Congratulations to Our 2025 Scholarship Winners 

I have worked hard throughout school so I could go to college. It has been a dream of mine for a very long time. I am so excited that I am going to get to live out my dream at Mount St. Mary’s University.

I grew up in a community that had little funding or community support. There were days we had to decide if we were going to pay bills.

There are a lot of people that I have seen in my community that are struggling because they don’t have basic needs. My degree in business will help me work in a position such as program coordinator for community services. I will be able to make sure that the funding gets used in the best way possible for the people of my community.

Priority Partners as helped my family pay medical bills that would have otherwise not been paid. If it wasn’t for Priority Partners we might not have been able to get medical attention, because the expense would have been too much. My family is thankful every day that we had medical coverage.

As a Human Services major, I am cultivating a foundation of knowledge and awareness to support individuals and communities in overcoming the barriers that perpetuate health disparities.

Outside of the classroom, my professional resume also aligns with the mission of health equity. My experiences in the working world have humbled and inspired me in the most indescribable of ways. It is truly a gift to be able to empower others and directly facilitate equitable access to health and well-being.

My understanding of and commitment to health equity has also been shaped by my personal history. When I was eight years old, I was physically abused by my mentally ill father. My once painful past has now become a source of strength, motivation and drive to exist in the world as [a] safe presence for others.

In addition to my own turbulent childhood, I now serve as the power of attorney for my brother. Disabled at birth, advocating for my brother has become one of my proudest responsibilities. For as long as I live, I will never stop working to create a world that deserves him.

After years of working as a registered nurse — mainly in postpartum and pre-op care — I’ve seen how unfair the health care system can be for people who don’t have the same resources or support. That’s why I’m focused on improving health equity, especially for women, mothers and families who are often left behind.

After I graduate, I plan to continue my education by earning my MSN and becoming a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with a focus on perinatal mental health. I want to help mothers who are struggling with anxiety, depression or stress before and after giving birth.

With the help of this scholarship, I can expand the work I’ve already started — improving lives through education, mental health care and meaningful support within the community.

Priority Partners has had a big impact on my life. As a single mother of three, knowing that my children have health care coverage gives me peace of mind. It has allowed me to focus on school and career goals without constantly worrying about how I’ll pay for medical care.