This is a multi-part series celebrating Arizona College of Nursing students, their stories, and their embodiment of the AZCN values.
In 2023, Arizona College of Nursing established the AZCN Values Scholarship Fund as a way to celebrate our values with our colleagues, our students, and the communities in which we serve. Each time an AZCN colleague recognizes another colleague for demonstrating our values, $5 is added to the scholarship fund. These add up to $5,000 scholarships awarded to students the following year who have demonstrated our values within their communities.
Join us in celebrating 2025 AZCN Values Scholarship recipient Angelique Rosas as she shares some of her journey to nursing:
Life as a Tempe Nursing Student
Meet AZCN Values Scholarship Recipient, Angelique Rosas, a Nursing Student at the AZCN Tempe Campus. Inspired by a childhood spent in foster care, Angelique was driven to become a nurse so she could be someone who listens and cares deeply for all patients.
Where Her Passion for Nursing Began
Most kids don’t dream about becoming a nurse while sitting in the backseat of a social worker’s car, clutching a trash bag with everything they own. But that’s where my dream began. Growing up with parents who struggled with drug addiction and bouncing between foster homes, I learned early on how fragile life can be and how powerful it is when someone chooses to care. I didn’t let my past hold me back. Instead, I used it as fuel to push forward determined to create a different future for myself.
I didn’t grow up surrounded by examples of higher education or professional success. In fact, I am the first in my family to go to college and will be the first to earn a degree. My childhood was marked by poverty, instability, and times when I didn’t know where I would sleep at night. But I also learned resilience, empathy, and determination qualities that I now carry into my journey toward becoming a nurse.
Because I have experienced what it feels like to be unseen, I am committed to making sure no patient feels that way under my care. I believe nursing is more than just treating physical symptoms, it’s about listening, understanding, and seeing the whole person. My background allows me to connect with people in a way that goes beyond clinical knowledge. When a patient feels hopeless, I can truly relate. When a family feels lost, I understand the fear. And when someone thinks they can’t keep going, I can be living proof that they can.
The Arizona College of Nursing’s mission to prepare students for service to society resonates deeply with me. I want to serve in communities where people often feel forgotten those facing homelessness, poverty, or lack of access to healthcare. My goal is to combine strong clinical skills with compassion to make a tangible difference, not only in hospitals but also through outreach programs and health education.
Q&A with Angelique
Q: What led to you wanting to be a nurse and attending Arizona College of Nursing?
A: I think it’s just some type of feeling in your heart. I feel that this is a career where I could make a difference, make an impact on people, and be there for them during their hardest times. I really feel that from my experiences in life, it’s going to allow me to see them in a different way, not just in a clinical way, but also as a whole person. It was just always a feeling that I knew that I wanted to be a nurse, and I always wanted to do something to help people so that maybe one day, I can help my family.
Q: How did you find Arizona College of Nursing?
A: I wanted to be a nurse from a young age, but when you grow up not seeing any family have a degree or go through college, you have self-doubt. I found Arizona College of Nursing through a friend. She told me the program was three years, and that she thought it would be a good fit. I still wake up [and think,] ‘I’m actually in nursing school,’ and it’s something that I’m really proud of.
Q: What does receiving the AZCN Values Scholarship mean to you?
A: Receiving the Values scholarship means everything to me because it gives me the chance to continue on with my schooling and allows me to focus on studying. It reminds me that all the late nights and early mornings and sacrifices have been worth it.
Start Your Future in Nursing Today
If you’re considering a career as a registered nurse (RN), Arizona College of Nursing is here to help you pursue your dream. Our BSN program enables you to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in just 3 years or less with qualifying transfer credits. We’ve helped hundreds of students to earn a BSN degree and enter the nursing profession – and we’re ready to support you on your path to becoming an RN.
Why Choose Arizona College of Nursing?
- Earn a BSN degree in 3 years or less with eligible transfer credits
- Campus locations throughout the US
- Night classes for general education courses
- Hybrid Online/In-Person format for general education classes
- Nursing education is all we do
- CCNE-Accredited Program*
- NCLEX-RN success coaches and exam preparation class
- Financial aid available to those who qualify
Discover Your Path to a Career in Nursing
Information in this post is accurate as of June 9, 2026.
*The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program at Arizona College of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (https://www.aacnnursing.org/). All Arizona College of Nursing and Arizona College campuses are institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (https://www.abhes.org/), a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accrediting agency.