Receiving this scholarship means the world to me, thank you so much! I am going to school and continuing my education to be a nurse. I have dreamt of being a nurse for as long as I can remember. I have always felt the need to help others and making a difference in someone’s life is something that makes me content. I am incredibly grateful to have been accepted into the Paradise Valley Community College nursing program. I plan to work my absolute hardest to be the best student I can be. I am going into block two this fall! I know in my heart that I will be an amazing nurse someday. I am very hopeful for the future, and I am excited about this huge stepping stone that will lead me closer to achieving my goals. I also have an amazing daughter who is my biggest motivation to be someone who makes a difference in life.
Lyon’s Pride
Annabell Castillo, Scottsdale Community College
Dear Donor,
I am sincerely honored and appreciative to learn that I was selected as the recipient of your scholarship.
I am currently enrolled in Maricopa’s CEP Nursing program. This accelerated program entails completing my ADN at Scottsdale Community College, while completing my BSN at Arizona State University, in which I plan to graduate in the fall of 2024. My long-term goal is to become an Oncology Nurse. Thanks to your generous scholarship, I am now one-step closer to achieving that goal.
Additionally, in my academic career, I have maintained a 3.5 GPA and am an Honors Student. Aside from my academics, I currently work full-time as a Nursing Assistant at Mayo Clinic Hospital in order to pay for school and achieve my dreams in becoming a nurse. At work, I am one of the main preceptors that train new employees during their orientation. I have also been certified in training others on how to use patient transferring devices safely. I have set aside savings from overtime shifts I work weekly in order to financially support my goals. Although achieving my dreams has been financially difficult and has caused financial hardship, these challenges have taught me resilience and grit. It has motivated me in putting forth my best effort at work and in my academic career.
Furthermore, as a first generation Asian-American and one of the first in my family to attend college and be in the medical field, being a selected recipient for your scholarship is a great privilege. Knowing how my grandparents fled Laos in the 1970’s with their nine children in order to seek a better life for their family and future generations to come, it has always been a dream and goal of mine to show them that their courage and hard-work was all worth it. Additionally, it is my dream and goal to prove to not only my grandparents, but my own parents how their work ethics have also inspired my life. A few months ago, my family experienced a tragedy. My father passed away on December 21, 2021, just a few days before Christmas. With his passing, it has allowed me to reminisce on all the life lessons I have learned growing up, and has given me more of a reason to pursue and achieve my RN degree. Despite the recent obstacles, receiving your scholarship has provided me with the opportunity and motivation to continue my education to eventually make my family and community proud.