Hobbies and interests
Art
Animals
Volunteering
National Honor Society (NHS)
Reading
Academic
Adult Fiction
Biography
Book Club
Crafts
Health
I read books daily
Josephine Brok
705
Bold Points1x
FinalistJosephine Brok
705
Bold Points1x
FinalistBio
My name is Josephine Brok and I am currently a freshman undergraduate student at the University of South Dakota. I am majoring in Medical Biology, and plan to pursue a master's degree in Cardiovascular Perfusion. I am a part of several extra-curriculars that I am very passionate about. I am Secretary of the USD Special Olympics Club where we play intramural games twice a week with Special Olympics athletes and do other fun activities. I am also a part of AWOL were we travel to other communities, learn about social issues, and volunteer. I also am a part of the USD Supporting the Legacy Club where we raise money for local kids with Cystic Fibrosis. When I am not at school, I work as a Certified Nursing Assistant in a nursing home. My parents immigrated to the United States 20 years ago and started a dairy farm. They are the biggest reason why I am the caring, hard working person I am today. I want to spend my future pursuing what I am passionate about and helping others.
Education
University of South Dakota
Bachelor's degree programMajors:
- Human Biology
Minors:
- Social Sciences, Other
Howard High School - 01
High SchoolMiscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Master's degree program
Graduate schools of interest:
Transfer schools of interest:
Majors of interest:
Career
Dream career field:
Hospital & Health Care
Dream career goals:
Certified Nursing Assistant
Good Samaritan Society - Sanford Nursing Home2021 – Present3 years
Sports
Basketball
Varsity2018 – 20224 years
Awards
- Letter Winner
Research
Medicine
USD Medical School — Lab Assistant2023 – Present
Public services
Volunteering
USD AWOL — Participant2022 – Present
Future Interests
Volunteering
Philanthropy
Tim Gjoraas Science and Education Scholarship
What makes me passionate about science is the fact that I can always learn something new. There is a plethora of subjects within science itself that you can always explore to find and learn something new. I first found my love for science in high school. I was taking biology as a freshman and loved the challenge of grasping new concepts. I knew then that I wanted to continue to learn more science and pursue a career in the stem field.
Throughout high school, I explored possible careers that involved science. I narrowed it down to the healthcare field because of my passion for helping others. I became a certified nursing assistant at the end of my junior year to get experience in the healthcare field and make sure it is something I wanted to pursue. After working as a certified nursing assistant for a couple of months, I realized that I wanted to go into the healthcare field without a doubt. After a lot of research, I settled on the career of a cardiovascular perfusionist.
I settled on this career as it involves a lot of science, from math to biology. I also love learning about the cardiovascular system, and how it works. After my mom had health issues with her heart, I became even more interested in learning more about it and helping others with heart problems. My parents immigrated to the United States 20 years ago and started their dairy farm. They have taught me what hard work, dedication, and perseverance truly are. They have always pushed me to be the best version of myself. I want to spend my future learning and helping others.
As a first-year undergraduate, I am currently taking general chemistry. I had just learned the basics in high school, and I was very nervous about the class coming into it. However, as we started to get further and further into new concepts that I have never been exposed to, I started to like the class more and more. It is a challenge to grasp these new concepts, but when I do, I am ready to keep going and learn more. I am also currently in genetics where it gets more and more challenging the further we get into it, but I am determined to learn. Everything I learn, whether it is just a random little fact about clownfish or big concepts like chromosome mapping, makes me want to keep going and learn more.
The field of science has always kept me on my toes and challenged me. I am passionate about science because it is limitless and there is always something new to learn. I am very excited to continue my educational career in the stem field and help people in my future career. Thank you for your time and for considering me for this scholarship!