Bridget is enrolled at Upper Iowa State University and is looking forward to receiving her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing this upcoming Spring. With a 3.75 GPA, Bridget understands the value of an education and has maintained an amazing level of excellence despite her difficult past. Before she received her LPN certification in 2007, Bridget and her children shuffled between homeless shelters as she struggled to study and become certified. Once she received her certification, her family’s life greatly improved. However, she knew that she did not want to stop there. Bridget went on to get her associate’s degree in nursing (RN) during the Spring of 2018. She has deep compassion for the patients she currently sees in her clinic. And, with her more advanced degree, she will continue to diversify the health force and continue to advocate for preventative health programming in her community.

“Right now the only hindrance in completing my goal is my finances. I support my family on a single income. Last year I didn’t have enough money to pay for my mental health and pediatric books, so I went without for the whole semester. I used whatever I could find on the internet and class notes. I was happy to pass these classes. Without the help of the JRF Scholar Grant [now], continuing my education would not be possible.”