This is a multi-part series celebrating Arizona College of Nursing (AZCN) 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 2024 AZCN Values Scholarship recipient Sara Beshear as she shares some of her journey to nursing.
Sara’s Path to Nursing School
Meet AZCN Values Scholarship Recipient, Sara Beshear, a Nursing Student at the AZCN Phoenix Campus. Despite many hardships as a child in and out of hospitals, Sara has been empowered by her own health experiences to pursue her educational journey and passion in nursing.
A Nursing Student’s Path to Purpose: Sara Beshear’s Essay
Growing up in an extremely strained financial situation, I witnessed firsthand the major impacts of financial hardship due to healthcare costs and the struggle to have any access to healthcare. Despite facing financial hardships, I persevered through the challenges of graduating high school during the era of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With dreams of pursuing a nursing career, I secured a spot at a local institution, only to find myself confronting the harsh reality of lacking the necessary funds to pursue higher education. Disheartened but undeterred, I spent the next two years working 7 days a week 12 hours a day in multiple memory care facilities to save enough money to pay for my own nursing education. However, my journey toward academic advancement was not without its trials.
Throughout my life, I battled numerous health issues, enduring countless hospitalizations that shaped my understanding of the vital role nurses play in healthcare. Despite the adversity, the unwavering compassion and care I received from dedicated nurses inspired me to pursue a career in nursing, driven by a desire to repay the kindness and support I have received. As I am on this journey, the Arizona College of Nursing Values Scholarship represents not only a financial opportunity but also a testament to my commitment to serving my community’s future healthcare needs with compassion, dedication, and empathy.
Having an opportunity to get some assistance with my nursing education would be extremely valuable to not only me but also the patients that I currently work with. Receiving the Arizona College of Nursing Values Scholarship would not only provide some relief from the cost of pursuing higher education but would also aid me to seeing through my dream of impacting the healthcare needs of other in the most positive way possible. The Arizona College of Nursing Values Scholarship represents more than just financial assistance, it symbolizes an opportunity to beat financial restraints and actualize my passion for nursing.
My decision to pursue a career in nursing was deeply influenced by my own experiences as a patient. From a young age, I battled chronic health issues that resulted in constant hospitalizations. Each hospital stay provided me with a front-row seat to the compassionate care and unwavering dedication of nurses.
Despite the pain and uncertainty, their empathy and expertise provided a beacon of hope, instilling in me a profound appreciation for the nursing profession. In December, I found myself once again on the other side of the hospital bed, grappling with my health. I reflected on the countless individuals who had played a pivotal role in my journey towards a healthy happy life. The nurses who tended to me with patience and compassion became my pillars of strength, guiding me through moments of vulnerability. I was hospitalized in the facility that I am currently employed at, there was such a major cloud of embarrassment over my entire situation.
In my head I imagined that everyone was talking about me and my situation and adding to the negativity, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Every single person I came into contact with did everything in their power to not only protect me and my information, but they also did everything possible to make me feel as normal as possible. Their selflessness and commitment to providing perfect care reaffirmed the desire to follow in their footsteps and pay it forward to the next patients who are living in fear and embarrassment for their situation.
Receiving the Arizona College of Nursing Values Scholarship helped make it possible for me to have the necessary resources to pursue an education in nursing. Armed with knowledge, skills, and compassion, I am confident that I can make a meaningful impact in addressing healthcare needs in other people’s lives around me. Whether advocating for underserved populations, promoting preventative care initiatives, or providing compassionate bedside care.
How AZCN Helped Shape Sarah’s Nursing Journey
Q: How did you find Arizona College of Nursing and why did you pick the school?
A: I found Arizona College of Nursing on Instagram. I chose the school because of the no wait list and how easy it was to apply, and it only took a couple of weeks. It just seemed like the right option. Instead of going to a school that offers a million different programs, it’s only focused on the one field that I want to be in. Having professors that are actually nurses and understand what it’s like on the floor is really beneficial.
Q: What’s your experience with AZCN been?
A: I’m at Arizona College of Nursing, Phoenix campus. I’ve had all positive experiences at the school so far. Everybody’s very supportive and they know you personally. I feel very welcomed and comfortable because everybody is willing to greet you in the halls when you come into class.
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 .
*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.