Nursing Scholarship Essay

My sister was at hospitals and doctors offices a lot during this time of her life. Now, I recognize that without the skilled medical professionals tending to my sister, she would not be here today. People of the medical world have always amazed me and have had my respect. because of the experience my family has been through, I now want to become a registered nurse. Since realizing my career path I have taken the first steps toward my nursing degree and started taking prerequisite classes for my local junior college nursing program.

As a high school honor student graduating in June after just six semesters, I’m eager to begin pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, along with a complementary major in Spanish. While a Registered Nurse is able to apply their skills in many settings, at this point I hope to serve either in an Emergency Room, in Pediatrics, or in a Spanish Speaking foreign mission field. In addition to my scholastic and athletic achievements, I’ve had experience working with children and adults as a short-term missionary, a babysitter, and a volunteer Counselor in camp settings. I’m anxious to discover how this career path will benefit my life and those that I come in contact with.

All my life I have known that I wanted to be a mother, and a wife. Yes, I have also always wanted to be a nurse, but that is mainly because it works so well with raising a family. I cannot think of anything I would want more than that, but I never really assessed if I would be “cut out for the job” so to speak. I had never viewed this want as a calling in my life placed there by God. This unit has opened my eyes to the real calling God has for me.

It is a duty that I graduate college with an abundant education so that I can help my family, sustain myself in life, and be affluent within society. Receiving this scholarship will definitely place me in a powerful position to become a step closer towards accomplishing my first career goal of becoming a registered nurse. The process of applying to college has been very strenuous on my mother and I. Unfortunately; I wasn’t one of the students to receive full scholarships from colleges or grants. My mom and I had to apply for loans, which she later got denied for. The stress of worrying about being admitted to college and receiving some financial aid has caused some disappointments. However, I am determined to receive an education and apply

I chose a path in the medical field because many members of my family have or have had medical issues. I have watched as my grandma battled and lost to ovarian cancer, and how important the nurses were through everything. My mother had two knee surgeries, and has had multiple complications with both. My sister was found to have a 5-centimeter nodule on her thyroid caused by underlying Hashimoto Disease that had been triggered by a case of mono. Watching great nurses help my family when they needed, and seeing my family’s struggle has inspired me to pursue an educational path and career to help others.

Growing up, I strived to always look out for others. Being adopted by great godparents who helped me when relatives wouldn’t really opened my eyes. For me, nursing will be far more than an occupation or career choice, it is my calling. I earned my bachelor’s in biology at Benedictine University in hopes of preparing me for a variety of careers in the healthcare field. I have always had a passion for helping people, especially those in need, and so I pursued a master’s degree in public health at University of Illinois.

First of all, I would like to thank all the staffs for holding this event and giving me this opportunity to talk today. I am glad for being involved in the panelist and I would like to share a little bit about myself and my experiences in the Nursing program here at UW. Ever since I was a young girl, I knew how important it was to become educated. I was born in Ban Vinai, Thailand, an overcrowded refugee camp where Hmong families fleeing Communist persecution in Laos settled after the Vietnam War ended.

At an early age I was exposed to the medical field in a unique way. I remember both of my great-grandmothers constantly going to the hospital for their various treatments. My family wanted to provide adequate care for their loved ones yet this proved to be difficult. Watching my family strive for care made me appreciate the “personal” touch my family gave to them in their time of need. I then recognized the possibility of patient centered care in nursing.

I am going to be a missionary. I have known it for years now. When I was thirteen I went on a mission trip to Maneadaro, Mexico and, as cliche as it sounds, it changed my life. I sat on a blue dirt-covered bench outside of our compound and I argued with God, telling him that I wanted warm showers and the English language and indoor plumbing. But on that same bench Jesus gently reminded me that His plans are greater than mine, that he has so much more in store for me than a comfortable life.

While growing up I always knew I wanted to be in the medical field to care for others. I was quite unsure if I wanted to be a doctor for the responsibilities that come along with being a doctor were quite substantial. On November 21, 2014 I gave birth to an astonishing, beautiful baby girl; born at just three pounds two ounces. My daughter was in the neonatal intensive care unit, (NICU) which specialize in the care of ill or premature newborn infants. She battled for her life.

College is a rare pathway that few of my family members take given the amount of investment of time and money as well as the lack of college exposure. Neither of my parents attended college, and I don’t wish to mirror the lifestyle they carry – for I want to do something worthwhile with my career of healing people. Furthermore, the scholarship will terminate the financial burden that I would have to bear with, and thus will allow me to invest more of my time into my studies and volunteer work. Lastly, the scholarship is also benefiting the community because I intend on receiving my B.S. in nursing and in the process of doing so I plan to engage in events in the community and in volunteer venues.

I have known since I was little that I loved to help and interact with people. I’ve grown up surrounded by nurses (my mother and two of my aunts). Because of that, I have always wanted to become a nurse. The care and concern they have for people grew to be my dream. I want to be able to impact lives every day for the better.

In high school, I have always taken advantage of the college prep, AP, IB and TC classes given at my school. Taking classes at this college level has prepared me for a challenging career in nursing. My most recent class I have taken is PLTW biomedical science that has taught me about real-life situations involving science, creating and conducting labs and studying medical diseases. Another way I have prepared myself for a nursing career is by taking advantage of community opportunities near me. I recently shadowed my neighbor in the emergency room at children’s hospital.

While many people can learn the skills needed to be a nurse, only a few are able to apply aptitude with compassion. Moreover, great nurses are born with an inherent need to care for their fellow man. When I was eight years-old, I became a nurse. A baby bird fell from its nest outside my bedroom window. I tried desperately to return the baby to its mother, but the mother repeatedly tossed it from the nest.

“What is your major?”, has been a question asked since I was in eighth grade. Not going to college was never an option for me, because my parents encouraged my education and academic success. Students typically change their minds about their future career multiple times solely in their collegiate career. However, my answer to that semi-dreaded question has never changed. My answer has always been, “Nursing.”