Deana Phouksouvath

I’ve always had an innate desire to care for those who needed it and an inspiration to me was my very own grandfather. He was a general doctor in Laos prior to the catastrophic events of the Vietnam War; an event which led him to leave there and take him and his family to the United States.  As a little girl I would beg him to share his stories of helping the sick from village to village and to this day I can recall the sentimental look on his face as he reminisced. I knew that without a doubt, I too wanted a lifelong career of providing care for others.

My goal is to go into the nursing profession to make a difference in someone’s life. To know that I’ve done the best that I can to make others feel comfortable and to better their well-being would touch my life. I hope to touch their lives in the same way my grandfather did.

I am ambitious in making my visions come true and I know that I will face obstacles as I work to pursue this path towards becoming a nurse. One major factor was the financial aspect. I contemplated on whether or not I would get a job waitressing while I am enrolled in MUSC’s Accelerated BSN Program.  After some research it was advised that I put all my focus into the BSN program because any distraction from the proposed schedule could be a hindrance to my progress in the program.

During my undergraduate career I received scholarships, grants, and loans to pay for my education, but I feel as if I have also put a huge debt into my parents’ pockets. My parents did not have the same opportunities as I have had growing up. They moved to the states from Laos in their teenage years and have worked in the service industry since then. I know it must be a struggle, but they never complain; they view their hard work as something they must do in order to support me and my two younger brothers. My parents’ hard work is a lesson to us in that life is not always easy and things do not always come handed to one on a silver platter. Yet, with strong drive and hard work, goals can be accomplished through patience and strenuous effort.

I am the first generation in my family to go to college which is a step that many people overlook because such an accomplishment is considered a norm for them. For my family it was a very proud moment when they sent me off to continue my education. They’ve been able to raise me in a world of opportunities that were not offered to them.

When it comes down to it, financial status can play a great factor in receiving institutional education. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation NCIN scholarship has enabled me to take a huge step in pursuing my career in nursing. As my parents dream of their children being good people in this American society, I dream of doing so by touching the lives of others as a nurse.