Gwendolyn M. Sanders Memorial Scholarship

I am the definition of the American Dream. I overcame multiple challenges, while maintaining a 4.0+ GPA in high school and being accepted into North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Why am I the American Dream? I was born with a congenital birth condition called Hemifacial Microtia. This condition only occurs in about 1 in 5,000 to 7,000 births per year. There are three main components to the condition: (1) asymmetrical facial and head features; (2) missing or smaller than usual external ears and (3) hearing loss in the ears affected. To date, I have had a total of (11) surgeries that include reconstructive surgeries on both ears. These surgeries included removal of rib cartilage to reconstruct my ears and skin grafts removed from my rear. I also have severe bilateral hearing loss, so I’ve worn hearing aids since I was an infant. In spite of my situation, I maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout high school, while taking multiple rigorous courses (AP, dual enrollment, and gifted classes). My parents never prevented me from trying new things and maintaining high expectations of me. I excelled in school, receiving straight A’s during elementary school and high school (including dual enrollment college classes). I was ranked #60 of 738 graduating high school senior students. To date, I’ve earned a cumulative 3.95 GPA while at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. Most recently, I earned a 4.0 GPA for the Fall 2024 semester. I hope that my success reflects the type of student you deem worthy of this scholarship. I also hope that the challenges I have faced and overcame also reflect my strong character and determination. I’ve overcome a number of challenges and I refuse to give up; I will succeed. I’ve provided community service in various ways since the 1st grade. I served my immediate community in many ways as a Girl Scout (2010-2018), as a Grayson High School Student Ambassador ( 2019-2023), and volunteering at the Southeast Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry (2022-2023). I’ve participated in numerous community events such as Food for the Poor (preparing meals), volunteering at our local Senior Citizen Community Center - making crafts, dancing, and interacting with our local senior citizens. I’ve continued my community service involvement while in college. I volunteered with the “Cross the Street '' program (2023-2024); twice a week I tutored local elementary school students in both math and reading. Currently, I am volunteering with Reading Connections (Readingconnections.org), which is a nonprofit adult literacy agency to improve basic literacy skills, self-esteem, community service, and leadership skills among adult readers who live or work in Guilford County, NC. With my nursing degree, I plan to pursue a career as a Pediatric Surgical Nurse. I’ve always known I wanted to use my surgical experiences and my love for math/science in a career that would help others. I found the surgical nurse to be the most assuring and comforting person at the hospitals. During each of my surgeries, the surgical nurse was always the last person I remember seeing after being sedated, and the first person I saw when I woke up. This gave me a feeling of security during my surgeries. Given those interactions with nurses, I decided that I wanted to be able to do the same thing for children in similar situations. My goal is to work at the Children’s Hospital of Atlanta, where I had the majority of my surgeries. Thank you for allowing me to apply for the Gwendolyn M. Sanders Scholarship. I truly appreciate this opportunity. Please contact me if you require additional information.

Mothers are essential to little girls' lives, as everyone would say. They are known for their nurturing spirit and caring heart. Though I believed they were necessary, I never knew how essential a mother was until I lost my own. My mother passed away when I was 8 years old, due to Short Bowel Syndrome. Before my mother got sick, she was the most productive woman I had ever known with a heart strictly for the people. I watched my mother endure a lot after her sickness arose; she grew to be less active and forced to be bedridden. Due to her circumstances, my family hired many in-home nurses. This was certainly an adjustment for me, not just seeing my mother in an unusual state but watching my home turn into a hospital. Though my mother was sickly for a while, her hope and strength for longevity would ignite because of her nurses. The point at which my nursing dream arose, was when I saw my mother make the most out of her situation. She would become close friends with her nurses, laugh more, and resume normal activity. My mother chose to be happy and make the most out of her circumstances, all because of the care she experienced. Being exposed to this when I was young allowed me to realize nurses' impact on their patients. The nurses who cared for my mother knew her condition, but they helped her to see that her identity was not found in her sickness. I quickly learned that my dream is to instill hope, courage, and care among sick people. I plan to study nursing in college and excel in the workplace afterward. My personal career goal that I have as a nurse is to be like the amazing set of nurses who helped my mom regain her spark. I have aspirations of receiving a nursing pin, excellence award, and DAISY award. I plan to do this by using my childhood experiences with nurses as my motivating force. I am committed to using my abilities to better the health of my community and promote kindness. I will be confident, courageous, and compassionate as a nurse. I want to stand out in my career and demonstrate what it means to be a healthcare provider, which is not only physical but mental as well. In the workplace, I want to be a role model for others with my approach to the career. I am determined to comfort, care, and exhibit a character that is appreciated by all. In conclusion, I have learned many valuable things about the nursing career throughout my journey; I believe it is my calling to partake in the respected profession. I have taken steps to practice by interning at my local, Wesley Long Hospital, with a total of 32 hours. Although I lost my mother, her heart and productivity live within me. I am excited to showcase that to my community while earning the privilege of wearing a registered nurse badge.

I'm Nyla Bailey, a first-year student majoring in health science and minoring in psychology at Spelman College. The capacity for resilience, careful planning, and a strong desire to help others have shaped my journey to this point. Being raised in a low-income household where my father puts forth a lot of effort to support us, I've learned the importance of patience and giving back. Unfortunately, I do not qualify for FAFSA, which has made it quite difficult for me to pay for my education. Considering this, I am focused on my academics because I understand that my time at Spelman is an investment in myself and the lives I want to change by becoming a nurse. My desire to help people and my own experiences are the main reasons for my passion for nursing. I saw firsthand during the COVID-19 pandemic how important healthcare providers are to families' and communities' health. In addition to raising attention to the nursing shortage, the pandemic highlighted discrepancies in healthcare access, especially for communities that are marginalized. This inspired me to become a family nurse practitioner so that I could help needy families with compassionate, comprehensive care. Throughout high school, I was able to balance my academic responsibilities, provide financial support for my family, and play soccer—a sport I've loved for 14 years. Playing as a midfielder taught me the value of cooperation, perseverance, and flexibility—skills I use to every aspect of my life. Soccer taught me how to manage stress, maintain focus, and connect with others to achieve a goal—skills that are important in the medical industry. I'm learning more about the health disadvantages that underprivileged communities face while gaining a solid grounding in the sciences at Spelman. By advocating policies that increase access to healthcare and providing treatment that is culturally appropriate, I hope to overcome such disparities. Regardless of their background, I want to make sure that families can get the help they require to be successful. There have been difficulties along the way, but I view each one as a chance to improve. My goal in becoming a family nurse practitioner is to offer my community a wide range of services that promote long-term health and well-being rather than just treating illnesses. I've learned at Spelman how important it is to employ education to affect change in the world, and I am fully dedicated to doing just that in my medical career. My goal extends beyond providing care; I aim to motivate and inspire others through my journey. Having grown up in a household that faced financial difficulties, I understand how challenging life can be without proper support. By sharing my experiences, I hope to inspire others—especially young Black women—to pursue their dreams despite the obstacles they encounter. Through hard work, dedication, and giving back to my community, I want to show that it is possible to overcome adversity and create meaningful change. I believe that by being committed and compassionate, I can help close the healthcare gap while encouraging others to follow my example.