3 nursing students receive deserved scholarships
Every year, the Houston Chronicle’s Salute to Nurses program awards scholarships to three outstanding nursing students as assistance to support their nursing educational endeavors and future careers. The Chronicle marks this tradition every year during National Nurses Week, which takes place May 6-12. As part of their recognition, these students receive:
• A $1,000 scholarship,
• Two invitations to the Salute to Nurses luncheon set for May 2,
• Commemorative award at the luncheon, and
• Recognition in Houston Chronicle Salute to Nurses special section today, May 6.
2018 scholarship recipients are:
• Robyn Mitchell, Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth; Wharton County Junior College, class of 2015
Robyn Mitchell is in her second semester at the Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth. She grew up in Wharton and dreamed of becoming a nurse since she was young.
“Being the youngest in my family, I was primarily raised by my grandmother, who was involved in various community projects,” Mitchell said. “This helped me realize at a young age that I liked helping people and it brought me satisfaction.”
Shortly after completing her associate degree in nursing and passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), she worked for two years before deciding to return to school for her bachelor’s degree in nursing. One week before she was set to start her RN-BSN courses, she and her family lost many of their belongings to Hurricane Harvey, an event Mitchell describes as one of the hardest challenges she has ever had to deal with. She lost her car, her home and was unable to go to work.
Mitchell considered dropping out and later returning, but she was determined to finish her first semester of the program.
As her family worked to recover, she moved back home with her mom, who is caring for her grandmother who has dementia, a situation that made her realize why she was pursuing a nursing career and that she should stay in school.
She is still unable to work full-time, and her family is still recovering from the effects of the storm. Mitchell has since moved in with her father, who nominated her for the scholarship.
“Receiving this scholarship means a lot to me,” Mitchell said. “I’ve been familiar with (Salute to Nurses) for a long time, having seen articles and posters for the event and of past winners in clinic and school offices. To even be nominated is amazing, and I’m very honored to have been chosen and recognized for what I love to do and what is truly my passion.”
After finishing her nursing program, Mitchell hopes to become a traveling nurse and perform missionary work in Africa and underdeveloped countries.
“The scholarship will help me get through school, of course, and ease some of the financial burden,” she said.
• Afrah Mohammed, University of St. Thomas Carol and Odis Peavy School of Nursing
Afrah Mohammed is a second-semester student at the University of St. Thomas. She moved to U.S. from Ethiopia after getting engaged, as there was more support here for women wanting to pursue a career outside the home. She had known since she was very young that she wanted to work in health care and add value to people’s lives through a career in nursing. She was inspired to work hard in school after seeing her mother complete her high school education after raising four children.
“My mom showed me anything is possible and that education is the key to unlocking the world,” Mohammed said. “I want to teach the same to my 3-year-old son.”
After receiving her associate degree at Houston Community College and working on her English, she enrolled at the University of St. Thomas to pursue her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Upon finishing her schooling, Mohammed hopes to work in maternal health here in Houston, as well as get a degree in nurse midwifery. She then hopes to return to Ethiopia to help people — particularly women — take control of their health and teach them about maintaining a healthy lifestyle that focuses on the prevention of illness and injury.
“A nurse is in a good position to help people such as fistula patients, as they are suffering and need emotional support,” she said. “Being in Houston beforehand will help me gain experience I can apply at home (in Ethiopia) to help change health care for the better.”
“This scholarship means a lot to me, as I have a lot of student loan debt and associated costs, and this will help lessen the financial burden of getting my education,” she said.
• Jennifer Velasquez, Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth
Jennifer Velasquez is in her final semester at Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth.
After graduating, she hopes to go into mental health/ psychiatric nursing and will be participating in a six-month graduate nurse residency program after passing the NCLEX exam.
“I have always wanted to be a nurse and wanted to help and care for people,” she said. “I remember the nurses who helped care for my father while he had terminal cancer and the difference they made not just to him, but to my entire family.”
Velasquez’s dream of becoming a nurse was put on hold when she got married and had children at a young age and prioritized raising her daughters.
She was inspired to go back to school to pursue a nursing career after her oldest daughter graduated from nursing school herself in 2013.
After completing her prerequisite courses at HCC, she was accepted to the Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth, where she was heavily involved in various student activities.
“Receiving this scholarship means so much to me. My husband and daughters have sacrificed so much in order for me to make this happen, as I have not been able to work full time while attending nursing school,” she said. “This scholarship will ease a bit of the financial burden of nursing school and help me to take the time to study to ensure that I pass my NCLEX on the first try.”