentrate more on becoming the healthcare professional I want to be. Instead of spending so much time thinking about how much tuition and other education costs will be, I can focus more on my studies, my work with kids, and keeping up with community service. Kalia's legacy of doing an excellent job, helping people, and never giving up is really inspiring. I want to follow those same values by working hard, supporting others, and making a big, positive difference in my nursing career.

I have always thought that the best way to help people is by being there for them. I grew up in Texas with my single mom, who always showed me the value of working hard, staying humble, and helping others whenever I could. Those values have helped shape who I am now and keep influencing the choices I make every day. During high school, I kept busy by playing basketball, helping out in the community, and joining groups that let me support others around me. Whether I was helping at food banks, assisting with youth basketball camps, or working in my community, I realized that even small kind gestures can make a big difference in someone's life. Those experiences made me want to have a job where helping people is something I do every day. As I kept going to school, my love for helping others became even more powerful. Today, I am a Registered Behavior Technician, and my job is to support children with autism by helping them develop skills in communication, social interactions, and everyday activities. Seeing a kid finally achieve something they found really hard makes me remember why I decided to work in a job that's all about supporting people. My experiences have shown me the value of patience, the power of compassion, and the need to treat everyone with dignity and respect. They have also shown me that healthcare is about more than just medicine. It's about creating trust, offering hope to people, and helping them live better lives, one person at a time. My aim is to get my Bachelor of Science in Nursing and later become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I know this career will let me use science, think carefully, and show kindness to help patients during some of the biggest moments in their lives. I want to help and guide young people from similar backgrounds to mine, inspiring them to consider careers in healthcare. I want to prove to them that success can be achieved by working hard, never giving up, and continuing to push forward even when things get tough. I also want to keep helping the community by volunteering at health fairs, mentoring students, and supporting groups that work to make healthcare more accessible for people who need it most. Getting this scholarship would let me keep going with my studies without having to take on extra loans, and it would help me concentrate on becoming the best healthcare provider I can be. More importantly, it would be an investment in someone who is committed to giving back. My goal has never been simply to earn a degree. My goal is to use that degree to improve lives, strengthen my community, and leave a positive impact wherever I have the opportunity to serve.

Growing up in a single parent household taught me the importance of resilience, hard work, and helping others. Watching my mother work tirelessly to provide for our family showed me that success comes from perseverance and a willingness to keep moving forward despite obstacles. Those lessons have shaped the person I am today and continue to influence the goals I have set for my future. Throughout high school and college, I have looked for opportunities to serve my community by volunteering at food banks, youth basketball camps, rehabilitation clinics, and dialysis clinics while participating in organizations such as Men of Honor, Minorities in Medicine, and the Black Student Union. Each experience strengthened my desire to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others and taught me that even small acts of kindness can create lasting change. Rather than focusing only on my own success, I have always believed that true fulfillment comes from using my abilities to support and encourage the people around me. One of the experiences that has had the greatest impact on me is my work as a Registered Behavior Technician. Every day, I work with children with autism, helping them develop communication, social, and daily living skills while building their confidence and independence. Watching a child accomplish something they once struggled with reminds me why I chose a career centered on helping others. I also have the opportunity to support parents and caregivers by celebrating each milestone alongside them and providing encouragement throughout their child's progress. My work has strengthened my patience, communication skills, and ability to remain calm in challenging situations. It has also shown me that meaningful change rarely happens all at once. Instead, it comes through consistency, compassion, and a genuine commitment to improving someone else's life one step at a time. These experiences have confirmed that I want a career where I can continue serving others in meaningful ways. My goal is to earn my Bachelor of Science in Nursing and eventually become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. Through this career, I hope to provide exceptional care to patients during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives while treating every individual with compassion, dignity, and respect. I also want to mentor students who aspire to enter the health care field, especially those who come from backgrounds similar to mine and may need encouragement to pursue their goals. I believe positive change begins when people use their knowledge and experiences to lift others up, and I want my career to reflect that belief every day. Whether I am caring for patients, mentoring future health care professionals, or continuing to volunteer within my community, I want my life to be defined by service. Receiving this scholarship would help me continue my education and move one step closer to making a lasting impact on the people and communities I have the privilege to serve.

Growing up in a single parent household taught me that a strong community can change the course of someone's life. My mother worked tirelessly to provide for me, but I also benefited from the encouragement of coaches, teachers, mentors, and family members who invested their time and believed in my potential. Their support inspired me to become someone who gives back whenever I can. Throughout high school and college, I have volunteered at local food banks, youth basketball camps, rehabilitation clinics, and dialysis clinics while also assisting with varsity basketball practices. I have been actively involved in organizations such as Men of Honor, Minorities in Medicine, and the Black Student Union, all of which focus on leadership, service, and creating opportunities for others. These experiences have taught me that building a stronger community does not always require a large donation or a major event. It often begins with showing up consistently, offering your time, and treating people with kindness and respect. The most meaningful way I currently serve my community is through my work as a Registered Behavior Technician. Every day, I work with children with autism, helping them improve their communication, social, and daily living skills while encouraging their confidence and independence. One of the most rewarding parts of my job is seeing a child accomplish something they once thought was impossible, whether it is communicating a need, interacting with others, or mastering a new skill. I also have the privilege of supporting parents and caregivers by giving them hope and reassurance as they watch their children make progress. My role has shown me that meaningful change happens through patience, consistency, and genuine compassion. Every small success reminds me that investing in one person can create a lasting impact on an entire family and, ultimately, the community around them. Serving others has shaped both the person I am today and the professional I hope to become. My goal is to earn my Bachelor of Science in Nursing and eventually become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist so I can continue caring for people during some of the most important moments of their lives. I also hope to mentor future students who want to pursue careers in health care, just as others encouraged me along my journey. Receiving the Books for Good Scholarship would allow me to continue my education while expanding my ability to serve others through compassion, leadership, and meaningful action. I believe the strongest communities are built by ordinary people who choose to help others every day, and I am committed to being one of those people throughout my life and career.

I chose nursing because I have always wanted a career that allows me to make a meaningful difference in people's lives. Growing up, I learned the value of helping others from my family, especially my mother and grandmother, who taught me the importance of compassion, hard work, and perseverance. Those values have stayed with me and continue to influence my goals today. My experience working as a Registered Behavioral Technician (RBT) has further strengthened my passion for healthcare. Every day, I have the opportunity to work with individuals and families, helping them overcome challenges and improve their quality of life. Seeing the positive impact that healthcare professionals can have on others confirmed that nursing is the right path for me. My short-term goal is to earn my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and become a registered nurse. My long-term goal is to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), allowing me to provide advanced patient care while continuing to grow professionally in the healthcare field. As an African American male pursuing a career in nursing, I understand that I am part of an underrepresented group within healthcare. This reality has had a significant impact on my career goals because it motivates me to help increase diversity and representation in the profession. Representation matters because patients often feel more comfortable when healthcare providers understand their backgrounds, experiences, and communities. I want to be someone who not only provides excellent care but also serves as an example for younger students who may not often see people who look like them in nursing or advanced healthcare roles. Throughout my academic journey, I have worked hard to maintain a strong GPA while balancing employment and community involvement. My experiences have taught me resilience, discipline, and the importance of giving back. In the future, I hope to mentor students who are interested in healthcare careers and encourage them to pursue opportunities they may not have thought were possible for themselves. This scholarship would have a tremendous impact on my educational journey and future career. As a student preparing for nursing school, I face many expenses, including tuition, textbooks, supplies, transportation, and other costs associated with higher education. While I work part-time to support myself, balancing work and academics can be challenging. Receiving this scholarship would help reduce my financial burden and allow me to focus more on my studies and professional development. It would also help me continue building the foundation needed to succeed in nursing school and eventually become a CRNA. More importantly, this scholarship would be an investment in someone who is committed to using his education to serve others. My goal is not only to achieve personal success but also to use my career to improve the lives of patients, support underserved communities, and inspire future generations to pursue their own educational goals. By helping me continue my education, this scholarship would bring me one step closer to making a lasting impact in healthcare and in the communities I hope to serve throughout my career.

Currently, I work part-time as a Registered Behavioral Technician (RBT) while completing the prerequisite courses needed to enter nursing school. Balancing work and school is not always easy, but it has helped me develop discipline, time management, and a strong work ethic. As an RBT, I work directly with clients and their families, helping individuals develop important communication, social, and daily living skills. The experience has reinforced my passion for healthcare and serving others while giving me valuable hands-on experience that will benefit me throughout my nursing career. At the same time, I am focused on my education and maintaining a strong academic record. My goal is to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and eventually become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). Pursuing this path requires dedication both inside and outside the classroom. Between attending classes, studying for exams, completing assignments, and working part-time, I have learned how important it is to stay organized and manage my time effectively. While balancing these responsibilities can be challenging, it has taught me skills that will help me succeed in nursing school and beyond. One of the most difficult periods of balancing work and school occurred when I worked as a stocker at Walmart while attending college. At the time, I was trying to keep up with coursework while working long shifts and managing other responsibilities in my personal life. There were many days when I would spend hours at work and then come home knowing I still had assignments to complete, exams to study for, and deadlines approaching. It often felt like there were not enough hours in the day. During that time, I also faced personal challenges that made balancing everything even more difficult. Like many college students, I experienced moments of stress, self-doubt, and uncertainty about the future. There were times when I questioned whether I could successfully manage all of my responsibilities while continuing to work toward my long-term goals. However, I knew that giving up was not an option. To overcome these challenges, I focused on creating structure and staying disciplined. I developed a schedule that allowed me to balance work, school, and personal responsibilities while setting aside dedicated time for studying. I learned how to prioritize tasks, avoid procrastination, and make the most of the time I had available. Most importantly, I stayed focused on my goals and reminded myself why I was pursuing higher education in the first place. Those experiences taught me resilience, perseverance, and the value of hard work. They showed me that success is not about avoiding challenges but about continuing to move forward despite them. Today, those lessons continue to help me balance my responsibilities as an RBT and student. They have prepared me for the demands of nursing school and strengthened my determination to achieve my goal of becoming a CRNA. The challenges I have faced while balancing work and education have shaped me into a more disciplined, motivated, and determined individual, and I know those qualities will continue to serve me well throughout my future career.

Growing up, it was always just me and my mom. Watching her work hard and make sacrifices for me taught me what perseverance and responsibility look like. My grandmother was also a huge part of my life, and losing her was one of the hardest things I've ever gone through. She always believed in me and pushed me to be the best version of myself. Even now, a lot of what I do is motivated by wanting to make her proud. The challenges I've faced have shaped who I am today. I've had moments where things didn't go the way I planned, whether it was setbacks in school, nursing program rejections, or personal struggles that made me question myself. But every challenge taught me something and made me stronger. Instead of giving up, I learned how to keep moving forward, adjust my plan, and trust the process. My passion for healthcare comes from genuinely wanting to help people. As a Registered Behavioral Technician, I've had the opportunity to work closely with individuals and their families, and it's shown me how much of an impact compassion and patience can have on someone's life. Knowing that I can help make someone's day a little better or support them through a difficult situation reminds me why I chose this path. Giving back has always been important to me. I've volunteered at food banks, helped with youth basketball camps, assisted in rehabilitation centers, and worked with dialysis patients. I've also spent time mentoring younger students and athletes. Those experiences taught me that leadership isn't about being the loudest person in the room. It's about showing up, setting an example, and helping others succeed. The nursing degree I'm pursuing is the next step toward my goal of becoming a CRNA. Nursing will give me the knowledge, skills, and experience I need to care for patients during some of the most important moments of their lives. It's a career that combines science, critical thinking, and compassion, which are all things that motivate me. I plan to use my education to make a difference in my community and to be an example for others who come from backgrounds similar to mine. As a Black man pursuing a career in healthcare, I understand how important representation can be. I want to show younger students that no matter where you come from or what obstacles you face, it's possible to achieve your goals through hard work and determination. At the end of the day, my goal isn't just to build a successful career. I want to use my success to help others, give back to my community, and create opportunities for people who may not always see them for themselves. Everything I've been through has reinforced one thing: when you're given the chance to make a difference, you should use it to help others rise with you.

Hi, my name is Traedan Wise, and I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Nursing with the long-term goal of becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I have been drawn to healthcare for as long as I can remember, and that passion began with my grandmother. Growing up, I witnessed firsthand what it truly meant to care for others through her actions every single day. She was the rock of our family and our neighborhood — the person everyone turned to for support, comfort, and guidance. Even as she grew older, she never stopped helping others or putting people before herself. She gave endlessly without expecting anything in return because compassion was simply part of who she was. From her, I learned that true healthcare goes beyond medicine and procedures. Real care is about making people feel seen, heard, and valued during difficult moments in their lives. That lesson has stayed with me and continues to shape the person I strive to become, both professionally and personally. My goal is not only to provide excellent medical care to future patients, but also to leave a positive emotional impact on the people I serve. My upbringing in a single-parent household further strengthened my determination and work ethic. I watched my mother face every obstacle with resilience and perseverance while constantly encouraging me to pursue my goals. Seeing her sacrifices taught me accountability, discipline, and the importance of pushing forward even when circumstances are difficult. Those lessons have guided me throughout my academic journey and continue to motivate me every day.What gives me an advantage over many other applicants is not just my ambition, but the personal experiences that fuel it. My passion for healthcare is deeply rooted in the values I was raised with: compassion, perseverance, selflessness, and service to others. I am pursuing this career not only to create a stable future for myself, but to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. Receiving this scholarship would help relieve some of the financial burden that comes with pursuing higher education and allow me to focus more fully on strengthening my knowledge, refining my skills, and gaining the hands-on experience necessary to succeed in healthcare. More importantly, it would support a student who is determined to honor the lessons passed down to him by helping others one patient at a time. My grandmother showed me what it means to care for people wholeheartedly, and with the support of this scholarship, I will continue carrying her legacy forward.

My name is Traedan Wise and I am currently pursing my Bachelor's Degree in Nursing with the ultimate goal of being a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. As I grew up, I was always in one of two places, with my mother or with my grandmother. My mother didn't really like me being away from her much, but my grandmother's house was always a safe haven. Luckily, I was able to witness the presence of my late grandmother and how she cared for the whole family in her old age. She was truly the backbone of our household. Honestly, you would have never guessed she was 87 going on 88 years old based on how present she was in everyone’s lives. She cooked, cleaned, offered advice, and checked in on everyone, without expecting anything in return. She was the person everyone turned to, and she never turned anyone away. I never got the chance to tell her this, but watching her gave me a deep appreciation for the strength found in caregiving. My grandmother wasn’t a nurse by profession, but she genuinely had the heart and instinct of one. She inspired me to pursue nursing not because she helped others, but how she helped others and the way she made people feel afterwards. She empowered those inside and outside of our family with grace, humility, and love. There was never a day where she didn’t make me feel safe, valued, and capable. I strive to carry her example with me in everything that I do. If you can’t tell by now, nursing is more than a career path for me. It’s a calling that aligns with everything I believe in. Nurses are on the frontlines of care, not only tending to physical needs but also offering emotional support and education for health concerns. The unique position nurses hold allow them countless opportunities to empower others. Whether it’s explaining a new diagnosis in simpler terms, helping a patient understand their medical routine, or just being there to listen when times are scary, nurses help patients reclaim control over their lives. That kind of empowerment does more than just improve one’s health. It can go as far as changing someone’s life. To make long story short, that is the kind of nurse I aspire to be. Someone who gives patients the confidence and knowledge to move forward in the face of fear and unsureness, like my grandmother did for me. I have previous experience volunteering at a dialysis clinic and am currently working at an ABA clinic helping children with autism learn how to communicate and socialize.

Hi, my name is Traedan Wise and I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Nursing with a long-term goal of becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I have been enticed with a career in healthcare for as long as I can remember. It all started at my grandmother's house where I was able to truly witness what it means to care for someone everyday. She was the rock of our entire family and neighborhood. Even as she progressed in age, she never failed to be the person everyone came to for help and support. She did everything you could think without expecting a single thing in return because that's just the kind of spirit she had. What I learned from her was the true essence and importance of selfless care and compassion. My inspiration for this decision comes from her example which I choose to carry with me daily into all I become a part of. Whether that be my family life, school, or the future patients I look after once I've graduated school; her tremendous positive impact on my life will be reflected. What made her so remarkable was not only her personality but how she touched people's lives. It's like she had a strength of her own in protecting and caring for everybody, in making people feel seen and heard. She helped me to see that actual care isn't just about the medicine or the technicalities, but about the personal and emotional impact you leave on someone's life. I strive to embody those teachings everyday in the healthcare field. As I grow more and more each day, my purpose is only strengthened by my up-bringing and personal experience growing up in a single parent household. I watched my mother take on every challenge and responsibility with resilience instilling in me that same quality. She was a true representation of the phrase “you can do anything you put your mind to.” I learned early on the significance of accountability and perseverance, qualities that have guided me throughout my academic journey. These experiences shaped the man I am today, and the man I strive to be in the healthcare field. Receiving this scholarship would alleviate some of the financial burden I’ve been presented with and will be presented with in the future. It would go towards supporting a young man trying to create a positive impact on the world one patient at a time, but it starts with strengthening my knowledge, refining my skills, and gaining hands-on experience. My grandmother showed me what it means to care for others wholeheartedly and with the support of this scholarship, I will carry her legacy forward.

Hi, my name is Traedan Wise and I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Nursing with a long-term goal of becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I have been enticed with a career in healthcare for as long as I can remember. It all started at my grandmother's house where I was able to truly witness what it means to care for someone everyday. She was the rock of our entire family and neighborhood. Even as she progressed in age, she never failed to be the person everyone came to for help and support. She did everything you could think without expecting a single thing in return because that's just the kind of spirit she had. What I learned from her was the true essence and importance of selfless care and compassion. My inspiration for this decision comes from her example which I choose to carry with me daily into all I become a part of. Whether that be my family life, school, or the future patients I look after once I've graduated school; her tremendous positive impact on my life will be reflected. What made her so remarkable was not only her personality but how she touched people's lives. It's like she had a strength of her own in protecting and caring for everybody, in making people feel seen and heard. She helped me to see that actual care isn't just about the medicine or the technicalities, but about the personal and emotional impact you leave on someone's life. I strive to embody those teachings everyday in the healthcare field. As I grow more and more each day, my purpose is only strengthened by my up-bringing and personal experience growing up in a single parent household. I watched my mother take on every challenge and responsibility with resilience instilling in me that same quality. She was a true representation of the phrase “you can do anything you put your mind to.” I learned early on the significance of accountability and perseverance, qualities that have guided me throughout my academic journey. These experiences shaped the man I am today, and the man I strive to be in the healthcare field. Receiving this scholarship would alleviate some of the financial burden I’ve been presented with and will be presented with in the future. It would go towards supporting a young man trying to create a positive impact on the world one patient at a time, but it starts with strengthening my knowledge, refining my skills, and gaining hands-on experience. My grandmother showed me what it means to care for others wholeheartedly and with the support of this scholarship, I will carry her legacy forward.

Hi, my name is Traedan Wise and I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Nursing with a long-term goal of becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I have been enticed with a career in healthcare for as long as I can remember. It all started at my grandmother's house where I was able to truly witness what it means to care for someone everyday. She was the rock of our entire family and neighborhood. Even as she progressed in age, she never failed to be the person everyone came to for help and support. She did everything you could think without expecting a single thing in return because that's just the kind of spirit she had. What I learned from her was the true essence and importance of selfless care and compassion. My inspiration for this decision comes from her example which I choose to carry with me daily into all I become a part of. Whether that be my family life, school, or the future patients I look after once I've graduated school; her tremendous positive impact on my life will be reflected. What made her so remarkable was not only her personality but how she touched people's lives. It's like she had a strength of her own in protecting and caring for everybody, in making people feel seen and heard. She helped me to see that actual care isn't just about the medicine or the technicalities, but about the personal and emotional impact you leave on someone's life. I strive to embody those teachings everyday in the healthcare field. As I grow more and more each day, my purpose is only strengthened by my up-bringing and personal experience growing up in a single parent household. I watched my mother take on every challenge and responsibility with resilience instilling in me that same quality. She was a true representation of the phrase “you can do anything you put your mind to.” I learned early on the significance of accountability and perseverance, qualities that have guided me throughout my academic journey. These experiences shaped the man I am today, and the man I strive to be in the healthcare field. Receiving this scholarship would alleviate some of the financial burden I’ve been presented with and will be presented with in the future. It would go towards supporting a young man trying to create a positive impact on the world one patient at a time, but it starts with strengthening my knowledge, refining my skills, and gaining hands-on experience. My grandmother showed me what it means to care for others wholeheartedly and with the support of this scholarship, I will carry her legacy forward.

Hi, my name is Traedan Wise and I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Nursing with a long-term goal of becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I have been enticed with a career in healthcare for as long as I can remember. It all started at my grandmother's house where I was able to truly witness what it means to care for someone everyday. She was the rock of our entire family and neighborhood. Even as she progressed in age, she never failed to be the person everyone came to for help and support. She did everything you could think without expecting a single thing in return because that's just the kind of spirit she had. What I learned from her was the true essence and importance of selfless care and compassion. My inspiration for this decision comes from her example which I choose to carry with me daily into all I become a part of. Whether that be my family life, school, or the future patients I look after once I've graduated school; her tremendous positive impact on my life will be reflected. What made her so remarkable was not only her personality but how she touched people's lives. It's like she had a strength of her own in protecting and caring for everybody, in making people feel seen and heard. She helped me to see that actual care isn't just about the medicine or the technicalities, but about the personal and emotional impact you leave on someone's life. I strive to embody those teachings everyday in the healthcare field. As I grow more and more each day, my purpose is only strengthened by my up-bringing and personal experience growing up in a single parent household. I watched my mother take on every challenge and responsibility with resilience instilling in me that same quality. She was a true representation of the phrase “you can do anything you put your mind to.” I learned early on the significance of accountability and perseverance, qualities that have guided me throughout my academic journey. These experiences shaped the man I am today, and the man I strive to be in the healthcare field. Receiving this scholarship would alleviate some of the financial burden I’ve been presented with and will be presented with in the future. It would go towards supporting a young man trying to create a positive impact on the world one patient at a time, but it starts with strengthening my knowledge, refining my skills, and gaining hands-on experience. My grandmother showed me what it means to care for others wholeheartedly and with the support of this scholarship, I will carry her legacy forward.

Hi, my name is Traedan Wise and I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Nursing with a long-term goal of becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I have been enticed with a career in healthcare for as long as I can remember. It all started at my grandmother's house where I was able to truly witness what it means to care for someone everyday. She was the rock of our entire family and neighborhood. Even as she progressed in age, she never failed to be the person everyone came to for help and support. She did everything you could think without expecting a single thing in return because that's just the kind of spirit she had. What I learned from her was the true essence and importance of selfless care and compassion. My inspiration for this decision comes from her example which I choose to carry with me daily into all I become a part of. Whether that be my family life, school, or the future patients I look after once I've graduated school; her tremendous positive impact on my life will be reflected. What made her so remarkable was not only her personality but how she touched people's lives. It's like she had a strength of her own in protecting and caring for everybody, in making people feel seen and heard. She helped me to see that actual care isn't just about the medicine or the technicalities, but about the personal and emotional impact you leave on someone's life. I strive to embody those teachings everyday in the healthcare field. As I grow more and more each day, my purpose is only strengthened by my up-bringing and personal experience growing up in a single parent household. I watched my mother take on every challenge and responsibility with resilience instilling in me that same quality. She was a true representation of the phrase “you can do anything you put your mind to.” I learned early on the significance of accountability and perseverance, qualities that have guided me throughout my academic journey. These experiences shaped the man I am today, and the man I strive to be in the healthcare field. Receiving this scholarship would alleviate some of the financial burden I’ve been presented with and will be presented with in the future. It would go towards supporting a young man trying to create a positive impact on the world one patient at a time, but it starts with strengthening my knowledge, refining my skills, and gaining hands-on experience. My grandmother showed me what it means to care for others wholeheartedly and with the support of this scholarship, I will carry her legacy forward. I found this scholarship scrolling through bold.org.

2) Hi, my name is Traedan Wise and I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Nursing with a long-term goal of becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I have been enticed with a career in healthcare for as long as I can remember. It all started at my grandmother's house where I was able to truly witness what it means to care for someone everyday. She was the rock of our entire family and neighborhood. Even as she progressed in age, she never failed to be the person everyone came to for help and support. She did everything you could think without expecting a single thing in return because that's just the kind of spirit she had. What I learned from her was the true essence and importance of selfless care and compassion. My inspiration for this decision comes from her example which I choose to carry with me daily into all I become a part of. Whether that be my family life, school, or the future patients I look after once I've graduated school; her tremendous positive impact on my life will be reflected. What made her so remarkable was not only her personality but how she touched people's lives. It's like she had a strength of her own in protecting and caring for everybody, in making people feel seen and heard. She helped me to see that actual care isn't just about the medicine or the technicalities, but about the personal and emotional impact you leave on someone's life. I strive to embody those teachings everyday in the healthcare field. As I grow more and more each day, my purpose is only strengthened by my up-bringing and personal experience growing up in a single parent household. I watched my mother take on every challenge and responsibility with resilience instilling in me that same quality. She was a true representation of the phrase “you can do anything you put your mind to.” I learned early on the significance of accountability and perseverance, qualities that have guided me throughout my academic journey. These experiences shaped the man I am today, and the man I strive to be in the healthcare field. Receiving this scholarship would alleviate some of the financial burden I’ve been presented with and will be presented with in the future. It would go towards supporting a young man trying to create a positive impact on the world one patient at a time, but it starts with strengthening my knowledge, refining my skills, and gaining hands-on experience. My grandmother showed me what it means to care for others wholeheartedly and with the support of this scholarship, I will carry her legacy forward.

Hi, my name is Traedan Wise and I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Nursing with a long-term goal of becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I have been enticed with a career in healthcare for as long as I can remember. It all started at my grandmother's house where I was able to truly witness what it means to care for someone everyday. She was the rock of our entire family and neighborhood. Even as she progressed in age, she never failed to be the person everyone came to for help and support. She did everything you could think without expecting a single thing in return because that's just the kind of spirit she had. What I learned from her was the true essence and importance of selfless care and compassion. My inspiration for this decision comes from her example which I choose to carry with me daily into all I become a part of. Whether that be my family life, school, or the future patients I look after once I've graduated school; her tremendous positive impact on my life will be reflected. What made her so remarkable was not only her personality but how she touched people's lives. It's like she had a strength of her own in protecting and caring for everybody, in making people feel seen and heard. She helped me to see that actual care isn't just about the medicine or the technicalities, but about the personal and emotional impact you leave on someone's life. I strive to embody those teachings everyday in the healthcare field. As I grow more and more each day, my purpose is only strengthened by my up-bringing and personal experience growing up in a single parent household. I watched my mother take on every challenge and responsibility with resilience instilling in me that same quality. She was a true representation of the phrase “you can do anything you put your mind to.” I learned early on the significance of accountability and perseverance, qualities that have guided me throughout my academic journey. These experiences shaped the man I am today, and the man I strive to be in the healthcare field. Receiving this scholarship would alleviate some of the financial burden I’ve been presented with and will be presented with in the future. It would go towards supporting a young man trying to create a positive impact on the world one patient at a time, but it starts with strengthening my knowledge, refining my skills, and gaining hands-on experience. My grandmother showed me what it means to care for others wholeheartedly and with the support of this scholarship, I will carry her legacy forward.

Hi, my name is Traedan Wise and I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Nursing with a long-term goal of becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I have been enticed with a career in healthcare for as long as I can remember. It all started at my grandmother's house where I was able to truly witness what it means to care for someone everyday. She was the rock of our entire family and neighborhood. Even as she progressed in age, she never failed to be the person everyone came to for help and support. She did everything you could think without expecting a single thing in return because that's just the kind of spirit she had. What I learned from her was the true essence and importance of selfless care and compassion. My inspiration for this decision comes from her example which I choose to carry with me daily into all I become a part of. Whether that be my family life, school, or the future patients I look after once I've graduated school; her tremendous positive impact on my life will be reflected. What made her so remarkable was not only her personality but how she touched people's lives. It's like she had a strength of her own in protecting and caring for everybody, in making people feel seen and heard. She helped me to see that actual care isn't just about the medicine or the technicalities, but about the personal and emotional impact you leave on someone's life. I strive to embody those teachings everyday in the healthcare field. As I grow more and more each day, my purpose is only strengthened by my up-bringing and personal experience growing up in a single parent household. I watched my mother take on every challenge and responsibility with resilience instilling in me that same quality. She was a true representation of the phrase “you can do anything you put your mind to.” I learned early on the significance of accountability and perseverance, qualities that have guided me throughout my academic journey. These experiences shaped the man I am today, and the man I strive to be in the healthcare field. Receiving this scholarship would alleviate some of the financial burden I’ve been presented with and will be presented with in the future. It would go towards supporting a young man trying to create a positive impact on the world one patient at a time, but it starts with strengthening my knowledge, refining my skills, and gaining hands-on experience. My grandmother showed me what it means to care for others wholeheartedly and with the support of this scholarship, I will carry her legacy forward.

Hi, my name is Traedan Wise and I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Nursing with a long-term goal of becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I have been enticed with a career in healthcare for as long as I can remember. It all started at my grandmother's house where I was able to truly witness what it means to care for someone everyday. She was the rock of our entire family and neighborhood. Even as she progressed in age, she never failed to be the person everyone came to for help and support. She did everything you could think without expecting a single thing in return because that's just the kind of spirit she had. What I learned from her was the true essence and importance of selfless care and compassion. My inspiration for this decision comes from her example which I choose to carry with me daily into all I become a part of. Whether that be my family life, school, or the future patients I look after once I've graduated school; her tremendous positive impact on my life will be reflected. What made her so remarkable was not only her personality but how she touched people's lives. It's like she had a strength of her own in protecting and caring for everybody, in making people feel seen and heard. She helped me to see that actual care isn't just about the medicine or the technicalities, but about the personal and emotional impact you leave on someone's life. I strive to embody those teachings everyday in the healthcare field. As I grow more and more each day, my purpose is only strengthened by my up-bringing and personal experience growing up in a single parent household. I watched my mother take on every challenge and responsibility with resilience instilling in me that same quality. She was a true representation of the phrase “you can do anything you put your mind to.” I learned early on the significance of accountability and perseverance, qualities that have guided me throughout my academic journey. These experiences shaped the man I am today, and the man I strive to be in the healthcare field. Receiving this scholarship would alleviate some of the financial burden I’ve been presented with and will be presented with in the future. It would go towards supporting a young man trying to create a positive impact on the world one patient at a time, but it starts with strengthening my knowledge, refining my skills, and gaining hands-on experience. My grandmother showed me what it means to care for others wholeheartedly and with the support of this scholarship, I will carry her legacy forward.

Hi, my name is Traedan Wise and I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Nursing with a long-term goal of becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I have been enticed with a career in healthcare for as long as I can remember. It all started at my grandmother's house where I was able to truly witness what it means to care for someone everyday. She was the rock of our entire family and neighborhood. Even as she progressed in age, she never failed to be the person everyone came to for help and support. She did everything you could think without expecting a single thing in return because that's just the kind of spirit she had. What I learned from her was the true essence and importance of selfless care and compassion. My inspiration for this decision comes from her example which I choose to carry with me daily into all I become a part of. Whether that be my family life, school, or the future patients I look after once I've graduated school; her tremendous positive impact on my life will be reflected. What made her so remarkable was not only her personality but how she touched people's lives. It's like she had a strength of her own in protecting and caring for everybody, in making people feel seen and heard. She helped me to see that actual care isn't just about the medicine or the technicalities, but about the personal and emotional impact you leave on someone's life. I strive to embody those teachings everyday in the healthcare field. As I grow more and more each day, my purpose is only strengthened by my up-bringing and personal experience growing up in a single parent household. I watched my mother take on every challenge and responsibility with resilience instilling in me that same quality. She was a true representation of the phrase “you can do anything you put your mind to.” I learned early on the significance of accountability and perseverance, qualities that have guided me throughout my academic journey. These experiences shaped the man I am today, and the man I strive to be in the healthcare field. Receiving this scholarship would alleviate some of the financial burden I’ve been presented with and will be presented with in the future. It would go towards supporting a young man trying to create a positive impact on the world one patient at a time, but it starts with strengthening my knowledge, refining my skills, and gaining hands-on experience. My grandmother showed me what it means to care for others wholeheartedly and with the support of this scholarship, I will carry her legacy forward.

My name is Traedan Wise and I am currently pursing my Bachelor's Degree in Nursing with the ultimate goal of being a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. As I grew up, I was always in one of two places, with my mother or with my grandmother. My mother didn't really like me being away from her much, but my grandmother's house was always a safe haven. Luckily, I was able to witness the presence of my late grandmother and how she cared for the whole family in her old age. She was truly the backbone of our household. Honestly, you would have never guessed she was 87 going on 88 years old based on how present she was in everyone’s lives. She cooked, cleaned, offered advice, and checked in on everyone, without expecting anything in return. She was the person everyone turned to, and she never turned anyone away. I never got the chance to tell her this, but watching her gave me a deep appreciation for the strength found in caregiving. My grandmother wasn’t a nurse by profession, but she genuinely had the heart and instinct of one. She inspired me to pursue nursing not because she helped others, but how she helped others and the way she made people feel afterwards. She empowered those inside and outside of our family with grace, humility, and love. There was never a day where she didn’t make me feel safe, valued, and capable. I strive to carry her example with me in everything that I do. If you can’t tell by now, nursing is more than a career path for me. It’s a calling that aligns with everything I believe in. Nurses are on the frontlines of care, not only tending to physical needs but also offering emotional support and education for health concerns. The unique position nurses hold allow them countless opportunities to empower others. Whether it’s explaining a new diagnosis in simpler terms, helping a patient understand their medical routine, or just being there to listen when times are scary, nurses help patients reclaim control over their lives. That kind of empowerment does more than just improve one’s health. It can go as far as changing someone’s life. To make long story short, that is the kind of nurse I aspire to be. Someone who gives patients the confidence and knowledge to move forward in the face of fear and unsureness, like my grandmother did for me.

My name is Traedan Wise and I am currently pursing my Bachelor's Degree in Nursing with the ultimate goal of being a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. As I grew up, I was always in one of two places, with my mother or with my grandmother. My mother didn't really like me being away from her much, but my grandmother's house was always a safe haven. Luckily, I was able to witness the presence of my late grandmother and how she cared for the whole family in her old age. She was truly the backbone of our household. Honestly, you would have never guessed she was 87 going on 88 years old based on how present she was in everyone’s lives. She cooked, cleaned, offered advice, and checked in on everyone, without expecting anything in return. She was the person everyone turned to, and she never turned anyone away. I never got the chance to tell her this, but watching her gave me a deep appreciation for the strength found in caregiving. My grandmother wasn’t a nurse by profession, but she genuinely had the heart and instinct of one. She inspired me to pursue nursing not because she helped others, but how she helped others and the way she made people feel afterwards. She empowered those inside and outside of our family with grace, humility, and love. There was never a day where she didn’t make me feel safe, valued, and capable. I strive to carry her example with me in everything that I do. If you can’t tell by now, nursing is more than a career path for me. It’s a calling that aligns with everything I believe in. Nurses are on the frontlines of care, not only tending to physical needs but also offering emotional support and education for health concerns. The unique position nurses hold allow them countless opportunities to empower others. Whether it’s explaining a new diagnosis in simpler terms, helping a patient understand their medical routine, or just being there to listen when times are scary, nurses help patients reclaim control over their lives. That kind of empowerment does more than just improve one’s health. It can go as far as changing someone’s life. To make long story short, that is the kind of nurse I aspire to be. Someone who gives patients the confidence and knowledge to move forward in the face of fear and unsureness, like my grandmother did for me. My grandmother really lit a fire inside me for helping other's. It really took a lot from me when she passed and it was really hard to see how to move forward. At the time, I was a junior in high school who loved to play basketball, so I decided to put my two loves together to honor the name of my grandmother. My teammates and I setup a canned food drive to help those in the Houston community. Everyday after practice, we would stay for a couple of hours allowing cars to drive through and drop off what they could give. After two weeks of doing this, we took all of our goods and donations to the nearest food bank. It didn't completely fill the whole that was left by my grandmother's passing, but it gave me a warm feeling knowing she would be pleased with me looking down from heaven.

Learning life lessons is essential for personal growth and development. The origins of the lessons aren’t always read from textbooks or heard in classrooms. More often than not, they come from people we care about most. For me, one of the most important lessons I’ve ever learned came from my grandmother, Mary Coger. She was known as a resilient, proud Black woman who looked after me during the summers of my childhood. When she passed a few years ago, it left a vast void in my life that no one else could fill. Although she was gone, she left behind something valuable. A lesson about strength, kindness, and a quiet resilience that can affect families for generations. Every summer, I would stay and visit with my grandmother. These are still some of the happiest memories of my life. While other kids see summer as a time for vacations and camps, mine was the opportunity to spend time with my grandmother. To me, this was three months filled with conversations on the porch, home cooked meals, and stories from a woman who had been through it all. She was way more than just someone who looked after me. She was a teacher, a role model, and one of my most trusted friends honestly. Looking back, I realize those summers weren’t just about keeping me entertained and fed. I see now that they were about helping me grow, one step at a time, with love, discipline, and understanding. My grandmother’s life wasn’t the easiest to say the least. As a Black woman who lived through the struggles of racism, poverty, and personal loss, she had every reason to be angry at the world or just bitter in general. However, that wasn’t her by any means. She spent most of her life working in a home and serving others for the pure joy of it. She wanted to witness the smile planted on others faces due to her efforts to make their lives easier. She was kind when others were cruel, patient when others were the opposite, and gentle even when life had a difficult time being fair. She showed me, just by being who she was, that real strength isn’t about being tough. It’s about being open, even when the world tries to shut you out. What impressed me most was how she made people feel. Whether she was cooking the family's favorite broccoli and cheese casserole, or sitting on the porch with her hand sitting on my shoulder, she made me feel safe. She made me feel like I mattered. She had a way of turning even the most minimal moments into something meaningful. I didn’t realize it then, but she was teaching me what real love looks like. She did so not with just words, but with action. Since she passed, I’ve often felt really lost and unsure of what to do. When that happens, I think back on those summers. I remember her voice, the way she used to sit on the couch and watch her programs, as she would call them, and how she always seemed to know what I needed even if I never said it out loud. I keep those memories close, and I carry her teachings with me. She showed me that being a good person isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being there for theres, being kind in a world of those who are ugly, and having the strength to care even when it’s difficult.

My name is Traedan Wise and I am currently pursing my Bachelor's Degree in Nursing with the ultimate goal of being a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. As I grew up, I was always in one of two places, with my mother or with my grandmother. My mother didn't really like me being away from her much, but my grandmother's house was always a safe haven. Luckily, I was able to witness the presence of my late grandmother and how she cared for the whole family in her old age. She was truly the backbone of our household. Honestly, you would have never guessed she was 87 going on 88 years old based on how present she was in everyone’s lives. She cooked, cleaned, offered advice, and checked in on everyone, without expecting anything in return. She was the person everyone turned to, and she never turned anyone away. I never got the chance to tell her this, but watching her gave me a deep appreciation for the strength found in caregiving. My grandmother wasn’t a nurse by profession, but she genuinely had the heart and instinct of one. She inspired me to pursue nursing not because she helped others, but how she helped others and the way she made people feel afterwards. She empowered those inside and outside of our family with grace, humility, and love. There was never a day where she didn’t make me feel safe, valued, and capable. I strive to carry her example with me in everything that I do. If you can’t tell by now, nursing is more than a career path for me. It’s a calling that aligns with everything I believe in. Nurses are on the frontlines of care, not only tending to physical needs but also offering emotional support and education for health concerns. The unique position nurses hold allow them countless opportunities to empower others. Whether it’s explaining a new diagnosis in simpler terms, helping a patient understand their medical routine, or just being there to listen when times are scary, nurses help patients reclaim control over their lives. That kind of empowerment does more than just improve one’s health. It can go as far as changing someone’s life. To make long story short, that is the kind of nurse I aspire to be. Someone who gives patients the confidence and knowledge to move forward in the face of fear and unsureness, like my grandmother did for me. This scholarship will lighten the financial load for my mother and I, and allow for me to share the same love and passion my grandmother had with the thousands of patients i'll tend to during my life time.

Hi, my name is Traedan Wise and I am currently a sophomore in college working to gain my Bachelors in Nursing. My end goal is to become a CRNA, and use my grandmother's teachings to help people make their world a better place for them. Every summer, I would stay and visit with my grandmother. These are still some of the happiest memories of my life. While other kids see summer as a time for vacations and camps, mine was the opportunity to spend time with my grandmother. To me, this was three months filled with conversations on the porch, home cooked meals, and stories from a woman who had been through it all. She was way more than just someone who looked after me. She was a teacher, a role model, and one of my most trusted friends honestly. Looking back, I realize those summers weren’t just about keeping me entertained and fed. I see now that they were about helping me grow, one step at a time, with love, discipline, and understanding. My grandmother’s life wasn’t the easiest to say the least. As a Black woman who lived through the struggles of racism, poverty, and personal loss, she had every reason to be angry at the world or just bitter in general. However, that wasn’t her by any means. She spent most of her life working in a home and serving others for the pure joy of it. She wanted to witness the smile planted on others faces due to her efforts to make their lives easier. She was kind when others were cruel, patient when others were the opposite, and gentle even when life had a difficult time being fair. She showed me, just by being who she was, that real strength isn’t about being tough. It’s about being open, even when the world tries to shut you out. What impressed me most was how she made people feel. Whether she was cooking the family's favorite broccoli and cheese casserole, or sitting on the porch with her hand sitting on my shoulder, she made me feel safe. She made me feel like I mattered. She had a way of turning even the most minimal moments into something meaningful. I didn’t realize it then, but she was teaching me what real love looks like. She did so not with just words, but with action. Since she passed, I’ve often felt really lost and unsure of what to do. When that happens, I think back on those summers. I remember her voice, the way she used to sit on the couch and watch her programs, as she would call them, and how she always seemed to know what I needed even if I never said it out loud. I keep those memories close, and I carry her teachings with me. She showed me that being a good person isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being there for theres, being kind in a world of those who are ugly, and having the strength to care even when it’s difficult. That lesson helped shape the man I am today, and I want to share it with others, just like she did with me.

My name is Traedan Wise and I am currently pursing my Bachelor's Degree in Nursing with the ultimate goal of being a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. As I grew up, I was always in one of two places, with my mother or with my grandmother. My mother didn't really like me being away from her much, but my grandmother's house was always a safe haven. Luckily, I was able to witness the presence of my late grandmother and how she cared for the whole family in her old age. She was truly the backbone of our household. Honestly, you would have never guessed she was 87 going on 88 years old based on how present she was in everyone’s lives. She cooked, cleaned, offered advice, and checked in on everyone, without expecting anything in return. She was the person everyone turned to, and she never turned anyone away. I never got the chance to tell her this, but watching her gave me a deep appreciation for the strength found in caregiving. My grandmother wasn’t a nurse by profession, but she genuinely had the heart and instinct of one. She inspired me to pursue nursing not because she helped others, but how she helped others and the way she made people feel afterwards. She empowered those inside and outside of our family with grace, humility, and love. There was never a day where she didn’t make me feel safe, valued, and capable. I strive to carry her example with me in everything that I do. If you can’t tell by now, nursing is more than a career path for me. It’s a calling that aligns with everything I believe in. Nurses are on the frontlines of care, not only tending to physical needs but also offering emotional support and education for health concerns. The unique position nurses hold allow them countless opportunities to empower others. Whether it’s explaining a new diagnosis in simpler terms, helping a patient understand their medical routine, or just being there to listen when times are scary, nurses help patients reclaim control over their lives. That kind of empowerment does more than just improve one’s health. It can go as far as changing someone’s life. To make long story short, that is the kind of nurse I aspire to be. Someone who gives patients the confidence and knowledge to move forward in the face of fear and unsureness, like my grandmother did for me.

Seventy percent of adolescents in America come from households containing a loving mother and father who both have jobs and work together to raise their offspring. When thinking about a standard American family, this is the principal idea most would imagine. I would not call myself less of an American considering I am a part of the thirty percent that come from a one parent household with a loving mother who carried the burden of successfully filling both parent roles. However, taking into account most kids come from two parent households, I was and still am at a disadvantage. Being in a challenging situation, as the one stated previously, instills character traits in oneself that affect the way you view the world and treat others. Seeing my mother fulfill my needs and requests solely by herself allowed me to experience firsthand determination and independence. My attitude towards schoolwork, basketball, and other countless activities derived from watching her. I always see things through no matter how difficult or strenuous they become. My name is Traedan Wise and I am currently pursing my Bachelor's Degree in Nursing with the ultimate goal of being a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. As I grew up, I was always in one of two places, with my mother or with my grandmother. Luckily, I was able to witness the presence of my late grandmother and how she cared for the whole family in her old age. She was truly the backbone of our household. Honestly, you would have never guessed she was 87 going on 88 years old based on how present she was in everyone’s lives. She cooked, cleaned, offered advice, and checked in on everyone, without expecting anything in return. She was the person everyone turned to, and she never turned anyone away. I never got the chance to tell her this, but watching her gave me a deep appreciation for the strength found in caregiving. My grandmother wasn’t a nurse by profession, but she genuinely had the heart and instinct of one. She inspired me to pursue nursing not because she helped others, but how she helped others and the way she made people feel afterwards. She empowered those inside and outside of our family with grace, humility, and love. There was never a day where she didn’t make me feel safe, valued, and capable. I strive to carry her example with me in everything that I do. If you can’t tell by now, nursing is more than a career path for me. It’s a calling that aligns with everything I believe in. Nurses are on the frontlines of care, not only tending to physical needs but also offering emotional support and education for health concerns. The unique position nurses hold allow them countless opportunities to empower others. Whether it’s explaining a new diagnosis in simpler terms, helping a patient understand their medical routine, or just being there to listen when times are scary, nurses help patients reclaim control over their lives. That kind of empowerment does more than just improve one’s health. It can go as far as changing someone’s life. That is the kind of nurse I aspire to be. Someone who gives patients the confidence and knowledge to move forward in the face of fear and unsureness, like my grandmother did for me.

My name is Traedan Wise and I am currently pursing my Bachelor's Degree in Nursing with the ultimate goal of being a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. As I grew up, I was always in one of two places, with my mother or with my grandmother. My mother didn't really like me being away from her much, but my grandmother's house was always a safe haven. Luckily, I was able to witness the presence of my late grandmother and how she cared for the whole family in her old age. She was truly the backbone of our household. Honestly, you would have never guessed she was 87 going on 88 years old based on how present she was in everyone’s lives. She cooked, cleaned, offered advice, and checked in on everyone, without expecting anything in return. She was the person everyone turned to, and she never turned anyone away. I never got the chance to tell her this, but watching her gave me a deep appreciation for the strength found in caregiving. My grandmother wasn’t a nurse by profession, but she genuinely had the heart and instinct of one. She inspired me to pursue nursing not because she helped others, but how she helped others and the way she made people feel afterwards. She empowered those inside and outside of our family with grace, humility, and love. There was never a day where she didn’t make me feel safe, valued, and capable. I strive to carry her example with me in everything that I do. If you can’t tell by now, nursing is more than a career path for me. It’s a calling that aligns with everything I believe in. Nurses are on the frontlines of care, not only tending to physical needs but also offering emotional support and education for health concerns. The unique position nurses hold allow them countless opportunities to empower others. Whether it’s explaining a new diagnosis in simpler terms, helping a patient understand their medical routine, or just being there to listen when times are scary, nurses help patients reclaim control over their lives. That kind of empowerment does more than just improve one’s health. It can go as far as changing someone’s life. To make long story short, that is the kind of nurse I aspire to be. Someone who gives patients the confidence and knowledge to move forward in the face of fear and unsureness, like my grandmother did for me.

Growing up, it was just me and my mom—moving from apartment to apartment, doing the best we could with what we had. My father was never part of the picture, and for most of my life, he was behind bars. But even in the midst of uncertainty, my mother—a strong Black woman who earned her college degree against the odds—taught me how to believe in myself, how to fight for my future, and how to carry myself with quiet strength. She is the reason I’m in college today, and my late grandmother is the reason I chose nursing. She instilled in me the desire to care for others, to serve with compassion, and to always be someone others could lean on. I carry her with me in every class I attend and every patient I hope to one day serve as a future CRNA. Academically, I’ve pushed myself to rise above my circumstances. I’m a National Merit Scholar and earned honors like 1st Team All-District, 2nd Team All-District, and Academic All-District while playing basketball all four years of high school. I’ve volunteered at food banks, dialysis clinics, and youth basketball camps—not because I had to, but because I want to give back to the very communities that helped raise me. But no matter how hard I’ve worked, the cost of college continues to be a heavy weight. This scholarship wouldn’t just ease that burden—it would bring me one step closer to fulfilling the promises I’ve made: to my mom, to my grandmother’s legacy, and to the people I’ll serve in my future career. What sets me apart isn’t just my GPA or my goals. It’s my why. I’m not pursuing this path for prestige or recognition. I’m doing it to break cycles, to prove that where you come from doesn’t have to determine where you end up, and to use everything I’ve learned to make a difference in someone else’s life. This scholarship would be more than financial help.m It would be belief in the journey of someone who refuses to give up.

Reality dating shows like Love Island often focus on physical attraction, dramatic recouplings, and playful competitions. But what if one challenge encouraged real vulnerability and deeper emotional connections? That’s where my original challenge, “Heartstrings Unplugged,” comes in a game that combines creativity, emotional depth, and anonymity to help Islanders connect on a more meaningful level. The premise of the challenge is simple, yet powerful. Each Islander is asked to write a short poem, song, or spoken-word piece based on a past romantic experience—whether that be heartbreak, unrequited love, or a meaningful lesson learned. They are given time alone to reflect and write, completely unplugged from distractions. Their final piece must be no more than sixteen lines, keeping it concise but impactful. What sets this challenge apart is that all entries are submitted anonymously. Instead of performing the pieces themselves, a narrator, either the show’s voiceover host or a special guest reads each one aloud to the group. After each performance, the Islanders must guess who they believe wrote the piece. This twist removes preconceived biases and forces everyone to focus solely on the emotional content rather than the identity of the speaker. At the end of the challenge, the authors are revealed one by one, often resulting in surprise, newfound respect, or even romantic sparks between unexpected people. There’s also a special “Heartstring Match” round: Islanders privately vote for the piece they connected with most emotionally. The author and the top voter (if they’re not already a couple) are rewarded with a special off-camera date under the stars just the two of them, unplugged, for fifteen uninterrupted minutes. This challenge matters because it brings something rare to the world of reality TV: intentional vulnerability. It shows that love isn’t just built on flirtation or physical chemistry, but also on emotional understanding. By removing performance pressure and adding anonymity, Islanders are more likely to open up authentically. The audience, in turn, gets to see a side of the contestants that isn’t filtered through gameplay or glamor. “Heartstrings Unplugged” redefines what it means to build a connection. It challenges the typical format of dating shows by prioritizing honesty and emotional intimacy. In doing so, it proves that the most powerful tool in the search for love isn’t a villa or a fire pit, it’s the courage to speak from the heart.

Seventy percent of adolescents in America come from households containing a loving mother and father who both have jobs and work together to raise their offspring. When thinking about a standard American family, this is the principal idea most would imagine. I would not call myself less of an American considering I am a part of the thirty percent that come from a one parent household with a loving mother who carried the burden of successfully filling both parent roles. However, taking into account most kids come from two parent households, I was and still am at a disadvantage. Being in a challenging situation, as the one stated previously, instills character traits in oneself that affect the way you view the world and treat others. Seeing my mother fulfill my needs and requests solely by herself allowed me to experience firsthand determination and independence. My attitude towards schoolwork, basketball, and other countless activities derived from watching her. I always see things through no matter how difficult or strenuous they become. Ever since I can remember, I have always had a love for basketball, and it is a big part of my identity today. From playing in different environments to learning to adapt quickly, I have gleaned a numerous amount of my qualities from the game. Things like teamwork, leadership, and so on are all implanted inside me from years of playing. It also taught me that hard work pays off. If you want something and you work for it, the result directly impacts how much work was put in to reach your goal. Accepting criticism, being able to analyze myself for flaws, and working to correct those flaws all originate from basketball. Not only did these traits better my overall play on the court but helped me to improve my character and life as well. Now that you know a little bit about me, it's time that you discover my need for this scholarship. As I grew up, I was lucky enough to witness the presence of my late grandmother and how she cared for the whole family in her old age. She was truly the backbone of our household. Honestly, you would have never guessed she was 87 going on 88 years old based on how present she was in everyone’s lives. She cooked, cleaned, offered advice, and checked in on everyone, without expecting anything in return. She was the person everyone turned to, and she never turned anyone away. I never got the chance to tell her this, but watching her gave me a deep appreciation for the strength found in caregiving. My grandmother wasn’t a nurse by profession, but she genuinely had the heart and instinct of one. She inspired me to pursue nursing not because she helped others, but how she helped others and the way she made people feel afterwards. She empowered those inside and outside of our family with grace, humility, and love. There was never a day where she didn’t make me feel safe, valued, and capable. I strive to carry her example with me in everything that I do. I truly need this scholarship to advance on the ladder of my career goals and to spread the teachings of my late grandmother throughout the community.

As I grew up, I was always in one of two places, with my mother or with my grandmother. Luckily, I was able to witness the presence of my late grandmother and how she cared for the whole family in her old age. She was truly the backbone of our household. Honestly, you would have never guessed she was 87 going on 88 years old based on how present she was in everyone’s lives. She cooked, cleaned, offered advice, and checked in on everyone, without expecting anything in return. She was the person everyone turned to, and she never turned anyone away. I never got the chance to tell her this, but watching her gave me a deep appreciation for the strength found in caregiving. My grandmother wasn’t a nurse by profession, but she genuinely had the heart and instinct of one. She inspired me to pursue nursing not because she helped others, but how she helped others and the way she made people feel afterwards. She empowered those inside and outside of our family with grace, humility, and love. There was never a day where she didn’t make me feel safe, valued, and capable. I strive to carry her example with me in everything that I do. If you can’t tell, nursing is more than a career path for me. It’s a calling that aligns with everything I believe in. Nurses are on the frontlines of care, not only tending to physical needs but also offering emotional support and education for health concerns. The unique position nurses hold allow them countless opportunities to empower others. Whether it’s explaining a new diagnosis in simpler terms, helping a patient understand their medical routine, or just being there to listen when times are scary, nurses help patients reclaim control over their lives. That kind of empowerment does more than just improve one’s health. It can go as far as changing someone’s life. That is the kind of nurse I aspire to be. Someone who gives patients the confidence and knowledge to move forward in the face of fear and unsureness, like my grandmother did for me.

Seventy percent of adolescents in America come from households containing a loving mother and father who both have jobs and work together to raise their offspring. When thinking about a standard American family, this is the principal idea most would imagine. I would not call myself less of an American considering I am a part of the thirty percent that come from a one parent household with a loving mother who carried the burden of successfully filling both parent roles. However, taking into account most kids come from two parent households, I was and still am at a disadvantage. Being in a challenging situation, as the one stated previously, instills character traits in oneself that affect the way you view the world and treat others. Seeing my mother fulfill my needs and requests solely by herself allowed me to experience firsthand determination and independence. My attitude towards schoolwork, basketball, and other countless activities derived from watching her. I always see things through no matter how difficult or strenuous they become. As I grew up, I was always in one of two places, with my mother or with my grandmother. Luckily, I was able to witness the presence of my late grandmother and how she cared for the whole family in her old age. She was truly the backbone of our household. Honestly, you would have never guessed she was 87 going on 88 years old based on how present she was in everyone’s lives. She cooked, cleaned, offered advice, and checked in on everyone, without expecting anything in return. She was the person everyone turned to, and she never turned anyone away. I never got the chance to tell her this, but watching her gave me a deep appreciation for the strength found in caregiving. My grandmother wasn’t a nurse by profession, but she genuinely had the heart and instinct of one. She inspired me to pursue nursing not because she helped others, but how she helped others and the way she made people feel afterwards. She empowered those inside and outside of our family with grace, humility, and love. There was never a day where she didn’t make me feel safe, valued, and capable. I strive to carry her example with me in everything that I do. If you can’t tell by now, nursing is more than a career path for me. It’s a calling that aligns with everything I believe in. Nurses are on the frontlines of care, not only tending to physical needs but also offering emotional support and education for health concerns. The unique position nurses hold allow them countless opportunities to empower others. Whether it’s explaining a new diagnosis in simpler terms, helping a patient understand their medical routine, or just being there to listen when times are scary, nurses help patients reclaim control over their lives. That kind of empowerment does more than just improve one’s health. It can go as far as changing someone’s life. That is the kind of nurse I aspire to be. Someone who gives patients the confidence and knowledge to move forward in the face of fear and unsureness, like my grandmother did for me.

Seventy percent of adolescents in America come from households containing a loving mother and father who both have jobs and work together to raise their offspring. When thinking about a standard American family, this is the principal idea most would imagine. I would not call myself less of an American considering I am a part of the thirty percent that come from a one parent household with a loving mother who carried the burden of successfully filling both parent roles. However, taking into account most kids come from two parent households, I was and still am at a disadvantage. Being in a challenging situation, as the one stated previously, instills character traits in oneself that affect the way you view the world and treat others. Seeing my mother fulfill my needs and requests solely by herself allowed me to experience firsthand determination and independence. My attitude towards schoolwork, basketball, and other countless activities derived from watching her. I always see things through no matter how difficult or strenuous they become. As I grew up, I was always in one of two places, with my mother or with my grandmother. Luckily, I was able to witness the presence of my late grandmother and how she cared for the whole family in her old age. She was truly the backbone of our household. Honestly, you would have never guessed she was 87 going on 88 years old based on how present she was in everyone’s lives. She cooked, cleaned, offered advice, and checked in on everyone, without expecting anything in return. She was the person everyone turned to, and she never turned anyone away. I never got the chance to tell her this, but watching her gave me a deep appreciation for the strength found in caregiving. My grandmother wasn’t a nurse by profession, but she genuinely had the heart and instinct of one. She inspired me to pursue nursing not because she helped others, but how she helped others and the way she made people feel afterwards. She empowered those inside and outside of our family with grace, humility, and love. There was never a day where she didn’t make me feel safe, valued, and capable. I strive to carry her example with me in everything that I do. If you can’t tell by now, nursing is more than a career path for me. It’s a calling that aligns with everything I believe in. Nurses are on the frontlines of care, not only tending to physical needs but also offering emotional support and education for health concerns. The unique position nurses hold allow them countless opportunities to empower others. Whether it’s explaining a new diagnosis in simpler terms, helping a patient understand their medical routine, or just being there to listen when times are scary, nurses help patients reclaim control over their lives. That kind of empowerment does more than just improve one’s health. It can go as far as changing someone’s life. That is the kind of nurse I aspire to be. Someone who gives patients the confidence and knowledge to move forward in the face of fear and unsureness, like my grandmother did for me.

Throughout my life, I have experienced various situations and challenges, but these encounters contribute significantly to the person I profoundly identify myself as today. Being raised exclusively by my mother gave me access to certain characteristics displayed by her while I was growing up. Other experiences like playing sports allowed me to thrive in unfamiliar environments and obtain traits that play an exceptional role in my identity. Recently, I stumbled upon an interest in music. It allows me to express myself and communicate my circumstances in a creative fashion. Seventy percent of adolescents in America come from households containing a loving mother and father who both have jobs and work together to raise their offspring. When thinking about a standard American family, this is the principal idea most would imagine. I would not call myself less of an American considering I am a part of the thirty percent that come from a one parent household with a loving mother who carried the burden of successfully filling both parent roles. However, taking into account most kids come from two parent households, I was and still am at a disadvantage. Being in a challenging situation, as the one stated previously, instills character traits in oneself that affect the way you view the world and treat others. Seeing my mother fulfill my needs and requests solely by herself allowed me to experience firsthand determination and independence. My attitude towards schoolwork, basketball, and other countless activities derived from watching her. I always see things through no matter how difficult or strenuous they become. Although being independent is a key trait to have, asking for help and working with others are also important qualities to possess. Ever since I can remember, I have always had a love for basketball, and it is a big part of my identity today. From playing in different environments to learning to adapt quickly, I have gleaned a numerous amount of my qualities from the game. Things like teamwork, leadership, and so on are all implanted inside me from years of playing. It also taught me that hard work pays off. If you want something and you work for it, the result directly impacts how much work was put in to reach your goal. Accepting criticism, being able to analyze myself for flaws, and working to correct those flaws all originate from basketball. Not only did these traits better my overall play on the court but helped me to improve my character and life as well. I first became entertained with the thought of being involved in music around fourteen. At the time, there was not any concrete reason for it, I was just amazed at the fact that I could make something on my own. Now, I see making music as one of my creative outlets. It allows me the freedom to speak and be the person I want to be. Creating music enables me to understand myself better and unlock doors that had never been opened before. Characteristics like creativity, attention to detail, and being prideful of who I am are all contributions from me participating in a harmless hobby. I have gone through many events in my life that equipped me with established traits and permitted me to observe myself deeply and improve my character. Although from a distance some of these experiences seem negative, I am immensely proud of them because they are a part of who I am and make up my identity I present every day. These teachings and experiences have influenced me to go into the healthcare field and help others.

One of the most meaningful and empowering experiences I’ve had the joy of participating in was volunteering at my local dialysis clinic. When I first started, I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I thought I would be completing small tasks like getting patients checked in and settled, or making sure all the equipment and inventory was organized. I had no idea that I would eventually leave the place establishing deep and real connections with some of the patients. Many of the patients that I met came in 3 times a week for hours at a time. Some of them were elders of the community and had been on dialysis for years. As time passed, I began remembering names, their family lives, and stories they told each visit. Dialysis for them was a major part of their lives and some of them had to go through it by themselves. One afternoon, I sat with a woman who had just finished her treatment. She seemed exhausted and quiet so I asked if it was okay if I sat with her. After enjoying each other’s company for a few minutes, I’ll never forget what she said to me. She said, “I think people forget that I’m human when they see these machines, but I appreciate you for remembering.” From my perspective, I was just giving her some entertainment while she waited, but to her it meant way more. I realized then that empowerment can come from any gesture no matter the size. It can come from just being present, and showing someone that you care. My grandmother is truly one of the main reasons I have this deep passion for nursing. She was like a hero without a cape to me. She never wore scrubs and any type of uniform that held a professional title, but she was the most powerful caregiver I’ve ever known. She taught me that strength is quiet but consistent, love is shown through action, and that real empowerment comes from lifting others up, especially when they can’t find the strength to do it themselves. Even when her body was failing her in the later years, she continued to uphold a standard for caring and taking care of our family and others who weren't necessarily blood related, but felt like it. She believed that God put her on this earth specifically to care for people and that belief lives on through me. Every time I show up for someone in need, I feel as if I’m honoring her legacy and I will continue to do so until I physically can’t anymore. She is the reason I believe so deeply in empowerment, and why I’m committing to bringing that belief into my nursing career.