Help w/ Staying at Dream School!
Donation protected
My passion for the healthcare field began in high school. Being at a Technical High School, each of us needed to choose a trade. At first, I had such a difficult time choosing a trade. I knew I did not want to waste my four years of high school doing something I hated; I wanted to pursue this trade further after these few years. After careful consideration, I chose health. I fell in love. I have always loved helping other people, so choosing a career that focuses on caring for others seemed right. By my junior year, I was a CNA, as well as CPR, AED and first aid certified. After graduation, I applied to Quinnipiac, as well as other schools, for nursing. Quinnipiac has a top-notch nursing program, great atmosphere, great people, and is overall a great school so I chose QU. I knew it would help me to prepare for the next steps in my desired career.
The person who had the biggest contribution to my plans of becoming a nurse has been my mom, who is actually my grandmother. She has had custody of me since I was an infant. The fact that she suffers from so many illnesses has given me a new perspective on caring for patients. It has made me realize that it is not enough to diagnose or simply treat, but to try to empathize with the patient. It is impossible to know exactly how the pain feels for the person, but it is possible to try to understand their concerns, and why they may feel the way they do. If I pursue a career in the health field, I can make sure that all of the patients I treat receive exceptional care, beyond their expectations. She was actually a nurse herself, so seeing her in this situation, I want to be able to provide for her and myself. Right now, I am the only person who lives with her and I also financially assist at home. In between work, I also try to clean and cook, if I am able to for us.
Through numerous financial and emotional obstacles, I have been able to put myself through my first, second, third and fourth year of nursing. I would like to continue to attend the school that I have fallen in love with, without a major financial burden. Government and institutional aid does not meet my needs, which forces me to apply to outside scholarships. Going to Quinnipiac has not been the easiest choice since it is such an expensive school. I come from a low-income family, so each summer, breaks, and during the semester, I must continuously work on scholarship applications, as well as apply to jobs in order to help pay for my education. I keep an excel sheet of every scholarship I apply to with all of the steps I need to take. As for work, I currently do maintenance at an apartment complex during the summer and other breaks. During the school year, I usually hold two work-study jobs to pay for necessary items since my family cannot assist me. Right now, I am a co-coordinator for a program called QUEST. It is a program that assists first generation, international, and students of color with transitioning to college. The hard work I put into the applications and work outside of my courses, however, I believe are completely worth it. Since, going to QU, I have become extremely attached to everything about the school whether it is the professors, students, or the environment. Therefore, it is my goal to continue my attendance there. And, do whatever is possible, to make my wish a reality.
Unfortunately, what I can do on my end is very limited. Between paying for stuff at home and at school on my own, there is minimum left to go towards tuition. Plus, it is nearly impossible to apply to private loans due to having limited credit experience and no worthy cosigner. My mother cannot sign for me and I have not found anyone else. I applied to a credit card to build my credit. So far, I have had it for two years and have been working so I am more likely to be approved for a loan. I continue to apply to private loans, hoping that someone will approve me. I really hope to continue at QU to pursue nursing after graduation.
With my minor in music and major in nursing, I hope to make a difference in people’s lives. I have not yet decided what I would like to do with my nursing degree, however, my top three choices would be geriatric nursing, education, or music therapy. If I was to be a nurse educator in the high school setting, I would be able to teach young people aspiring to be a healthcare professional. It would be my way of giving back to the community that inspired me to become a nurse. If I was to specialize in music therapy within the field of nursing, I could deliver a new treatment that could be more effective than previously used treatments. Music therapy has been especially effective in treating dementia. After seeing Music & Memory, I knew I wanted to be a part of that movement. I also have an interest in geriatrics. In high school, we gained experience in nursing homes, where I really bonded with the older individuals. I loved their stories and what they have offered to the world. Therefore, I would love to work with them after graduation.
My experiences are not limited to school. Throughout my undergraduate career, I have gained experience in and out of the community working with different kinds of individuals, which has helped me gain tremendous amounts of experience. For example, I did the Big Event, which is a one-day event in which students are assigned to do community service. This year, I decided to work behind the scenes organizing the Big Event, contacting over 100 sites. I have also volunteered at the Meriden YMCA, where we serve a thanksgiving feast to homeless/low income individuals. Lastly, I started a Teens for Jeans event in my school with the Christian Fellowship Club, which is an event dedicated to collecting jeans for homeless teens. I hope to continue this community service through my school, which gives me another reason to want to stay at my school.
Bills are due July 20, so I am really trying hard to handle this situation. The school has become less accommodating, and needs me to pay the remaining balance as soon as possible to continue attending. Otherwise, I have to leave and they can hold my transcript so I would not be able to transfer to another school due to the overdue balance. Also, if I leave, with just a year left, if I am able to pay off my debt, it might take several years to pay off before I can continue school. And, if I wait to finish my last year it will be much more difficult getting the same financial aid I get now and harder to transfer my credits if I wait a couple of years. I made this fundraising page in order to assist with funding. All proceeds go back towards my tuition payments. Even if you cannot donate, I am asking everyone to at least look at my story and share it with friends/family. I want to prove to others that people from low-income backgrounds should have the same educational opportunities, if possible. Unfortunately, the fact is that some schools provide better educations than others and those that do a better job usually cost more.
The person who had the biggest contribution to my plans of becoming a nurse has been my mom, who is actually my grandmother. She has had custody of me since I was an infant. The fact that she suffers from so many illnesses has given me a new perspective on caring for patients. It has made me realize that it is not enough to diagnose or simply treat, but to try to empathize with the patient. It is impossible to know exactly how the pain feels for the person, but it is possible to try to understand their concerns, and why they may feel the way they do. If I pursue a career in the health field, I can make sure that all of the patients I treat receive exceptional care, beyond their expectations. She was actually a nurse herself, so seeing her in this situation, I want to be able to provide for her and myself. Right now, I am the only person who lives with her and I also financially assist at home. In between work, I also try to clean and cook, if I am able to for us.
Through numerous financial and emotional obstacles, I have been able to put myself through my first, second, third and fourth year of nursing. I would like to continue to attend the school that I have fallen in love with, without a major financial burden. Government and institutional aid does not meet my needs, which forces me to apply to outside scholarships. Going to Quinnipiac has not been the easiest choice since it is such an expensive school. I come from a low-income family, so each summer, breaks, and during the semester, I must continuously work on scholarship applications, as well as apply to jobs in order to help pay for my education. I keep an excel sheet of every scholarship I apply to with all of the steps I need to take. As for work, I currently do maintenance at an apartment complex during the summer and other breaks. During the school year, I usually hold two work-study jobs to pay for necessary items since my family cannot assist me. Right now, I am a co-coordinator for a program called QUEST. It is a program that assists first generation, international, and students of color with transitioning to college. The hard work I put into the applications and work outside of my courses, however, I believe are completely worth it. Since, going to QU, I have become extremely attached to everything about the school whether it is the professors, students, or the environment. Therefore, it is my goal to continue my attendance there. And, do whatever is possible, to make my wish a reality.
Unfortunately, what I can do on my end is very limited. Between paying for stuff at home and at school on my own, there is minimum left to go towards tuition. Plus, it is nearly impossible to apply to private loans due to having limited credit experience and no worthy cosigner. My mother cannot sign for me and I have not found anyone else. I applied to a credit card to build my credit. So far, I have had it for two years and have been working so I am more likely to be approved for a loan. I continue to apply to private loans, hoping that someone will approve me. I really hope to continue at QU to pursue nursing after graduation.
With my minor in music and major in nursing, I hope to make a difference in people’s lives. I have not yet decided what I would like to do with my nursing degree, however, my top three choices would be geriatric nursing, education, or music therapy. If I was to be a nurse educator in the high school setting, I would be able to teach young people aspiring to be a healthcare professional. It would be my way of giving back to the community that inspired me to become a nurse. If I was to specialize in music therapy within the field of nursing, I could deliver a new treatment that could be more effective than previously used treatments. Music therapy has been especially effective in treating dementia. After seeing Music & Memory, I knew I wanted to be a part of that movement. I also have an interest in geriatrics. In high school, we gained experience in nursing homes, where I really bonded with the older individuals. I loved their stories and what they have offered to the world. Therefore, I would love to work with them after graduation.
My experiences are not limited to school. Throughout my undergraduate career, I have gained experience in and out of the community working with different kinds of individuals, which has helped me gain tremendous amounts of experience. For example, I did the Big Event, which is a one-day event in which students are assigned to do community service. This year, I decided to work behind the scenes organizing the Big Event, contacting over 100 sites. I have also volunteered at the Meriden YMCA, where we serve a thanksgiving feast to homeless/low income individuals. Lastly, I started a Teens for Jeans event in my school with the Christian Fellowship Club, which is an event dedicated to collecting jeans for homeless teens. I hope to continue this community service through my school, which gives me another reason to want to stay at my school.
Bills are due July 20, so I am really trying hard to handle this situation. The school has become less accommodating, and needs me to pay the remaining balance as soon as possible to continue attending. Otherwise, I have to leave and they can hold my transcript so I would not be able to transfer to another school due to the overdue balance. Also, if I leave, with just a year left, if I am able to pay off my debt, it might take several years to pay off before I can continue school. And, if I wait to finish my last year it will be much more difficult getting the same financial aid I get now and harder to transfer my credits if I wait a couple of years. I made this fundraising page in order to assist with funding. All proceeds go back towards my tuition payments. Even if you cannot donate, I am asking everyone to at least look at my story and share it with friends/family. I want to prove to others that people from low-income backgrounds should have the same educational opportunities, if possible. Unfortunately, the fact is that some schools provide better educations than others and those that do a better job usually cost more.
Organizer
Bianca Morales
Organizer
Meriden, CT