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 Mirzada Selmic as she shares some of her journey to nursing:
From Patient’s Family to Future Nurse
Meet AZCN Values Scholarship Recipient, Mirzada Selmic, a Nursing Student at the AZCN Phoenix Campus. After being deeply moved by the compassionate nurses who cared for her son, Mirzada decided to pursue her own nursing career. She was drawn to Arizona College of Nursing’s quick response and supportive community, where she found the resources and encouragement needed to begin her journey.
Watch Mirzada’s video here:
What Led Her to Nursing
The biggest reason I want to become a nurse is because of my son. When he was just seven years old, he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. I still remember how scared I felt when I first heard the news. My world turned upside down. For a whole year, we lived in the hospital, and it was a very difficult time for our family. My son had brain surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and therapy for speech, occupational skills, and physical abilities. I saw how hard he worked to get better, and I saw how important it was for him to have nurses who cared for him during that time.
The nurses were amazing. They were always so kind, patient, and understanding. Even though they were busy, they always made sure we felt supported. The nurses helped me understand what was happening with my son’s health and made sure he was comfortable during his treatments. They gave me advice when I needed it and comfort when I felt overwhelmed. It was the nurses who kept us going when things got tough. I knew from that moment that I wanted to be a nurse – someone who could offer that same love and care to others.
Q&A with Mirzada
Q: Can you tell me about your first experience when you started at AZCN?
A: I called them and somebody from school called me the same day, asked me questions, and provided me with more information about it. I was kind of surprised because usually when you try to contact somebody, you don’t get anything back from them for days, maybe weeks. But they contacted me right away and tried to give me all the information I need to get accepted into the program.
Q: How is your experience with the community at AZCN?
A: When I started Arizona College of Nursing, I felt very supported from the first class. The teachers were very happy to be there and happy to see us succeed. We had lists of all the classes we need, the clinicals, the labs, and all the information we need to succeed. It was easy to make friends. I made quite a few good friends that I kept throughout school, and as my study buddies. It’s important to have study buddies…What stands out to me is how caring the teachers are and hearing their stories and why they became understood.
Q: How would you describe yourself before nursing school vs the you now?
A: I feel a little more confident than I used to and like I’m going to make a difference in the world. It has definitely changed me for the better because I see the future and I want to be able to just help people. I’m going to be able to do that soon.
Q: Are there any resources offered by AZCN that help you through nursing school most?
A: They do lessons each week that go over the material and help you study for the exams and tests the NCLEX. They have a lot of resources for the NCLEX, like the ATI is really good here’s a lot of content in that. It tells you to go through the review questions because you can answer sample questions about everything that you went over in the whole semester to reinforce information that you know already.
Q: What is your purpose for wanting to become a nurse?
A: I want to do it because I want to be able to ultimately help people. There’s a lot of people that are going through difficult situations and I want to kind of help them to know, it’s okay. Just taking it 1 day at a time. My previous experiences dealing with my son and seeing how sweet and helpful all the nurses were kind of shaped my vein to want to become a nurse and be the kind of person that they were.
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 July 6, 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.