Growing up, I’ve always seen a community as a group of people who reside in the same area, whilst also being affected by both that area and the people in it. It’s always been important to me to help out my community and give back given all of the times that my community has helped me when I was the one in need. I consider my community a major support system and I’ve always wanted to share a sense of purpose within my community. Additionally, I want to help my community deal with everyday problems such as littering, potholes, gun violence, and so on. My community involves my family so by pursuing something that I love, I gain the opportunity to give back by showing my younger family members that if they choose to get a college degree they can accomplish so much more. 

   When I attend college, I will be attending as a first-generation student coming from an immigrant household. I want to pursue Nursing at Missouri State University. I want to stay within Missouri  so that I’m not so far from my support system– my family. It’s always been a dream of mine to become a nurse and help people in need. I have always been interested in healthcare from a very young age. Growing up I would play doctor with my parents. From the stethoscope to the syringe, I would catch myself watching the nurses and doctors at every doctor’s visit. As I got older, I began doing my research on different types of nurses. There was one that caught my attention: labor and delivery. I have always loved being around kids whether it is interacting, helping, or mostly anything. Being able to help out new moms, in a very new and vulnerable state, to guide them into a new chapter in their life, excites me.  In addition, having the opportunity to assist those who are bringing new life into the world and also take care of newborn babies while they’re so small and fragile, allows me to be a part of something so special for new parents. This level of comfort during childbirth is incredibly rewarding. My desire to become a labor and delivery nurse shows me how compassionate it is to help others during a special time. It allows me to provide care and support to those mothers and bring positive aspects to healthcare. Lastly, I’m able to make a difference in healthcare by allowing a more comfortable experience for Hispanic immigrants that need to go to the hospital and may not know how to communicate due to a language barrier.  

   As a first-generation student getting a college degree would not only mean so much to myself but to my parents as well. My mother is my main motivation to continue my dreams. Earning this scholarship will not only help me become closer to my career but it would also help me accomplish my dreams that many people, including my parents, were not able to accomplish. I would like to break the cycle in my family and show a good example to not only my younger family members but other young people of immigrant parents. It’s important to show others that if I can do it, you can too. I want to be an example and let others know how to overcome self-doubt. I am thankful for not letting the negative things get to me and not letting the hardships or negativity stop me from continuing to pursue a college degree in the healthcare field. My career goal is to earn a college degree as a labor and delivery nurse along with helping people who look like me communicate and be understood. Additionally it would help me fulfill my need within the community to give back and help grow our new generations to come.