thoroughly enjoyed my experiences. The ups and downs that any college student has come upon and I have learned and grown from my experiences here at Bowie State University.
I chose Bowie State because I was not accepted into the school of my choice and I feel it was a positive sign to attend a HBCU and understand my history. Also, both my sisters attended Bowie State University and graduated with degrees in psychology as well. It feels great to keep Bowie State in the family.
I have achieved a lot during my college career. I had to change schools to experience something different and I do not regret any moment because it has allowed me to cherish the education I have received here. Also, my senior year I became a mother and being a role model for my daughter was a great motivator for my success. I want my daughter to value education and know that there is nothing that can stand in anyone's way from allowing them to attend college and succeed. Also, I feel that I set high goals for myself to attain each quarter and made sure I stayed motivated in order to achieve those goals. I admit in the beginning when I was new to college I did well but not to my full potential. In the last few years of my college career, I strived high and made the dean's list each semester and was accepted into two honor societies.
I feel that each of my professors had an impact on my success. I feel that the way they set up their courses to prepare us for graduate school and are tough on us with the assignments helped me in the long run because I realized that I have the potential to attend graduate school and succeed. The challenges they provided for us students was a wakeup call for me to realize how much potential I have as a student.
I faced many challenges. I was pregnant my last semester and had to commute an hour and a half to school twice a week because my husband is in the military. I had just transferred back to Maryland because we were stationed in South Carolina for two years before coming back to Bowie State. That created challenges with my credits. Nonetheless, I fought through the tiredness to finish school while pregnant and taking summer courses. Also, I made sure that I would graduate this December so I am taking 21 credits while being a full time mother, wife, and employee. Graduation is my primary goal and I strive for excellence.
I feel cultural experiences enhanced my personal development because it allowed me to be more culturally sensitive to others and realize that all people have issues with their race beyond being African American. It helped me to understand others better and to understand the differences among us as well.
After graduation, I will be still working at the Loft part-time and in January I will be starting my CNA classes. I will be applying for the ADN RN program at Germanna Community College in February to start this upcoming fall term. When that program is over, I plan to find a career at Mary Washington Hospital as an RN as I prepare to take the GRE so that I can go to graduate school for my MSN as a clinical nurse practitioner to work with neonates and children.
I feel that Bowie State University helped prepare me because I plan to work in the healthcare field and will come in contact with many individuals with a wide scope of problems. A degree in psychology helped me to understand people and their mind better so that I can be a more tactful and understanding nurse. I feel that all nurses should have some preparation in psychology because there is more to nursing than just taking care of patients but being their ally and fighting for their rights even when they are unable to do so for themselves. Also, it is great to understand why patients are the acting in the peculiar ways and understand that there are reasons beyond being mentally ill but the underlying factors that contributed to their problems.
