Dear Scholarship Committee, My name is Bonnie Hughes, and I am honored to apply for the Special Delivery of Dreams Scholarship. As a non-traditional student pursuing a nursing career, I have faced many challenges that have shaped my journey, and I am deeply committed to giving back to others in the same way that I have been supported throughout my life. One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is balancing the demands of school, work, and family as a mother of three and the oldest of seven siblings. I come from a low-income background, and I was the first in my family to attend college. While my high school did not have the resources to properly prepare me for higher education, I had a teacher who believed in my potential and encouraged me to pursue my academic goals. This mentorship led me to Michigan State University, where I had the opportunity to conduct research on sustainable crops as bio-fuel. However, despite my early passion for healthcare, the overwhelming competition for the nursing program led me to earn a degree in Health Studies instead. Life then took me in a different direction, and I spent several years working in Talent Acquisition. While I found success in this field, my desire to make a direct impact on others' lives through healthcare never faded. In 2019, a life-changing event brought my calling into sharper focus: my son was born prematurely and spent time in the NICU, where his chances of survival were uncertain due to dangerously low platelets. The care and compassion of the NICU nurses gave me hope during a time of immense stress, and it was this experience that inspired me to pursue nursing. I knew I wanted to give back in the same way—to provide that same care and empathy to other families in need. I am currently a junior nursing student at Georgia State University Perimeter College and work part-time as a Project Manager in Talent Acquisition. Balancing my responsibilities as a student, employee, and caregiver has been incredibly challenging. I rely on my income to support both my education and my family, which often makes it difficult to manage the demands of school and work. The funds from this scholarship would greatly ease that burden, allowing me to focus more on my studies and less on financial stress. Looking ahead, I plan to specialize in Labor & Delivery and NICU nursing, inspired by my personal experience as a mother and the extraordinary care my son received. I am committed to providing the same compassion, expertise, and support that made such a difference in our lives. In the future, I also hope to pursue a Master’s in Nursing and work as a Nurse Practitioner, following the example of a nurse practitioner who cared for my family when I was growing up. Through this scholarship, I hope to give back by not only becoming a nurse but by encouraging young people to follow their passions, regardless of the obstacles they may face. It’s essential to understand that there are many paths to success, and with determination and perseverance, anything is possible. I will continue to share my story with others, inspiring them to pursue careers in healthcare and make a difference in their communities. Thank you for considering my application!

Dear Scholarship Committee, My name is Bonnie Hughes, and I am writing to apply for the Carol B. Warren, You are Loved Scholarship. As a non-traditional student pursuing a career in nursing, I have taken an unconventional path to this point, driven by both personal experiences and a deep commitment to making a meaningful impact in the healthcare field. I am a non-traditional student for several reasons. First, I am a mother of four and the oldest of seven siblings. I come from a low-income household, and I was the first in my family to attend college. However, my high school did not have the resources to properly prepare students for higher education, and I didn’t have the guidance or support that many students take for granted. Despite this, a teacher believed in me and encouraged me to pursue my education. That mentorship led me to Michigan State University, where I had the opportunity to conduct research on sustainable crops as a bio-fuel source—a transformative experience that opened doors to further academic opportunities. Although my early passion was in healthcare, the competitive nature of Michigan State’s nursing program was overwhelming, with 1,500 applicants for just 50 spots. After much thought, I decided not to apply and instead earned a degree in Health Studies in 2011. Life then took me in a different direction, and I spent several years working in Talent Acquisition, where I held roles as a Recruiter, Account Manager, and Project Manager. While I found fulfillment in my career, my desire to serve others through healthcare remained, and the calling to become a nurse never truly faded. In 2019, my journey toward nursing took a life-changing turn. My son was born prematurely and spent time in the NICU, where he was diagnosed with dangerously low platelets. The NICU doctor told me he might not survive. Those days in the hospital, filled with worry and uncertainty, were among the most challenging of my life. But thanks to the incredible nurses who cared for him with such compassion and expertise, my son not only survived but is now a healthy three-year-old. This experience sparked a fire in me and reaffirmed my long-held dream of becoming a nurse. I was so deeply inspired by the nurses who supported my family during this difficult time, and I knew that I wanted to give back in the same way. I am currently a junior nursing student at Georgia State University Perimeter College and work part-time as a Project Manager in Talent Acquisition. Balancing my responsibilities as a student, employee, and caregiver has been incredibly challenging. I rely on my income to support both my education and my family, which often makes it difficult to manage the demands of school and work. The funds from this scholarship would greatly ease that burden, allowing me to focus more on my studies and less on financial stress. Looking ahead, I plan to specialize in Labor & Delivery and NICU nursing, drawing on my personal experience as a mother and my desire to provide compassionate care to other families facing similar challenges. In the future, I also hope to pursue a Master’s in Nursing and work as a Nurse Practitioner, inspired by a Nurse Practitioner who cared for my family when I was growing up. Thank you for considering my application. This scholarship would not only help me financially but also allow me to stay focused on my goals, helping me to make a lasting impact in the lives of others through nursing. Sincerely, Bonnie Hughes

Dear Scholarship Committee, My name is Bonnie Hughes, and I am deeply honored to share my journey and express my interest in applying for the Pangeta and Ivory Scholarship. As someone who has faced many challenges in life, my decision to pursue nursing is rooted in personal experiences that have not only shaped my path but have ignited a passion for providing compassionate care to others. I am the oldest of seven siblings, and I grew up in a low-income household where higher education was not an obvious path. My high school didn’t have the resources to prepare students for college, but a teacher saw potential in me and encouraged me to pursue higher education. This mentorship led me to Michigan State University, where I conducted research on sustainable crops as a source of bio-fuel—an experience that sparked my academic curiosity and opened doors to further opportunities. Although I always had a deep interest in healthcare, the competitive nature of Michigan State's nursing program deterred me from pursuing it at the time. I earned a degree in Health Studies in 2011 and worked in Talent Acquisition, where I held roles as a Recruiter, Account Manager, and Project Manager. While my career in business was fulfilling, my heart always longed for the opportunity to make a more direct impact on people’s lives through healthcare. In the summer of 2019, my perspective on nursing—and life—was forever changed. My son was born prematurely and spent time in the NICU. The doctors warned me that his chances of survival were slim due to dangerously low platelets. The emotional toll was immense as I spent an entire week anxiously waiting, praying, and hoping for his survival. During this time, I witnessed the dedication, empathy, and expertise of the nurses who cared for my son. Their kindness and compassion not only gave me hope but also inspired me to consider nursing as a career. When I saw the impact that nurses had on my family during our time of crisis, I realized that I wanted to be the one offering that same care, comfort, and expertise to others. The NICU nurses became my role models, and their work became the spark that reignited my desire to enter the healthcare field. After meeting with several nurses who encouraged me to pursue nursing, I knew it was time to return to school and follow my calling. I am currently a junior in the Georgia State University - Perimeter Nursing Program. Looking ahead, my goal is to specialize in Labor & Delivery and NICU nursing. I am deeply motivated by my own experience as a mother and the extraordinary care my son received. I want to offer the same kind of compassionate care that helped me through one of the most difficult times in my life. As a mother myself, I will be able to relate to the concerns, fears, and hopes of the families I care for. This personal experience has given me a unique perspective that I believe will allow me to provide truly empathetic care This scholarship would provide invaluable support as I continue my nursing education. It would bring me closer to fulfilling my dream of becoming a nurse, serving families, and making a meaningful difference in the lives of others. The legacy of Pangeta and Ivory, and their dedication to healthcare, resonates deeply with me. Like them, I am committed to using my skills, compassion, and life experiences to make a positive impact on those in need. Thank you for considering my application!

Dear Scholarship Committee, My name is Bonnie Hughes, and I am deeply honored to share my journey and express my interest in applying for the Pangeta and Ivory Scholarship. As someone who has faced many challenges in life, my decision to pursue nursing is rooted in personal experiences that have not only shaped my path but have ignited a passion for providing compassionate care to others. I am the oldest of seven siblings, and I grew up in a low-income household where higher education was not an obvious path. My high school didn’t have the resources to prepare students for college, but a teacher saw potential in me and encouraged me to pursue higher education. This mentorship led me to Michigan State University, where I conducted research on sustainable crops as a source of bio-fuel—an experience that sparked my academic curiosity and opened doors to further opportunities. Although I always had a deep interest in healthcare, the competitive nature of Michigan State's nursing program deterred me from pursuing it at the time. I earned a degree in Health Studies in 2011 and worked in Talent Acquisition, where I held roles as a Recruiter, Account Manager, and Project Manager. While my career in business was fulfilling, my heart always longed for the opportunity to make a more direct impact on people’s lives through healthcare. In the summer of 2019, my perspective on nursing—and life—was forever changed. My son was born prematurely and spent time in the NICU. The doctors warned me that his chances of survival were slim due to dangerously low platelets. The emotional toll was immense as I spent an entire week anxiously waiting, praying, and hoping for his survival. During this time, I witnessed the dedication, empathy, and expertise of the nurses who cared for my son. Their kindness and compassion not only gave me hope but also inspired me to consider nursing as a career. When I saw the impact that nurses had on my family during our time of crisis, I realized that I wanted to be the one offering that same care, comfort, and expertise to others. The NICU nurses became my role models, and their work became the spark that reignited my desire to enter the healthcare field. After meeting with several nurses who encouraged me to pursue nursing, I knew it was time to return to school and follow my calling. I am currently a junior in the Georgia State University - Perimeter Nursing Program. Looking ahead, my goal is to specialize in Labor & Delivery and NICU nursing. I am deeply motivated by my own experience as a mother and the extraordinary care my son received. I want to offer the same kind of compassionate care that helped me through one of the most difficult times in my life. As a mother myself, I will be able to relate to the concerns, fears, and hopes of the families I care for. This personal experience has given me a unique perspective that I believe will allow me to provide truly empathetic care This scholarship would provide invaluable support as I continue my nursing education. It would bring me closer to fulfilling my dream of becoming a nurse, serving families, and making a meaningful difference in the lives of others. The legacy of Pangeta and Ivory, and their dedication to healthcare, resonates deeply with me. Like them, I am committed to using my skills, compassion, and life experiences to make a positive impact on those in need. Thank you for considering my application!

In the summer of 2019, I had a little one that was born into the NICU. I was told by the NICU doctor that my son might not survive as he was born with very low platelets. For a week, I was very stressed out and worried so much about my son. With many prayers and the help of some of the most amazing nurses, my son lived and is alive and healthy today. He is three years old and one of the brightest toddlers that I know. This experience went on to change the trajectory of my career and sparked a fire within me to just think about what it would be like to work as a nurse. Shorty after, I went on the meet some amazing nurses who really encouraged me to go back to school. I didn’t listen at the time but looking back on it, I see why they came into my life. In 2020, the Lord put it on my heart to go back to school for nursing. I applied to GSU and was accepted to the school in the summer of 2020. I retook all my science pre-reqs and applied to the nursing program. After three rejections from GSU, I applied to South College and got accepted! All my classes from Georgia State transferred over and so I start the BSN Nursing portion of my program in the Fall of 2023 at South College, and I am so excited! This has been over a 15-year dream that is finally coming into fruition, and I couldn’t be more excited. After graduation, my goal is to work as a Labor & Delivery Nurse and NICU Nurse for the first half of my career. I want to help babies in the same way that the nurses showed so much love and compassion for my little one. I would love to aid in bringing babies into this world and do everything I can to help keep them alive until they are fully healthy and in good shape to leave the hospital. It’s in my character and nature to help people from all walks of life and I believe that this career will open up a door for me to further do that but with tiny ones. I believe that I will also be able to relate to so many mothers as I have had three births (all very different) and will be coming in as a mother who understands the pain points of labor and just being a mother. At some point during my career as a nurse, I would like to go back to school to get a master’s in nursing and eventually work as a Nurse Practitioner. Growing up, my doctor as well as my sibling’s doctor was a nurse practitioner and she saw me and my siblings up until the age of 18.

My name is Bonnie Hughes and I am a continuing undergraduate studies student. My story of getting to this space is interesting! I am the oldest of 7 siblings and the first to go off to college in my family. I come from a low-income household and the high school that I attended was not one to prepare students for college. Growing up in Madison, college wasn’t at the forefront of most people’s brains. Out of my senior class, I was one of three who didn’t get pregnant before graduating high school (out of the 40 females in my senior class). Being third out of my class academically, I was always considered the “bright” student. In fact, one of the biggest reasons that I ended up going to college was because I had a teacher who believed in me and pushed me to further my education. I was selected in high school to do research on sustainable crops as a source of bio-fuel at Michigan State University. I was able to do research for the university for two years and that door opened up a opportunity for me to study at Michigan State University. My heart was always in medicine, and I wanted to either go to medical school or nursing school. The nursing program at Michigan State was extremely competitive. 1500 students applied each year and only 50 were selected. It was very discouraging and so instead of applying, I ended up taking a different route and graduating with a B.S. Health Studies degree in June of 2011. Life happened after college, and I ended up working in Talent Acquisition. I've worked as a Recruiter, Account Manager, and now a Project Manager. I have had the privilege of helping so many people find work through staffing as well as working on projects to make it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to find top talent. In the summer of 2019, I had a little one that was born in the NICU. I was told by the NICU doctor that my son might not survive as he was born with very low platelets. With many prayers and the help of some of the most amazing nurses, my son lived and is alive and healthy today. This sparked a fire within me to just think about what it would be like to work as a nurse. In 2020, the Lord put it on my heart to go back to school for nursing. I retook all my science prereqs and applied to the nursing program. After three rejections, I finally got into one! I start the BSN Nursing portion of my program in the Fall of 2023, and I am so excited! My goal is to work as a Labor & Delivery Nurse as well as a NICU Nurse for the first half of my career. I would like to go back to school to get a Master's in Nursing and eventually work as a Nurse Practitioner. I want to help bring babies into this world and do everything I can to help keep them alive until they are fully healthy and in good shape to leave the NICU. I am currently a wife and a mother of three little ones. Any help with tuition would be such a blessing! Thank you for your time and consideration!

My name is Bonnie Hughes and I am a continuing undergraduate studies student. My story of getting to this space is interesting! I am the oldest of 7 siblings and the first to go off to college in my family. I come from a low-income household and the high school that I attended was not one to prepare students for college. Growing up in Madison, college wasn’t at the forefront of most people’s brains. Out of my senior class, I was one of three who didn’t get pregnant before graduating high school (out of the 40 females in my senior class). Being third out of my class academically, I was always considered the “bright” student. In fact, one of the biggest reasons that I ended up going to college was because I had a teacher who believed in me and pushed me to further my education. I was selected in high school to do research on sustainable crops as a source of bio-fuel at Michigan State University. I was able to do research for the university for two years and that door opened up a opportunity for me to study at Michigan State University. My heart was always in medicine, and I wanted to either go to medical school or nursing school. The nursing program at Michigan State was extremely competitive. 1500 students applied each year and only 50 were selected. It was very discouraging and so instead of applying, I ended up taking a different route and graduating with a B.S. Health Studies degree in June of 2011. Life happened after college, and I ended up working in Talent Acquisition. I've worked as a Recruiter, Account Manager, and now a Project Manager. I have had the privilege of helping so many people find work through staffing as well as working on projects to make it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to find top talent. In the summer of 2019, I had a little one that was born in the NICU. I was told by the NICU doctor that my son might not survive as he was born with very low platelets. With many prayers and the help of some of the most amazing nurses, my son lived and is alive and healthy today. This sparked a fire within me to just think about what it would be like to work as a nurse. In 2020, the Lord put it on my heart to go back to school for nursing. I retook all my science prereqs and applied to the nursing program. After three rejections, I finally got into one! I start the BSN Nursing portion of my program in the Fall of 2023, and I am so excited! My goal is to work as a Labor & Delivery Nurse as well as a NICU Nurse for the first half of my career. I would like to go back to school to get a Master's in Nursing and eventually work as a Nurse Practitioner. I want to help bring babies into this world and do everything I can to help keep them alive until they are fully healthy and in good shape to leave the NICU. I am currently a wife and a mother of three little ones. Any help with tuition would be such a blessing! Thank you for your time and consideration!

My name is Bonnie Hughes and I am a continuing undergraduate studies student. My story of getting to this space is interesting! I am the oldest of 7 siblings and the first to go off to college in my family. I come from a low-income household and the high school that I attended was not one to prepare students for college. Growing up in Madison, college wasn’t at the forefront of most people’s brains. Out of my senior class, I was one of three who didn’t get pregnant before graduating high school (out of the 40 females in my senior class). Being third out of my class academically, I was always considered the “bright” student. One of the biggest reasons that I ended up going to college was because I had a teacher who believed in me and pushed me to further my education. I was selected in high school to do research on sustainable crops as a source of biofuel at Michigan State University. I was able to do research for the university for two years and that door opened up an opportunity for me to study at Michigan State University. My heart was always in medicine, and I wanted to either go to medical school or nursing school. The nursing program at Michigan State was extremely competitive. 1500 students applied each year and only 50 were selected. It was very discouraging and so instead of applying, I ended up taking a different route and graduating with a B.S. Health Studies degree in June of 2011. Life happened after college, and I ended up working in Talent Acquisition. I've worked as a Recruiter, Account Manager, and now a Project Manager. I have had the privilege of helping so many people find work through staffing as well as working on projects to make it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to find top talent. In the summer of 2019, I had a little one that was born in the NICU. I was told by the NICU doctor that my son might not survive as he was born with very low platelets. With many prayers and the help of some of the most amazing nurses, my son lived and is alive and healthy today. This sparked a fire within me to just think about what it would be like to work as a nurse. In 2020, the Lord put it on my heart to go back to school for nursing. I retook all my science prereqs and applied to the nursing program. After three rejections, I finally got into one! I start the BSN Nursing portion of my program in the Fall of 2023, and I am so excited! My goal is to work as a Labor & Delivery Nurse as well as a NICU Nurse for the first half of my career. I would like to go back to school to get a Master's in Nursing and eventually work as a Nurse Practitioner. I want to help bring babies into this world and do everything I can to help keep them alive until they are fully healthy and in good shape to leave the NICU. I am currently a wife and a mother of three little ones. Any help with tuition would be such a blessing! Thank you for your time and consideration!

My name is Bonnie Hughes and I am a continuing undergraduate studies student. My story of getting to this space is interesting! I am the oldest of 7 siblings and the first to go off to college in my family. I come from a low-income household and the high school that I attended was not one to prepare students for college. Growing up in Madison, college wasn’t at the forefront of most people’s brains. Out of my senior class, I was one of three who didn’t get pregnant before graduating high school (out of the 40 females in my senior class). Being third out of my class academically, I was always considered the “bright” student. One of the biggest reasons that I ended up going to college was because I had a teacher who believed in me and pushed me to further my education. I was selected in high school to do research on sustainable crops as a source of biofuel at Michigan State University. I was able to do research for the university for two years and that door opened up an opportunity for me to study at Michigan State University. My heart was always in medicine, and I wanted to either go to medical school or nursing school. The nursing program at Michigan State was extremely competitive. 1500 students applied each year and only 50 were selected. It was very discouraging and so instead of applying, I ended up taking a different route and graduating with a B.S. Health Studies degree in June of 2011. Life happened after college, and I ended up working in Talent Acquisition. I've worked as a Recruiter, Account Manager, and now a Project Manager. I have had the privilege of helping so many people find work through staffing as well as working on projects to make it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to find top talent. In the summer of 2019, I had a little one that was born in the NICU. I was told by the NICU doctor that my son might not survive as he was born with very low platelets. With many prayers and the help of some of the most amazing nurses, my son lived and is alive and healthy today. This sparked a fire within me to just think about what it would be like to work as a nurse. In 2020, the Lord put it on my heart to go back to school for nursing. I retook all my science prereqs and applied to the nursing program. After three rejections, I finally got into one! I start the BSN Nursing portion of my program in the Fall of 2023, and I am so excited! My goal is to work as a Labor & Delivery Nurse as well as a NICU Nurse for the first half of my career. I would like to go back to school to get a Master's in Nursing and eventually work as a Nurse Practitioner. I want to help bring babies into this world and do everything I can to help keep them alive until they are fully healthy and in good shape to leave the NICU. I am currently a wife and a mother of three little ones. Any help with tuition would be such a blessing! Thank you for your time and consideration!

My name is Bonnie Hughes and I am a continuing undergraduate studies student. My story of getting to this space is interesting! I am the oldest of 7 siblings and the first to go off to college in my family. I come from a low-income household and the high school that I attended was not one to prepare students for college. Growing up in Madison, college wasn’t at the forefront of most people’s brains. Out of my senior class, I was one of three who didn’t get pregnant before graduating high school (out of the 40 females in my senior class). Being third out of my class academically, I was always considered the “bright” student. In fact, one of the biggest reasons that I ended up going to college was because I had a teacher who believed in me and pushed me to further my education. I was selected in high school to do research on sustainable crops as a source of bio-fuel at Michigan State University. I was able to do research for the university for two years and that door opened up a opportunity for me to study at Michigan State University. My heart was always in medicine, and I wanted to either go to medical school or nursing school. The nursing program at Michigan State was extremely competitive. 1500 students applied each year and only 50 were selected. It was very discouraging and so instead of applying, I ended up taking a different route and graduating with a B.S Health Studies degree in June of 2011. Life happened after college, and I ended up working in Talent Acquisition. I've worked as a Recruiter, Account Manager, and now a Project Manager. I have had the privilege of helping so many people find work through staffing as well as working on project to make it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to find top talent. In the summer of 2019, I had a little one that was born into the NICU. I was told by the NICU doctor that my son might not survive as he was born with very low platelets. With many prayers and the help of some of the most amazing nurses, my son lived and is alive and healthy today. This sparked a fire within me to just think about what it would be like working as a nurse. In 2020, the Lord put it on my heart to go back to school for nursing. I retook all my science pre-reqs and applied to the nursing program. After three rejections, I finally got into one! I start the BSN Nursing portion of my program in the Fall of 2023, and I am so excited! My goal is to work as a Labor & Delivery Nurse as well as a NICU Nurse for the first half of my career. I would like to go back to school to get a Masters in Nursing and eventually work as a Nurse Practitioner. I want to help bring babies into this world and do everything I can to help keep them alive until they are fully healthy and in good shape to leave the NICU. I am currently a wife and a mother of three little ones. Any help with tuition would be such a blessing! Thank you for your time and consideration!

My name is Bonnie Hughes and I am a continuing undergraduate studies student. My story of getting to this space is interesting! I am the oldest of 7 siblings and the first to go off to college in my family. I come from a low-income household and the high school that I attended was not one to prepare students for college. Growing up in Madison, college wasn’t at the forefront of most people’s brains. Out of my senior class, I was one of three who didn’t get pregnant before graduating high school (out of the 40 females in my senior class). Being third out of my class academically, I was always considered the “bright” student. In fact, one of the biggest reasons that I ended up going to college was because I had a teacher who believed in me and pushed me to further my education. I was selected in high school to do research on sustainable crops as a source of bio-fuel at Michigan State University. I was able to do research for the university for two years and that door opened up a opportunity for me to study at Michigan State University. My heart was always in medicine, and I wanted to either go to medical school or nursing school. The nursing program at Michigan State was extremely competitive. 1500 students applied each year and only 50 were selected. It was very discouraging and so instead of applying, I ended up taking a different route and graduating with a B.S Health Studies degree in June of 2011. Life happened after college, and I ended up working in Talent Acquisition. I've worked as a Recruiter, Account Manager, and now a Project Manager. I have had the privilege of helping so many people find work through staffing as well as working on project to make it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to find top talent. In the summer of 2019, I had a little one that was born into the NICU. I was told by the NICU doctor that my son might not survive as he was born with very low platelets. With many prayers and the help of some of the most amazing nurses, my son lived and is alive and healthy today. This sparked a fire within me to just think about what it would be like working as a nurse. In 2020, the Lord put it on my heart to go back to school for nursing. I retook all my science pre-reqs and applied to the nursing program. After three rejections, I finally got into one! I start the BSN Nursing portion of my program in the Fall of 2023, and I am so excited! My goal is to work as a Labor & Delivery Nurse as well as a NICU Nurse for the first half of my career. I would like to go back to school to get a Masters in Nursing and eventually work as a Nurse Practitioner. I want to help bring babies into this world and do everything I can to help keep them alive until they are fully healthy and in good shape to leave the NICU. I am currently a wife and a mother of three little ones. Any help with tuition would be such a blessing! Thank you for your time and consideration!

My name is Bonnie Hughes and I am a continuing undergraduate studies student. My story of getting to this space is interesting! I am the oldest of 7 siblings and the first to go off to college in my family. I come from a low-income household and the high school that I attended was not one to prepare students for college. Growing up in Madison, college wasn’t at the forefront of most people’s brains. Out of my senior class, I was one of three who didn’t get pregnant before graduating high school (out of the 40 females in my senior class). Being third out of my class academically, I was always considered the “bright” student. In fact, one of the biggest reasons that I ended up going to college was because I had a teacher who believed in me and pushed me to further my education. I was selected in high school to do research on sustainable crops as a source of bio-fuel at Michigan State University. I was able to do research for the university for two years and that door opened up a opportunity for me to study at Michigan State University. My heart was always in medicine, and I wanted to either go to medical school or nursing school. The nursing program at Michigan State was extremely competitive. 1500 students applied each year and only 50 were selected. It was very discouraging and so instead of applying, I ended up taking a different route and graduating with a B.S Health Studies degree in June of 2011. Life happened after college, and I ended up working in Talent Acquisition. I've worked as a Recruiter, Account Manager, and now a Project Manager. I have had the privilege of helping so many people find work through staffing as well as working on project to make it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to find top talent. In the summer of 2019, I had a little one that was born into the NICU. I was told by the NICU doctor that my son might not survive as he was born with very low platelets. With many prayers and the help of some of the most amazing nurses, my son lived and is alive and healthy today. This sparked a fire within me to just think about what it would be like working as a nurse. In 2020, the Lord put it on my heart to go back to school for nursing. I retook all my science pre-reqs and applied to the nursing program. After three rejections, I finally got into one! I start the BSN Nursing portion of my program in the Fall of 2023, and I am so excited! My goal is to work as a Labor & Delivery Nurse as well as a NICU Nurse for the first half of my career. I would like to go back to school to get a Masters in Nursing and eventually work as a Nurse Practitioner. I want to help bring babies into this world and do everything I can to help keep them alive until they are fully healthy and in good shape to leave the NICU. I am currently a wife and a mother of three little ones. Any help with tuition would be such a blessing! Thank you for your time and consideration!

My name is Bonnie Hughes and I am a continuing undergraduate studies student. My story of getting to this space is interesting! I am the oldest of 7 siblings and the first to go off to college in my family. I come from a low-income household and the high school that I attended was not one to prepare students for college. Growing up in Madison, college wasn’t at the forefront of most people’s brains. Out of my senior class, I was one of three who didn’t get pregnant before graduating high school (out of the 40 females in my senior class). Being third out of my class academically, I was always considered the “bright” student. In fact, one of the biggest reasons that I ended up going to college was because I had a teacher who believed in me and pushed me to further my education. I was selected in high school to do research on sustainable crops as a source of bio-fuel at Michigan State University. I was able to do research for the university for two years and that door opened up a opportunity for me to study at Michigan State University. My heart was always in medicine, and I wanted to either go to medical school or nursing school. The nursing program at Michigan State was extremely competitive. 1500 students applied each year and only 50 were selected. It was very discouraging and so instead of applying, I ended up taking a different route and graduating with a B.S Health Studies degree in June of 2011. Life happened after college, and I ended up working in Talent Acquisition. I've worked as a Recruiter, Account Manager, and now a Project Manager. I have had the privilege of helping so many people find work through staffing as well as working on project to make it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to find top talent. In the summer of 2019, I had a little one that was born into the NICU. I was told by the NICU doctor that my son might not survive as he was born with very low platelets. With many prayers and the help of some of the most amazing nurses, my son lived and is alive and healthy today. This sparked a fire within me to just think about what it would be like working as a nurse. In 2020, the Lord put it on my heart to go back to school for nursing. I retook all my science pre-reqs and applied to the nursing program. After three rejections, I finally got into one! I start the BSN Nursing portion of my program in the Fall of 2023, and I am so excited! My goal is to work as a Labor & Delivery Nurse as well as a NICU Nurse for the first half of my career. I would like to go back to school to get a Masters in Nursing and eventually work as a Nurse Practitioner. I want to help bring babies into this world and do everything I can to help keep them alive until they are fully healthy and in good shape to leave the NICU. I am currently a wife and a mother of three little ones. Any help with tuition would be such a blessing! Thank you for your time and consideration!

My name is Bonnie Hughes and I am a continuing undergraduate studies student. My story of getting to this space is interesting! I am the oldest of 7 siblings and the first to go off to college in my family. I come from a low-income household and the high school that I attended was not one to prepare students for college. Growing up in Madison, college wasn’t at the forefront of most people’s brains. Out of my senior class, I was one of three who didn’t get pregnant before graduating high school (out of the 40 females in my senior class). Being third out of my class academically, I was always considered the “bright” student. In fact, one of the biggest reasons that I ended up going to college was because I had a teacher who believed in me and pushed me to further my education. I was selected in high school to do research on sustainable crops as a source of bio-fuel at Michigan State University. I was able to do research for the university for two years and that door opened up a opportunity for me to study at Michigan State University. My heart was always in medicine, and I wanted to either go to medical school or nursing school. The nursing program at Michigan State was extremely competitive. 1500 students applied each year and only 50 were selected. It was very discouraging and so instead of applying, I ended up taking a different route and graduating with a B.S Health Studies degree in June of 2011. Life happened after college, and I ended up working in Talent Acquisition. I've worked as a Recruiter, Account Manager, and now a Project Manager. I have had the privilege of helping so many people find work through staffing as well as working on project to make it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to find top talent. In the summer of 2019, I had a little one that was born into the NICU. I was told by the NICU doctor that my son might not survive as he was born with very low platelets. With many prayers and the help of some of the most amazing nurses, my son lived and is alive and healthy today. This sparked a fire within me to just think about what it would be like working as a nurse. In 2020, the Lord put it on my heart to go back to school for nursing. I retook all my science pre-reqs and applied to the nursing program. After three rejections, I finally got into one! I start the BSN Nursing portion of my program in the Fall of 2023, and I am so excited! My goal is to work as a Labor & Delivery Nurse as well as a NICU Nurse for the first half of my career. I would like to go back to school to get a Masters in Nursing and eventually work as a Nurse Practitioner. I want to help bring babies into this world and do everything I can to help keep them alive until they are fully healthy and in good shape to leave the NICU. I am currently a wife and a mother of three little ones. Any help with tuition would be such a blessing! Thank you for your time and consideration!

My name is Bonnie Hughes and I am a continuing undergraduate studies student. My story of getting to this space is interesting! I am the oldest of 7 siblings and the first to go off to college in my family. I come from a low-income household and the high school that I attended was not one to prepare students for college. Out of my senior class, I was one of three who didn’t get pregnant before graduating high school (out of the 40 females in my senior class). Being third out of my class academically, I was always considered the “bright” student. In fact, one of the biggest reasons that I ended up going to college was because I had a teacher who believed in me and pushed me to further my education. I was selected in high school to do research on sustainable crops as a source of bio-fuel at Michigan State University. I was able to do research for the university for two years and that door opened up a opportunity for me to study at Michigan State University. My heart was always in medicine, and I wanted to get into nto nursing school. The nursing program at MSU was extremely competitive. 1500 students applied each year and only 50 were selected. It was very discouraging and so instead of applying, I ended up taking a different route and graduating with a B.S. Health Studies degree in June of 2011. During my time at Michigan State, I was able to work as a Patient Care Tech for the Tri-County Office on Aging as well as a Unit Secretary right after college at Ascension Health. I even volunteered in Chicago for the Child Life Program at the University of Chicago Medicine Center. Life happened after college, and I ended up starting a career in Talent Acquisition. I've worked as a Recruiter, Account Manager, and now a Project Manager. I have had the privilege of helping so many people find work through staffing as well as working on project to make it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to find top talent. In the summer of 2019, I had a little one that was born into the NICU. I was told by the NICU doctor that my son might not survive as he was born with very low platelets. With many prayers and the help of some of the most amazing nurses, my son lived and is alive and healthy today. This sparked a fire within me to just think about what it would be like working as a nurse. In 2020, the Lord put it on my heart to go back to school for nursing. I retook all my science pre-reqs and applied to the nursing program. After three rejections, I finally got into one! I start the BSN Nursing portion of my program in the Fall of 2023, and I am so excited! My goal is to work as a Labor & Delivery Nurse as well as a NICU Nurse for the first half of my career. I would like to go back to school to get a Master in Nursing and eventually work as a Nurse Practitioner. I want to help bring babies into this world and do everything I can to help keep them alive until they are fully healthy and in good shape to leave the NICU. I am currently a wife and a mother of three little ones. Any help with tuition would be such a blessing! Thank you for your time and consideration!

My dream of my future self is to transform the lives of mothers and littles ones through working to help mothers in the field of a Labor and Delivery Nurse.

I am a mother of three little ones (ages 8,5, and 3) with one on the way. I always knew that God had called me to have a big family and it was just a matter of time before it would come to pass. I was raised in a family of pastors who preached on the value of life through God and at some point in my life after college, the word took hold of me and became life. I truly understand what it meant to be a mother and someone to shepherd children. I believe the bible when it says, "Before you were formed, I created you in the womb". Children are a blessing that comes from the Lord. God sent them here for a purpose and that purpose is to carry out His will during that time that is so precious here on earth. God has an active role in our creation and formation in the womb and He considers a baby in the womb to be just as much as a human being as a full-grown adult. I am writing all of this to say that I live a life of following Jesus and I believe the word and what He says to be true. I can see for myself how important human beings are. I have a blog where I write posts that encourage life and us living a life that values all human beings. I vote pro-life when I get the chance to vote. I speak to my friends and family about the importance of children even when situations arise and a baby wasn't in the plans. I talked my sister out of getting an abortion and continued praying for her until that baby was born. She has a beautiful daughter, who she considers an absolute blessing now. I speak up and out against the laws of the land that would hurt the unborn. Even in the most difficult instances, I believe that abortion should never be the first option. Abortion kills God's most precious gift and it is those little ones. I think about when I had my son. He was born in the NICU and the doctor told me that his platelets were so low that he probably wouldn't survive. My husband and I decided to name him Josiah, which means "God has healed" and guess what - he is alive and well today! I decided to go back to school for nursing to work as a Labor & Delivery Nurse as well as work in the NICU at some point. I was accepted into South College's BSN Nursing Program for the Fall of 2023 and I am so excited to be apart of mother's bringing in life into this world!

My name is Bonnie Hughes and I am a continuing undergraduate studies student. My story of getting to this space is interesting! I am the oldest of 7 siblings and the first to go off to college in my family. I come from a low-income household and the high school that I attended was not one to prepare students for college. Growing up in Madison, college wasn’t at the forefront of most people’s brains. Out of my senior class, I was one of three who didn’t get pregnant before graduating high school (out of the 40 females in my senior class). Being third out of my class academically, I was always considered the “bright” student. In fact, one of the biggest reasons that I ended up going to college was because I had a teacher who believed in me and pushed me to further my education. I was selected in high school to do research on sustainable crops as a source of bio-fuel at Michigan State University. I was able to do research for the university for two years and that door opened up a opportunity for me to study at Michigan State University. My heart was always in medicine, and I wanted to either go to medical school or nursing school. The nursing program at Michigan State was extremely competitive. 1500 students applied each year and only 50 were selected. It was very discouraging and so instead of applying, I ended up taking a different route and graduating with a B.S Health Studies degree in June of 2011. Life happened after college, and I ended up working in Talent Acquisition. I've worked as a Recruiter, Account Manager, and now a Project Manager. I have had the privilege of helping so many people find work through staffing as well as working on project to make it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to find top talent. In the summer of 2019, I had a little one that was born into the NICU. I was told by the NICU doctor that my son might not survive as he was born with very low platelets. With many prayers and the help of some of the most amazing nurses, my son lived and is alive and healthy today. This sparked a fire within me to just think about what it would be like working as a nurse. In 2020, the Lord put it on my heart to go back to school for nursing. I retook all my science pre-reqs and applied to the nursing program. After three rejections, I finally got into one! I start the BSN Nursing portion of my program in the Fall of 2023, and I am so excited! My goal is to work as a Labor & Delivery Nurse as well as a NICU Nurse for the first half of my career. I would like to go back to school to get a Master in Nursing and eventually work as a Nurse Practitioner. I want to help bring babies into this world and do everything I can to help keep them alive until they are fully healthy and in good shape to leave the NICU. I am currently a wife and a mother of three little ones. Any help with tuition would be such a blessing! Thank you for your time and consideration!

I have first-hand experience dealing with the impact of my dad passing away from complications due to dementia. My dad, Henry Stockett, was a great man and an amazing father of nine children! He was a hard worker who worked for 38 years at his job until one day instead of driving home from work, he drove into a ditch near a hospital. That day, we were told by the physician that he had both a stroke and a seizure. It was the beginning of his health failing him. From 2013 on, I watched my father slowly lose his memory and have seizures at the most random times. My mom and dad almost got into a car accident because as he was driving one day, my dad had a seizure and it pushed the car in front of a bus. That year, his license was revoked due to his sickness. He was so sad that he had to depend on other people to just get him to move around town. I believe that at that moment, he felt helpless. As time passed, my dad would continue to have the dosages changed on his seizure medication as the seizures intensified. Later, he was officially diagnosed with dementia. His ability to retain information was impacted, his short-term memory was shot, and getting lost was a regular part of his routine. I remember when he came down with my mom to Atlanta to visit for Thanksgiving and he kept mixing me up with my Aunt from Mississippi. It got to the point that my dad needed help with just day-to-day living - picking out clothes to wear, reminding him to eat, etc. I learned a lot about the disease as it progressed worse. I was watching him go through the nine stages and I knew at some point that he wouldn't be here too much longer. My family and my job was to ensure that we would work together to make sure he was well taken care of until we just couldn't do it on our own. We ended up putting him in a nursing home with a unit for Alzheimer's / Dementia. He was there for about two weeks before he passed away. We got to say goodbye and we knew we did everything we could to take care of him before his end of life. I learned that having a parent with Alzheimer's doesn't take the love that you have for them. All that mattered is remembering the good times and what lessons he instilled in me as he was raising me. I love my dad so much and I thank God for him! He was truely a blessing to our family.

My name is Bonnie Hughes and I am a continuing undergraduate studies student. My story of getting to this space is interesting! I am the oldest of 7 siblings and the first to go off to college in my family. I come from a low-income household and the high school that I attended was not one to prepare students for college. Growing up in Madison, college wasn’t at the forefront of most people’s brains. Out of my senior class, I was one of three who didn’t get pregnant before graduating high school (out of the 40 females in my senior class). Being third out of my class academically, I was always considered the “bright” student. In fact, one of the biggest reasons that I ended up going to college was because I had a teacher who believed in me and pushed me to further my education. I was selected in high school to do research on sustainable crops as a source of bio-fuel at Michigan State University. I was able to do research for the university for two years and that door opened up a opportunity for me to study at Michigan State University. My heart was always in medicine, and I wanted to either go to medical school or nursing school. The nursing program at Michigan State was extremely competitive. 1500 students applied each year and only 50 were selected. It was very discouraging and so instead of applying, I ended up taking a different route and graduating with a B.S Health Studies degree in June of 2011. Life happened after college, and I ended up working in Talent Acquisition. I've worked as a Recruiter, Account Manager, and now a Project Manager. I have had the privilege of helping so many people find work through staffing as well as working on project to make it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to find top talent. In the summer of 2019, I had a little one that was born into the NICU. I was told by the NICU doctor that my son might not survive as he was born with very low platelets. With many prayers and the help of some of the most amazing nurses, my son lived and is alive and healthy today. This sparked a fire within me to just think about what it would be like working as a nurse. In 2020, the Lord put it on my heart to go back to school for nursing. I retook all my science pre-reqs and applied to the nursing program. After three rejections, I finally got into one! I start the BSN Nursing portion of my program in the Fall of 2023, and I am so excited! My goal is to work as a Labor & Delivery Nurse as well as a NICU Nurse for the first half of my career. I would like to go back to school to get a Master in Nursing and eventually work as a Nurse Practitioner. I want to help bring babies into this world and do everything I can to help keep them alive until they are fully healthy and in good shape to leave the NICU. I am currently a wife and a mother of three little ones. Any help with tuition would be such a blessing! Thank you for your time and consideration!

My name is Bonnie Hughes and I am a continuing undergraduate studies student. My story of getting to this space is interesting! I am the oldest of 7 siblings and the first to go off to college in my family. I come from a low-income household and the high school that I attended was not one to prepare students for college. Growing up in Madison, college wasn’t at the forefront of most people’s brains. Out of my senior class, I was one of three who didn’t get pregnant before graduating high school (out of the 40 females in my senior class). Being third out of my class academically, I was always considered the “bright” student. In fact, one of the biggest reasons that I ended up going to college was because I had a teacher who believed in me and pushed me to further my education. I was selected in high school to do research on sustainable crops as a source of bio-fuel at Michigan State University. I was able to do research for the university for two years and that door opened up a opportunity for me to study at Michigan State University. My heart was always in medicine, and I wanted to either go to medical school or nursing school. The nursing program at Michigan State was extremely competitive. 1500 students applied each year and only 50 were selected. It was very discouraging and so instead of applying, I ended up taking a different route and graduating with a B.S Health Studies degree in June of 2011. Life happened after college, and I ended up working in Talent Acquisition. I've worked as a Recruiter, Account Manager, and now a Project Manager. I have had the privilege of helping so many people find work through staffing as well as working on project to make it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to find top talent. In the summer of 2019, I had a little one that was born into the NICU. I was told by the NICU doctor that my son might not survive as he was born with very low platelets. With many prayers and the help of some of the most amazing nurses, my son lived and is alive and healthy today. This sparked a fire within me to just think about what it would be like working as a nurse. In 2020, the Lord put it on my heart to go back to school for nursing. I retook all my science pre-reqs and applied to the nursing program. After three rejections, I finally got into one! I start the BSN Nursing portion of my program in the Fall of 2023, and I am so excited! My goal is to work as a Labor & Delivery Nurse as well as a NICU Nurse for the first half of my career. I would like to go back to school to get a Master in Nursing and eventually work as a Nurse Practitioner. I want to help bring babies into this world and do everything I can to help keep them alive until they are fully healthy and in good shape to leave the NICU. I am currently a wife and a mother of three little ones. Any help with tuition would be such a blessing! Thank you for your time and consideration!