Mavia L. Barnes

I’ve always wanted to be a nurse ever since I was a little girl. My grandmother was an LPN and I used to love sitting down and listening to the stories that she would share with me when she got home from work. I believe that nursing runs in our blood. I always considered myself a nurturer and would go around my house trying to nurse everything back to health. When my grandmother died, my passion for nursing went with her and as an undergrad I began pursing another major. It wasn’t until 2007, when I gave birth to my daughter, that my passion for nursing returned. I was young when I had my daughter and I was very scared. The nurses at the hospital helped me get through that experience and made me feel very special. From that moment on, I realized how important being a nurse was to me; because I love making people feel comfortable and safe just knowing that someone cares. 

While in nursing school, I learned a lot more about the role of a nurse. Nurses do so much and are with the patients the majority of the time eventhough they often don’t get the credit. I also learned what type of nurse I wanted to be. I just don’t want to be a nurse who does my job and that’s it. I want to make a change and have some type of impact on peoples’ lives. I want my patients’ to leave the hospital knowing that I love being a nurse and that my ultimate goal is making sure that they are well taken care of. I also want to be a leader and a patient advocate when necessary, which will make me a better nurse in the long run.     

As much as I want to become a nurse, paying for my nursing education has been a struggle. When I got into Drexel, I was so excited but also very scared because I wasn’t sure how I was going to pay for my education. When I heard about the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Scholarship I was very excited but hesitant because I never won anything before and I didn’t want to get my hopes up. When I found out that I won the scholarship, I was literally in tears. This scholarship has allowed me to continue my education and get one step closer to my ultimate goal, which is becoming a nurse. I feel like winning the scholarship was a blessing and it made me that much more determined. With the help of the scholarship and the presence of my grandmother in my heart, I know that I will become a nurse.