Student Updates

We asked the current RFTS scholarship recipients for updates on their programs, and these were their stories.

I am so very grateful for this being selected to participate in the Reach for the Stars Nursing Scholarship Program. I have been able to attend school with less stress due to money, which has made it so that I can spend more time with my family and two-year-old son during the school year. It also helped me achieve As in all my classes last semester.

When preparing for this semester, I was struck with the sense of gratitude all over again because I am not sure that I would have been able to attend school due to cost of tuition and books. Since this scholarship pays for tuition and supplies upfront, I didn’t have to worry about working overtime to come up with the money for reimbursement. This allowed me to focus on building on my skills that I will need to continue my endeavor to help others in my nursing career.

The scholarship has been a blessing and I am thankful every day that it was awarded to me.

The Reach for the Stars Nursing Scholarship Program has impacted my life in a few ways. As we know, the cost of school is astronomically high, as is the need for nurses after the pandemic. When I was approached to apply for the scholarship, I was a little hesitant being that only 10 people were to be awarded. I got the shock of my life when the ladies came up to my unit and asked for me, saying that I got the scholarship. I began to cry, and I hit the ground. Just thinking about how it would help me financially with my children while I began my studies overcame me.

Since receiving the scholarship, I have only been able to work part-time, which has cut my income in half. Getting the scholarship has helped me tremendously by ensuring that my tuition is paid, and that every dollar I earn working for The University of Kansas Health System goes directly to my children and maintaining my home. It has ensured that my children get a Christmas, birthdays and school supplies — to name a few things. It has ensured that my car gets paid, my lights and gas stay on and that my kids’ bellies stay full. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to receive this scholarship. It has made a such positive impact in my life, as I'm sure it has in the other 16 recipients' lives, as well.

Another way it has impacted my life is through my mentor. I've never had a mentor during school before, and I can honestly say that Liz May is a true gem. She was previously the Unit Coordinator on my current unit, Unit 66 Pulmonary Hypertension. Liz will continuously reach out and offer her help and kind words of encouragement. Nursing school is not for the weak, so her words are never taken for granted. I admire her work ethic and skill set so much. When I was having a hard time last semester, I would often approach Liz in tears, and she was always able to get me together and talk out my issue. She is always there to offer a helping hand and give me her nursing school strategies. I hope to one day become half the nurse Liz is, and with your belief in me, I will be.

I would like to start off by expressing how thankful I am for the Reach for the Stars Nursing Scholarship Program. The program has impacted my nursing journey in so many ways, primarily by increasing the level of confidence I have in myself. It is truly unbelievable how being a part of this program has affected my life:

• This is my second and final year of nursing school at Pittsburg State University
• The stress of student loans has been significantly reduced
• I can work more hours at a distinguished health system
• And I have been given the opportunity to work on my dream unit after graduation this May!

Throughout my childhood I struggled with realizing the true value of my motivations and skillset and had trouble utilizing them to achieve my full potential. Starting off senior year last semester after being granted the RFTS scholarship, I noticed many changes within myself. I felt more comfortable performing skills and assessments with the supervision of a RN, I felt more accepted in various hospital settings, and I was generally more confident to take risks and grab opportunities. I gained so much knowledge last semester, and I am so excited to continue this growth this semester in Advanced Medical Surgical Nursing where we will be working in the emergency room, ICU, Cath Lab, and other interesting units at PSU’s clinical sites.

The first time I ever thought about becoming a nurse was my junior year of high school when I took an Anatomy & Physiology class. I realized how much I loved learning about the body systems and their functions, and I always had a knack for caring for others. Working at The University of Kansas Health System fulfills these interests every day and I am so grateful to be able to make a difference.

Recently, I was offered and accepted a position on CA10 Blood & Marrow Transplant! I am so thankful to start my career at the health system, and I wholeheartedly believe that being awarded the Reach for the Stars Nursing Scholarship greatly helped in achieving my nursing goals. Thank you!

I am very blessed to inform you that I am onto my final semester in nursing school. I believe this will be the most exciting semester yet, because my schooling will have a greater emphasis on clinical work instead of classwork.

The last three semesters in my BSN have undoubtedly been the most challenging semesters I have ever had. This challenge has been apparent by the demanding time and effort for schooling, and because of personal growth.

A highlight of this last stretch of pursuing my degree has been receiving the financial aid from the Reach for the Stars Nursing Scholarship Program. It has been a tremendous help throughout this previous semester at KU. It has allowed me to have personal mentorship, supplies needed for school, and has allowed me to work without the concern of tuition. This has made me more excited and enthusiastic to finish off my schooling with strong effort.

Thank you again for your generous support and contribution. Your investment in my education is very gratefully received.

I am writing to thank you for your extremely generous scholarship program. I was thrilled to learn of my selection for the honor that comes with the Reach for the Stars Nursing Scholarship Program, and I am deeply appreciative of your support.

My name is Charlea Kitchen, and I am a first year, second semester nursing student at the University of Kansas School of Nursing. I aspire to become a Cardiothoracic Surgery Intensive Care Unit nurse at The University of Kansas Health System upon graduating in May 2024. And thanks to your very generous donation toward my education, I am one step closer to achieving that goal.

Your scholarship is important to me because it has lightened the financial burden of many expenses that occur while attending nursing school. It has also allowed me to focus more on my studies rather than stressing about repaying student loans after the successful completion of my program. By awarding me the Reach for the Stars Nursing Scholarship you have lightened my financial burden, which allows me to focus more on the most important aspect of nursing school: learning and applying that knowledge clinically.

Your generosity has inspired me to help others and give back to my community. I hope one day I will be able to help prospective and current nursing students achieve their goals just as you have helped me.

I am so grateful to have been a recipient for the Reach for the Stars Nursing Scholarship. It has allowed me to both focus on my education and gain expertise at the bedside. The hours I have been able to work each week have given me the opportunity to build relationships with many nurses. I am honored to work next to these nurses and excited to begin my journey as a nurse, as well.

After receiving the scholarship, I have been even more appreciative sitting in the classroom and participating in lab as I have been blessed with the opportunity of focusing on my education without the financial burden. This type of gift makes me want to give back and bless others. I find myself wanting to give more freely, and I can do that because I know that my education has been paid for by gracious donors.

I have also really enjoyed the individuals this scholarship program has connected me to. I have met so many incredible people who encourage me and inspire me. I have greatly benefited from the monthly meetings with my mentor. It gives me time to talk to someone who has been in my shoes and can help me navigate my next steps so I can keep moving in the right direction.

This scholarship has been a tremendous blessing and I am so grateful. Thank you so much for your generosity.

I am Heather Miller, an employee of The University of Kansas Health System, and one of the scholarships you previously awarded has given me the opportunity to attend nursing school.

Currently, I just finished my second semester of nursing school. While it’s been very hard to work full-time while being a single mom and student, I have done great — even through a few challenges. I will be finishing my LPN program in August. Once I finish that, I have 3 or 4 classes to take and then I plan to apply for the RN-BSN program.

I am so grateful for this scholarship as I would have not been able to complete school without your support. I am truly grateful, and I will remember this for the rest of my life. I just want to thank you in securing my future as a nurse — it is the only thing I have ever wanted to do.

Thank you.