I have always been drawn to work in healthcare because I realized very young that I wanted a career that would make a difference in the lives of others. However, I never envisioned myself becoming a nurse because I was always so confident that I would grow up to be a doctor. It was not until I was almost halfway through completing my degree as a biology major that I realized I had a different calling. As time went on I realized that nursing aligned better with who I was as a person; an altruistic individual who is outgoing and enjoys interacting with others, detail-oriented, and has a strong work ethic. I was initially hesitant because I was almost done with my third semester of undergrad, and switching my major would prevent me from graduating in 4 years. Even if I decided I wanted to be a nursing major, I still had to go through an application process to get into the nursing program, and I would have to spend an extra year in college to earn my degree which I wouldn't have the financial support to complete as the academic scholarship that covered the bulk of my cost of attendance would be terminated after the 4th year of attendance. It was a sacrifice I was willing to make and something I have been committed to since the day I made my decision that I was going to become a nurse. I am passionate about increasing representation within the nursing profession and reducing healthcare disparities that disproportionally affect black women. To make a change, you have to be the change you want to see in the world. As a black woman, I understand that intersectionality creates healthcare barriers that affect others who share the same identity as me. Black women are underrepresented, so their concerns are often overlooked because the people they entrust with their care are not culturally competent, which diminishes the quality of care they receive. Although I cannot singlehandedly put an end to maternal mortality rates being so high amongst black women, I can potentially save a life by listening to my patient’s concerns and acting on them by being a critical thinker. By doing so, over time that one life may become a hundred lives or a thousand lives, which for me means I would be a part of preserving the lives of black mothers. Our job as nurses first and foremost is to be our patient’s biggest advocates and make sure the care we provide is in their best interests. In having an understanding of the problems within the nursing profession, I am diligently working to be a part of the solution. In the future, I aspire to become a Certified Nurse Midwife/ Women's Health Nurse Practitioner, and being able to complete my degree will put me a step closer to achieving this goal. Once I graduate, I will be able to take the NCLEX, which is the nursing licensing exam that will allow me to become a registered nurse. As an RN, I want to become a labor and delivery nurse and gain experience before pursuing an advanced nursing degree that will allow me to become a Doctor of Nursing Practice specializing in nurse-midwifery and women’s health. Winning this scholarship will help ease my financial burden and allow me to further my education so that upon graduating I can make my dreams a reality and make a positive impact within the nursing profession.

I have always been drawn to work in healthcare because I realized very young that I wanted a career that would make a difference in the lives of others. However, I never envisioned myself becoming a nurse because I was always so confident that I would grow up to be a doctor. It was not until I was almost halfway through completing my degree as a biology major that I realized I had a different calling. As time went on I realized that nursing aligned better with who I was as a person; an altruistic individual who is outgoing and enjoys interacting with others, detail-oriented, and has a strong work ethic. As the youngest of seven, I have been taken care of not only by my parents but by my siblings as well, and this has significantly contributed to my desire to be there and support others. Growing up, I always wanted to help and nurture people and be able to take care of others the way my family cared for me. My sensitivity has made me both empathetic and compassionate, allowing me to look beyond my personal experiences to care for others when necessary. In order to make a change, you have to be the change you want to see in the world. In the future, I aspire to become a Certified Nurse Midwife/ Women's Health Nurse Practitioner because I am passionate about increasing representation within the nursing profession and reducing healthcare disparities that disproportionally affect black women. As a black woman, I understand that intersectionality creates barriers in healthcare that affects others that share the same identity as me. Black women are underrepresented so oftentimes their concerns are overlooked because the people that they entrust with their care are not culturally competent, which diminishes the quality of care they receive. Although I cannot singlehandedly put an end to maternal mortality rates being so high amongst black women, I can potentially save a life by listening to my patient’s concerns and acting on them by being a critical thinker. By doing so, over time that one life may become a hundred lives or a thousand lives, which for me means I would be a part of preserving the lives of black mothers. Our job as nurses first and foremost is to be our patient’s biggest advocates and make sure the care we provide is in their best interests. In having an understanding of the problems within the nursing profession, I am diligently working to be a part of the solution. As a nurse, I am going to make a positive difference in the lives of others and leave a lasting impact on the patients and people I interact with. I am going to build a reputation for myself where the patients that come to me feel a sense of security in me and are confident that I will be able to address their needs and care for them to the best of my abilities. I want to be a nurse because I know that each day will provide me with the opportunity to nurture and take care of others, which would be a dream fulfilled.

I have always been drawn to work in healthcare because I realized very young that I wanted a career that would make a difference in the lives of others. However, I never envisioned myself becoming a nurse because I was always so confident that I would grow up to be a doctor. It was not until I was almost halfway through completing my degree as a biology major that I realized I had a different calling. As time went on I realized that nursing aligned better with who I was as a person; an altruistic individual who is outgoing and enjoys interacting with others, detail-oriented, and has a strong work ethic. As the youngest of seven, I have been taken care of not only by my parents but by my siblings as well, and this has significantly contributed to my desire to be there and support others. Growing up, I always wanted to help and nurture people and be able to take care of others the way my family cared for me. My sensitivity has made me both empathetic and compassionate, allowing me to look beyond my personal experiences to care for others when necessary. In order to make a change, you have to be the change you want to see in the world. In the future, I aspire to become a Certified Nurse Midwife/ Women's Health Nurse Practitioner because I am passionate about increasing representation within the nursing profession and reducing healthcare disparities that disproportionally affect black women. As a black woman, I understand that intersectionality creates barriers in healthcare that affects others that share the same identity as me. Black women are underrepresented so oftentimes their concerns are overlooked because the people that they entrust with their care are not culturally competent, which diminishes the quality of care they receive. Although I cannot singlehandedly put an end to maternal mortality rates being so high amongst black women, I can potentially save a life by listening to my patient’s concerns and acting on them by being a critical thinker. By doing so, over time that one life may become a hundred lives or a thousand lives, which for me means I would be a part of preserving the lives of black mothers. Our job as nurses first and foremost is to be our patient’s biggest advocates and make sure the care we provide is in their best interests. In having an understanding of the problems within the nursing profession, I am diligently working to be a part of the solution. As a nurse, I am going to make a positive difference in the lives of others and leave a lasting impact on the patients and people I interact with. I am going to build a reputation for myself where the patients that come to me feel a sense of security in me and are confident that I will be able to address their needs and care for them to the best of my abilities. I want to be a nurse because I know that each day will provide me with the opportunity to nurture and take care of others, which would be a dream fulfilled.

I have always been drawn to work in healthcare because I realized very young that I wanted a career that would make a difference in the lives of others. However, I never envisioned myself becoming a nurse because I was always so confident that I would grow up to be a doctor. It was not until I was almost halfway through completing my degree as a biology major that I realized I had a different calling. As time went on I realized that nursing aligned better with who I was as a person; an altruistic individual who is outgoing and enjoys interacting with others, detail-oriented, and has a strong work ethic. As the youngest of seven, I have been taken care of not only by my parents but by my siblings as well, and this has significantly contributed to my desire to be there and support others. Growing up, I always wanted to help and nurture people and be able to take care of others the way my family cared for me. My sensitivity has made me both empathetic and compassionate, allowing me to look beyond my personal experiences to care for others when necessary. In order to make a change, you have to be the change you want to see in the world. In the future, I aspire to become a Certified Nurse Midwife/ Women's Health Nurse Practitioner because I am passionate about increasing representation within the nursing profession and reducing healthcare disparities that disproportionally affect black women. As a black woman, I understand that intersectionality creates barriers in healthcare that affects others that share the same identity as me. Black women are underrepresented so oftentimes their concerns are overlooked because the people that they entrust with their care are not culturally competent, which diminishes the quality of care they receive. Although I cannot singlehandedly put an end to maternal mortality rates being so high amongst black women, I can potentially save a life by listening to my patient’s concerns and acting on them by being a critical thinker. By doing so, over time that one life may become a hundred lives or a thousand lives, which for me means I would be a part of preserving the lives of black mothers. Our job as nurses first and foremost is to be our patient’s biggest advocates and make sure the care we provide is in their best interests. In having an understanding of the problems within the nursing profession, I am diligently working to be a part of the solution. As a nurse, I am going to make a positive difference in the lives of others and leave a lasting impact on the patients and people I interact with. I am going to build a reputation for myself where the patients that come to me feel a sense of security in me and are confident that I will be able to address their needs and care for them to the best of my abilities. I want to be a nurse because I know that each day will provide me with the opportunity to nurture and take care of others, which would be a dream fulfilled.

I believe it is important to increase racial diversity in healthcare because it is essential to improving the quality of care that patients receive, particularly among minorities. Biases and stereotypes from ignorance and lack of cultural competence arise when healthcare professionals are providing care to patients with differing racial/ ethnic backgrounds. Diversity offers unique perspectives and helps to increase representation within these professions which could aid in reducing the racial disparities that lead to poorer health outcomes among black people. Healthcare is not “one size fits all” and may require professionals to think outside the box to meet the needs of a patient, and to do so they need to be culturally competent. As the U.S. population is increasingly becoming more diverse, healthcare professions must be increasing in diversity to better serve the people they represent. To make a change, you have to be the change you want to see in the world. In the future, I aspire to become a Certified Nurse Midwife/ Women's Health Nurse Practitioner because I am passionate about increasing representation within the nursing profession and reducing healthcare disparities that disproportionally affect black women. As a black woman, I understand that intersectionality creates barriers in healthcare that affects others that share the same identity as me. Black women are underrepresented so oftentimes their concerns are overlooked because the people that they entrust with their care are not culturally competent, which diminishes the quality of care they receive. Although I cannot singlehandedly put an end to maternal mortality rates being so high amongst black women, I can potentially save a life by listening to my patient’s concerns and acting on them by being a critical thinker. By doing so, over time that one life may become a hundred lives or a thousand lives, which for me means I would be a part of preserving the lives of black mothers. Our job as nurses first and foremost is to be our patient’s biggest advocates and make sure the care we provide is in their best interests. In having an understanding of the problems within the nursing profession, I am diligently working to be a part of the solution. As a nurse, I am going to make a positive difference in the lives of others and leave a lasting impact on the patients and people I interact with. I am going to build a reputation for myself where the patients that come to me feel a sense of security in me and are confident that I will be able to address their needs and care for them to the best of my abilities. I want to be a nurse because I know that each day will provide me with the opportunity to nurture and take care of others, which would be a dream fulfilled.

I have always been drawn to work in healthcare because I realized very young that I wanted a career that would make a difference in the lives of others. However, I never envisioned myself becoming a nurse because I was always so confident that I would grow up to be a doctor. It was not until I was almost halfway through completing my degree as a biology major that I realized I had a different calling. As time went on I realized that nursing aligned better with who I was as a person; an altruistic individual who is outgoing and enjoys interacting with others, detail-oriented, and has a strong work ethic. As the youngest of seven, I have been taken care of not only by my parents but by my siblings as well, and this has significantly contributed to my desire to be there and support others. Growing up, I always wanted to help and nurture people and be able to take care of others the way my family cared for me. My sensitivity has made me both empathetic and compassionate, allowing me to look beyond my personal experiences to care for others when necessary. In order to make a change, you have to be the change you want to see in the world. In the future, I aspire to become a Certified Nurse Midwife/ Women's Health Nurse Practitioner because I am passionate about increasing representation within the nursing profession and reducing healthcare disparities that disproportionally affect black women. As a black woman, I understand that intersectionality creates barriers in healthcare that affects others that share the same identity as me. Black women are underrepresented so oftentimes their concerns are overlooked because the people that they entrust with their care are not culturally competent, which diminishes the quality of care they receive. Although I cannot singlehandedly put an end to maternal mortality rates being so high amongst black women, I can potentially save a life by listening to my patient’s concerns and acting on them by being a critical thinker. By doing so, over time that one life may become a hundred lives or a thousand lives, which for me means I would be a part of preserving the lives of black mothers. Our job as nurses first and foremost is to be our patient’s biggest advocates and make sure the care we provide is in their best interests. In having an understanding of the problems within the nursing profession, I am diligently working to be a part of the solution. As a nurse, I am going to make a positive difference in the lives of others and leave a lasting impact on the patients and people I interact with. I am going to build a reputation for myself where the patients that come to me feel a sense of security in me and are confident that I will be able to address their needs and care for them to the best of my abilities. I want to be a nurse because I know that each day will provide me with the opportunity to help and nurture others, which would be a dream fulfilled.