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Nicole Foster

8,815

Bold Points

90x

Nominee

13x

Finalist

2x

Winner

Bio

Hello, my dream is to work as a pharmacist and advocate for widely accessible counseling to reduce substance abuse. I am currently attending the University of North Alabama for my bachelor’s degree and I have already graduated from Northwest-Shoals Community College with my associate’s in Pre-Pharmacy. I also became a certified pharmacy technician in high school and I’m currently employed at Shoals Hospital. #1 on the Alabama bold points leaderboard and #93 on the overall bold points leaderboard! I graduated high school as a honors student with a CNA, CPCT, CPHT, and CPR certification. Competed in the HOSA Pharmacy Science sector and placed 5th in Alabama. I was the project chairmen for my HOSA chapter and the SADD 12th grade representative during the 21-22 school year. I received the AP scholar award for making a qualifying score on 3 AP exams. Likewise, I took dual enrollment medical terminology and my CNA class was a college class. I am starting out my college education with English 101 and 102 credit. I have shown my dedication to healthcare and that I can handle college classes. I live in a low income household and I struggle with IBS and patellofemoral pain syndrome, which makes my goals harder to achieve. IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome) makes me feel sick and it is unpredictable. Then my PFPS affects my knees, causing pain and dislocations. Which lead to me having knee surgery on my left knee 2 years ago and I still remained involved in my favorite projects. Thanks for considering me!

Education

University of North Alabama

Bachelor's degree program
2024 - 2026
  • Majors:
    • Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration

Northwest-Shoals Community College

Associate's degree program
2022 - 2024
  • Majors:
    • Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration

Russellville High School

High School
2018 - 2022
  • GPA:
    4

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)

  • Graduate schools of interest:

  • Transfer schools of interest:

  • Majors of interest:

    • Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
  • Planning to go to medical school

    • Test scores:

    • 23
      ACT

    Career

    • Dream career field:

      Pharmaceuticals

    • Dream career goals:

      Pharmacist

    • Certified Pharmacy Technician

      Shoals Hospital
      2024 – Present11 months

    • Certified Pharmacy Technician

      CVS
      2022 – 20242 years

    • Guest Specialist

      Captain D’s
      2021 – 2021

    Sports

    Scholar's Bowl

    Varsity
    2022 – Present2 years

    Awards

    • Team placed 5th in our division at the NAQT National Tournament
    • Team placed 3rd at sectional divison tournament in Alabama
    • Recognized at NWSCC Honors Night.

    Research

    • Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration

      Shoals Hospital — Operating omnicell machines, accurately managing drug inventory on hospital floors, packing medications, compounding IVs and billing insulin charges.
      2024 – Present

    • Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration

      CVS — Working as a licensed and certified pharmacy technician preforming duties including filling prescriptions, reconstituting prescriptions, and helping customers. Along with returning past due prescriptions and ordering/filing prescriptions.
      2022 – 2024

    • Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine

      Bone and Joint Clinic — Learned about kinesiology taping, exercises for extremities, and human anatomy.
      2019 – 2019

    • Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration

      HOSA — Competed in the Alabama pharmacy science competition and taking a written test allowing me to advance to the top 6. Then performing my skills test and placing 5th in Alabama.
      2022 – 2022

    • Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants

      Burn’s Nursing Home — Giving nursing home residents bed baths, assisting with feeding and toileting, dressing, making beds, calculating intake and output. Along with passing my CNA certification.
      2022 – 2022

    • Teaching Assistants/Aides

      Russellville High School — Printing/copying documents, organizing classroom, delivering mail.
      2021 – 2022

    • Teaching Assistants/Aides

      Russellville Middle School ED RISING — Managed a classroom of 75 musical theater students
      2022 – 2022

    • Computer Programming

      Russellville High School Computer Science — Coded and designed websites/programs.
      2019 – 2021

    • Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other

      HOSA — Attended clinical at Russellville Hospital and passed my Certified Patient Care Technician exam.
      2021 – 2021

    • Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration

      HOSA — Attended pharmacy clinical and passed my pharmacy technician exam.
      2021 – 2021

    Arts

    • Photography
      2018 – Present

    Public services

    • Volunteering

      Luv Michael — Spread awareness for Autism and gathered donations for Luv Michael.
      2021 – 2023

    • Volunteering

      Student Government Association — Senate member
      2022 – 2024

    • Advocacy

      Justice for Saraya Rees — Wrote letters to Saraya Rees, encouraged her, and wrote to Oregon officials.
      2019 – 2020

    • Volunteering

      College Bowl — Hosting tournament for high school scholars bowl students (keeping score and timing answers).
      2022 – 2022

    • Volunteering

      Phi Theta Kappa — Member
      2022 – Present

    • Volunteering

      HOSA — Decorated the park for Christmas as a sponsored event for Russellville Hospital.
      2021 – 2021

    • Volunteering

      Science Club — Washed windows and doors on the Russellville High School campus
      2022 – 2022

    • Volunteering

      Annual Staff — Collected tickets for the Miss RHS pageant and greeted viewers.
      2022 – 2022

    • Volunteering

      Technology Student Association — Taught kids at the elementary school how to code using Scratch.
      2021 – 2021

    • Volunteering

      HOSA — Project Chairmen.
      2021 – 2022

    • Volunteering

      SADD — 12th Grade Representative.
      2021 – 2022

    • Volunteering

      National Honor Society — Provided food and drinks to blood donors and recruited people to donate blood.
      2022 – 2022

    • Volunteering

      Shoals Save A Life — Donated clothes for newborn babies.
      2021 – 2021

    • Volunteering

      Russellville Hospital Physical Therapy — Monitoring patients during exercises.
      2021 – 2021

    • Volunteering

      Russellville Middle School Book Fair — Scanned and worked as cashier at the book fair.
      2021 – 2021

    • Volunteering

      Russellville Hospital Radiology — Gathering supplies needed and learned about working in radiology.
      2021 – 2021

    • Volunteering

      Russellville Hospital Laboratory — Gathered supplies needed and asked questions about working in the lab.
      2021 – 2021

    • Volunteering

      Russellville Hospital Pharmacy — Filling prescriptions and learning about being a pharmacy technician at the hospital.
      2021 – 2021

    • Volunteering

      Russellville Hospital — Answering call lights, collecting vitals, monitoring intake/output.
      2021 – 2021

    • Volunteering

      Russellville Drugs — Filling prescriptions and asking questions about being a pharmacy technician.
      2021 – 2021

    • Volunteering

      Russellville Animal Clinic — Assisted in comforting animals, monitored post-operation patients, & brought patients to their rooms.
      2020 – 2020

    • Volunteering

      Science Club — Cleaned the windows and doors of the Russellville High School campus.
      2020 – 2020

    • Volunteering

      Future Business Leaders of America — Donated money to the Toy Drive
      2020 – 2020

    • Volunteering

      Russellville High School — Created decorative letters for the homecoming float and stapled fabric to the float.
      2019 – 2019

    • Volunteering

      Family, Career and Community Leaders of America — Made decorative cards for Veterans.
      2019 – 2019

    Future Interests

    Advocacy

    Politics

    Volunteering

    Philanthropy

    Entrepreneurship

    @Carle100 National Scholarship Month Scholarship
    Olivia Woods Memorial Scholarship
    Warriors Don’t Cry by Melba Patillo Beals is a book that confronts me with the reality of my privilege as a white person. As is the case of desegregation, policies affecting black people are often reliant on decisions of white politicians. Supporting PACS such as the NAACP, run by a large black population, allows politicians to understand the need for redress. This book is based on a personal account from Melba as a member of the Little Rock Nine, a group of nine black students who chose to go to Central High an all-white in 1957. The students attended the school following the case of Brown v. Board of Education and pressure from the local chapter of the NAACP. She was attacked by white students on a daily basis and feared for her safety. While physically overpowered Melba makes a bold statement in which she addresses the people who have oppressed her and directly exemplifies a protest. She challenges society even though being a young African American child she is faced with a significant power imbalance compared to her opposers. The book is the reason I found out about the amazing work the NAACP does. The NAACP has kept me informed on issues. I follow them on social media along with signing up for their text updates to stay educated on policy and knowing where to protest. Ultimately, this book made me understand it’s important that I listen to black people who have first hand experience with these issues and educational curriculum with multiple cultural experiences allows us to better connect with our classmates. The book is beautifully written and I will always remember the way it has impacted my outlook on life. I know that it has impacted many others the same way and hope it continues being taught.
    Bold Joy Scholarship
    The rosy warmth floats to my cheeks and creates an indescribable sense of euphoria that makes me smile proudly. The feeling is a sense of catharsis and is known simply as joy. Joy is transformative and it can brighten the darkest moments. It’s a unique and intimate experience that makes us human. It's such a simple word, but its implications are so complex. This emotion is deeply personal as different people find joy in numerous places. My relationship with joy is that I discover it by helping others and within my achievements. The prospect of my future as a pharmacist and the retrospect of what I’ve already achieved elevate my mood. Knowing that I was able to become a CNA, CPCT, and CPHT. This brings me so much joy for the future that I can become Dr. Foster with devotedness. I found joy in learning medication names, drug interactions, and drug uses. Along with attending clinical at Burn’s Nursing Home and being able to help residents with daily tasks. I desire to help my patients, as a pharmacist, receive the best treatment and advocate for better facilities for BIPOC. For example, using textbooks with images of allergic reactions on different skin tones. I must bring joy to others as well as myself and I must create a welcoming environment to bring joy to everyone. Additionally, I love mentoring incoming high school freshmen about exploring career opportunities and I have helped several apply for scholarships early. When I share my knowledge with people passionate about that subject, I feel validated. Likewise, I feel extremely joyful knowing that I am inspiring others to pursue medicine and that more wonderful people will be there for the vulnerable.
    Bold Passion Scholarship
    As a future pharmacist, drug users are an underserved community that I hope to help and dealing with my brother's struggle with sobriety makes me more driven. Society must stop criminalizing drug use. It is also important that racial discrimination in sentencing is addressed. Crack cocaine, predominately used by black people, carried longer imprisonment than powder cocaine until 2010. Furthermore, America has the highest incarnation rate in the world and the majority of those imprisoned are users. According to a study from 2014, 68% of drug offenders are rearrested within 3 years of release from prison. In addition, a lot of drug users have unresolved mental illness and imprisonment only exasperates this. Likewise, emotional vulnerability will reduce usage. My brother used drugs to cope with PTSD and the loss. It is destructive and if mental health services were more affordable this could have been addressed before his addiction developed. I currently discuss these issues on social media and in the future, in my career. Achieving this by educating patients about proper medication dosages and offering counseling to those struggling. Additionally, advocating for support services in low-income areas and substance education in schools explaining the neurological effects of substance usage on the brain/body. In my state of Alabama, there is a lack of compassion for drug users and they are often treated inhumanely. This lack of understanding is another expression of Alabama’s poor educational status. Our curriculum should be refined by experts. I have begun the process of speaking to my representatives about this subject and I hope that this will increase addiction services in my area. We must be willing to support users and invest in our youth by enhancing their education. Along with recognizing poverty and race as obstacles to receiving adequate care.
    Scholarship Institute Future Leaders Scholarship
    My face beams with a smile as I hand blood drive donors snacks and beverages. This interaction gains depth as they smile back and the genuine collective happiness between us fills the room. The National Honor Society Blood Drive was an amazing experience and I know that people in the community were happy to be welcomed after being exhausted from donating blood. Leadership enriches public good and it teaches the volunteer valuable lessons like how to communicate effectively. I’ve personally experienced improved communication skills, ability making friends, and overall well-being. Leadership has played a huge role in shaping me as an individual and I know that I want to remain involved in the future. The extensive community service I have participated in allowed me to develop stronger public speaking skills along with more self-confidence. As a RMS intern I manage a class of 75 students and maintain control without a teacher present. Furthermore, as an intern at Russellville Middle School in Mr. Keeton’s musical theater class, I have become friends with several students and encouraged them to seek leading roles. I also assist in any way possible by answering questions. My clinical hours at Russellville Hospital and Russellville Drugs allowed me to work with those ages 20-65. Participating in clinical at Russellville Hospital Pharmacy and Russellville Drugs helped me understand that pharmacy is the career I would like to pursue. Along with volunteering for 16 hours at Burn’s Nursing Home as a part of my CNA clinical and this allowed me to assist elderly residents with toileting, bed changing, feeding, dressing, bed baths, and calculating input and output. This all while they were in a vulnerable position and needed help. Additionally, I was able to recruit two people to donate blood at our local blood drive along with volunteering at the drive to keep snacks restocked. As the HOSA project chairmen I represented my school’s chapter of HOSA by making decisions regarding community service opportunities and fundraising for our state leadership conference. Likewise, I competed in the pharmacy science sector and placed 5th in the state of Alabama. Leadership is a way to assist others, develop important life skills, and understand your interests. The act of helping others also brings so much joy to the volunteer and makes all the hard work worth it.
    Elevate Women in Technology Scholarship
    During clinical as a CPCT & CPT, I remember observing faster patient wait times and the healthcare staff was able to assist more patients. All due to the implementation of new technology. The use of Kiosks in healthcare has streamlined the process of obtaining patient information and reduced patient wait times. This software has allowed patients to log their medical information as first-time patients before they even enter the facility. Greatly allowing healthcare workers to focus on treating patients rather than registration and paperwork. Kiosks are also being used to check patients’ temperatures and prevent the spread of COVID-19 by asking patients if they have symptoms. This technology inspires me to continue to work towards making healthcare a better experience for patients in my career as a pharmacist. I am inspired to explore innovations in healthcare technology that will make the process easier for patients and other healthcare workers. This technology could also be used in the field of pharmacy to easily have patients log their medications and side effects. Additionally, the usage of Kiosks to reduce unnecessary interaction has protected vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic and motivated me to be more socially conscious of my influence in protecting others. The collective social awareness of public health prompted by the pandemic and the exercise of Kiosk technology in healthcare inspired our society to recognize healthcare workers' efforts. Along with healthcare workers volunteering their precious time to allow nursing home residents to be able to visit with family by having family members check in with Kiosks and placing protective shields between residents and family. Ultimately, this innovation is truly inspirational and has made society more aware of ways to better serve the immunocompromised. The healthcare technology can be used to revolutionize and improve patient care. The improved wait times and patient protections seen through the use of technology will promote better quality of care.
    Bold Art Scholarship
    We use art and media to depict our life experiences. The usage of detail with every brisk stroke and the mixing of colors; Only allows us to understand what we can see and never accurately capturing what it sounded like, smelled like, or felt like to the artist. The “Human Condition” by the surrealist, Rene Magritte is a critique of perception. It is a series of two paintings. One of these paintings is a vivid ocean landscape with an easel obscuring it. On the easel is an illustration of that ocean landscape. An audience may look at this and interpret this environment to be bustling with seagulls. Even though nothing in the art suggests it, an audience makes assertions. The other uses the same strategy with more muted colors and a depiction of a plain landscape. By looking at this piece I would assume that it was a lonely place to live, however, maybe a series of houses is outside the painting’s border. These pieces allow the audience to speculate that the landscape is the same as the one on the easel. The artist is developing the idea that we often have false recollections of memories and fill those in by making assumptions. Moreover, pieces of art will never be able to replicate the real world. Even if the artist is not obscuring parts of the story, they may inaccurately show what is seen. This work inspires me to become more introspective in my perception of the world. Remembering that my interpretation of events is often only one perspective and that others may have experienced the same event differently. While also developing my writing to be more immersive for readers. Ultimately, the goal would be to have the readers fully understand the intricacies of something they have never experienced.
    Bold Legacy Scholarship
    Their voices in harmony and the sequence of fluid movements they make. Indeed, that’s the way I’ve always interpreted my aunt’s interest in performing arts. I know that she’s a part of my legacy. Since I’ve encouraged her to pursue leading roles she had a solo in Tangled. A legacy is leaving your community a better place through your work and creating memories. The community outreach work I’ve done has created a legacy by enriching the lives of others. In my career as a pharmacist, I would like to be remembered for my empathy and kindness towards my patients. I would hope that I could explore the most affordable options for their medications and be remembered for making the hard times easier. I am ambitious that people will observe my struggles and see even though you have limitations you can still work hard to achieve your dreams. I desire to have a family and help my children develop into beautiful human beings. I hope they remember the times I made them laugh and smile. Along with cherishing the times, we anticipated the warm chocolate chip cookies as we looked at the oven longingly and the inevitable times when I will need to console them after a terrible day. A legacy is not defined by wealth and fame. However, having a legacy is more so about the impact. The people who had the greatest impacts on the world and are less well known. An example is Rosalind Franklin who had her X-ray stolen that showed the structure of DNA. This revolutionary discovery changed the course of genetics and our understanding of diseases. Hereby, increasing patient protections in our modern world. The legacy that I desire leave behind is through those I inspired to exceed & people I helped with my work.
    KC R. Sandidge Photography Scholarship
    I have always loved capturing the essence of a subject with my camera and I believe that this set of photos illustrates love in a beautiful way. Furthermore, it serves as a depiction of companionship among one’s self and nature. I remember the love I felt for the animals photographed and their loyalty to me. The candid moments we had are the greatest memories one could ask for. I knew I had to share the authentic qualities of life that are often belittled. Instead of viewing natural order as an obstacle in our lives, we should embrace it. The first photo was actually meant to be a self-portrait until my beautiful dog Maple interrupted and it turned out to be my favorite photo from that shoot. My use of self-portraits express a connection to a deeper self as I navigate self image issues and realize that I am not all the negative things I put upon myself. I am the beauty of the natural world and just the same as a delicate flower I bloomed into a confident woman. I am fundamentally happy capturing these moments observed in nature and it's ethereal beauty. The composition of the photos being dark is used to examine the darkness within ourselves and how we overcome that through our love. The complexity of love and nature within ourselves is something we must express within out art and ourselves to understand our world.
    Bold Make Your Mark Scholarship
    What makes you feel welcomed in a new environment? For me it’s people taking the time to answer any questions and being passionate about what they are talking about. Furthermore, community service has played a huge role in shaping me as an individual and I know that I want to remain involved in the future. The extensive community service I have participated in allowed me to develop stronger public speaking skills along with more self-confidence. As a RMS intern I manage a class of 75 students and maintain control without a teacher present. I also assist in any way possible by answering questions. Having experience working with different age groups through this and my hospital clinical hours. My clinical hours at Russellville Hospital and Russellville Drugs allowed me to work with those ages 20-65. This all while they were in a vulnerable position and needed help, much like those who will need help to in the future when I begin working as a pharmacist. Additionally, I was able to recruit two people to donate blood at our local blood drive along with volunteering at the drive to keep snacks restocked. These experiences allowed me to elevate people's happiness. The Dual Enrollment opportunities allowed me to obtain a 3 on the AP Biology exam. While still maintaining a 4.4 gpa and managing my extracurricular activities. I am currently enrolled at the Northwest Shoals campus for my NAS 100 and I will soon receive my certification. I have already previously received my certifications as a Patient Care Technician and Pharmacy Technician. As a Students Against Destructive Decisions officer (SADD) and HOSA officer, I know I could be a positive influence while holding leadership roles. This previous experience with teamwork and organization will assist me in creating the best environment for people.