The scholarship selection committee with Ambient Edge wants to reward students who’ve undergone the unthinkable: a close encounter with a cancer diagnosis. Students currently and previously contending with cancer are invited to apply for $1,000 in financial support as they pursue a secondary degree.
Ambient Edge is proud to award its 2023 “Students Affected by Cancer” Scholarship to Elizabeth Jones of Western Governors University. Jones stands out from the crowd thanks to her continued dedication to her career in nursing, which has driven her to pursue additional certifications so she can better serve people in need.
Pursuing a Career Helping Others
Elizabeth Jones always dreamed of becoming a nurse. In her scholarship essay, she says:
“As a child, I grew up watching nurses care for my mom as she was in and out of the hospital, dealing with a chronic illness…during one of her hospital stays, she was getting prepped for discharge and was getting her PICC line removed.
I remember asking the nurse if I could take out the PICC line. I was eager to help get my mom to go home. The nurse told me if I wanted to help her, I would have to go to nursing school when I got older and get trained to remove the PICC lines.”
It was in the face of that recommendation that Jones pursued higher education through a CNA program and nursing school. She spent her early career working as an ICU nurse RN.
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Tangling With a Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Jones is one of many young people who’ve been recently surprised with a cancer diagnosis. In her essay, Jones reports that she received her Stage 2a breast cancer diagnosis at 25. This diagnosis came on the heels of Jones’ undergraduate education, meaning she was forced to contend with her student debt on top of new medical bills.
Jones didn’t let her diagnosis stop her from providing care to others, though. Upon receiving her diagnosis, she took active steps to rebalance her work-life schedule while improving her personal health. In her essay, she describes enduring active cancer treatments while serving as a bedside nurse in the ICU.
Moreover, Jones pushed herself beyond the realms of a 12-hour nursing shift. She reports working a full-time job on top of two per diem jobs to stay on top of her student loan payments and medical expenses.
In the time since her diagnosis, she’s continued to struggle with the financial elements of her recovery, all while participating in a 10-year regimen designed to keep her in medical menopause. It was in light of these struggles that Jones decided she needed to take the next step in her career.
Taking the Next Steps in Her Career
Today, Jones intends to advance her career by pursuing a post-master’s Family Nurse Practitioner certificate. Western Governors University allows her to learn more about a Family Nurse Practitioner role online, ensuring that she can effectively balance her work schedule while advancing her in-the-field knowledge.
Jones’ Inspirations Keep Her Going
When asked about the inspirations that keep her going, Jones cites the grounding effect of cancer as well as career influences throughout her life. Her essay goes into detail about the sudden lack of tomorrows she faced when first diagnosed with breast cancer and how that threat drove her to embrace life to the fullest.
When it comes to her career, though, Jones looks to her fellow nurse educator and specialist, Nicole Kupchik:
“She is the reason I was drawn to nursing education…When I was taking her courses, I just felt so supported, she was always so upbeat, and she would always say “You can do it.” This led me to get my master’s degree in nursing education. I wanted to be able to learn and support those new hires I was training like I felt supported by her when I was taking her certification review classes.”
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A Look Into the Future
Jones intends to use her Family Nurse Practitioner Degree to pursue work in cardiac adult patient care, specializing in outpatient services. She’s also considered specializing in care for oncology patients, thereby uplifting the community that helped her get back on her feet.
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About Ambient Edge’s “Students Affected by Cancer” Scholarship
Ambient Edge’s “Students Affected by Cancer” Scholarship rewards a current or incoming student who has had a brush with cancer in their lives. Applicants may currently be undergoing treatment for a cancer diagnosis or have overcome a diagnosis in the past. Ambient Edge’s scholarship committee invites qualifying parties to apply for its $1,000 in financial aid.
To compete for the “Students Affected by Cancer” Scholarship, students must complete a 500 to 1,000-word essay answering the following questions:
- How did your experience with cancer change the way you look at your own life or the world around you?
- Did it affect your goals or change the way you want to live your life?
- And how are you living up to that or pursuing those goals today?
Ambient Edge also encourages applicants to go into detail about how their experience with cancer has shaped their broader approach to life. Students who submit their essays by the scholarship’s closing date will have their essays go before Ambient Edge’s scholarship selection committee. The committee will go on to select its winner within one to three months.
Congratulations, Elizabeth Jones!
The scholarship selection committee once again congratulates Elizabeth Jones on her continued dedication to her education and her passionate fight against breast cancer. The team takes a lot of inspiration from Jones’ continued efforts to advance her career in unique and community-oriented ways.
Ambient Edge looks forward to Jones’ future successes and hopes its “Students Affected by Cancer” Scholarship helps Jones achieve her long-term goals. Future applicants can follow Jones’ example and double-check the scholarship’s terms and conditions to determine whether or not they qualify for Ambient Edge’s financial support ahead of the upcoming academic year.
