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 2026 AZCN Values Scholarship recipient Ibrahim Sesay as he shares some of his journey to nursing:
AZCN Student’s Commitment to Compassionate Care
Meet AZCN Values Scholarship Recipient, Ibrahim Sesay, a Nursing Student at the AZCN Salt Lake City Campus. Ibrahim’s journey from a Liberian refugee to a nursing student has been shaped by resilience, loss, a deep commitment to caring for geriatric patients, and a desire to create a better future for his family and community through compassionate nursing care.
Watch Ibrahim’s video here:
Ibrahim Shares His Path to Nursing
My journey has been marked by hardship, resilience, and an unwavering determination to create a better future, not only for myself but also for my family and community.
I was born in Liberia, a nation ravaged by civil war, which forced my family to flee in search of safety and a more stable life. We migrated to Ghana, where we lived in a refugee camp known as BodoBrown. This camp was designed to support individuals fleeing conflict, and it became our home during a tumultuous period in our lives. Living in such dire conditions instilled in me a profound understanding of resilience and the essential role of community support.
After several years in the refugee camp, my father received an opportunity to relocate our family to Sierra Leone, hoping to shield us from the escalating violence in Liberia. Although this decision was made with hope, life in Sierra Leone was fraught with its own challenges. My father struggled to provide basic necessities such as food and shelter. Despite these hardships, he remained determined to create a better future for us. After years of perseverance, he learned about a program that could facilitate our relocation to the US. Remarkably, after a lengthy wait of 20 years, our application was accepted.
On September 30, 2005, we arrived in Utah. My five siblings and I settled into a modest three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment, while my older siblings found their own housing, marking a significant step toward independence. The transition to life in the US was a profound cultural shock; the differences in climate, cuisine, and social norms were overwhelming. However, with time, we adapted and began to embrace the opportunities available in this new environment.
In November 2005, I enrolled in Granite High School and was placed in an English as a Second Language (ESL) program to improve my language skills. Despite my dedication, I faced challenges in keeping pace with my peers and was unable to graduate on time. However, I refused to allow this setback to deter my aspirations. I was subsequently transferred to an extended high school program, where I ultimately earned my diploma.
A year later, I briefly attended college, but the responsibilities of impending fatherhood compelled me to make a difficult decision. I withdrew from my studies to work full-time in order to support my growing family. I became a father to a daughter, who is now 16 years old, and six years later, I welcomed my son, who is now 10 years old. This experience has been both rewarding and challenging, particularly as neither of my parents nor my siblings had the opportunity to pursue higher education. This background has fueled my determination to create a different narrative for my children.
Today, I am eager to pursue a career in nursing, driven by an intrinsic desire to help others and serve my community. My aspiration is not only to become a registered nurse but also to further my education and become a nurse practitioner. I strive to be the first in my family to attain higher education. I firmly believe that with the appropriate training and education, I can make a significant difference in the lives of individuals and families facing health challenges.
In 2019, I lost my father to complications from a urinary tract infection. I believe that with timely care, his life could have been saved. This loss strengthened my desire to become a nurse and help others receive proper care when they need it most.
I want to show my children the value of perseverance and hard work. My journey has been challenging, but it has shaped my resilience and purpose. I am committed to turning my experiences into a career that helps others and sets an example for my children.
Q&A with Ibrahim
Q: When did you first know you wanted to be a nurse?
A: I decided to go into nursing because of our experience. First, it was more like I wanted a paycheck. But once I got into it and enjoyed working with geriatric populations… I shifted my mindset as far as [wanting] to do this as not only a career, but as a profession.
I’ve worked everywhere in hospital settings, and a nursing home was the last stop for me. When I got into the nursing home, I started running memory and care. I ran Memory care for years, and I just loved hearing a different story every day…My goal is to eventually get into being a geriatric nurse practitioner.
Q: How did you find Arizona College of Nursing?
A: The way I found Arizona College of Nursing was [through] a lot of research with the help of my wife. This is something that you’re going to be committed to for a long period of time, so you just don’t want to get into everything. I [researched] several different schools and started reading Google reviews and things like that. Arizona College stood out the most. I couldn’t [find] any negative reviews or things like that. [Arizona College of Nursing] is easygoing, they work with me, and they really do pay attention to their students and try to know them by name.
Q: What keeps you motivated at Arizona College of Nursing?
A: There’s a benefit of being in such a small classroom. You run into the same people that you share a class with every day. I am a little bit anti-social, but I found my crowd. I do have a classmate where we met in the same class, struggled together, and every time I have questions, I can reach out to her. I never knew her until I started going to Arizona College, and since then, we have just become friends. That’s part of the reason why I like Arizona College, because of its small size and you know everyone who walks into class. [Arizona College of Nursing] is a family. The people are nice.
Q: What does receiving the AZCN Values Scholarship mean to you?
A: Receiving this Values Award actually was very shocking because I wasn’t expecting it. It was my first day, and we were just doing introductions to the class and things like that, and [suddenly], I see all these faculty [members] walking with the balloons, and they announce it. I was shocked, and it opened my heart…When I get to that point, I would love to give back to someone else who deserves it as well.
I feel like this award is going to do a lot for me personally. I actually was validated and not only that, but it also gives me confidence because sometimes we all need a little boost to move forward. After receiving the scholarship, I don’t care what people think or say. I am doing this for myself, and with the heart and compassion I have at this point to serve my community, I want to be able to get to the finish line. This gives me motivation to keep moving forward.
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 November 2, 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.