Nevada Nurses Association scholarship recipient Courtney Wilson graduated May 22 from the Western Nevada College School of Nursing. Wilson, originally from South Lake Tahoe, now lives in Minden.
Watching the care nurses provided her mother in the hospital four years ago inspired Wilson to pursue a career in nursing after trying another route.
She graduated from high school in 2000 and attended Gonzaga University in Spokane, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She studied counseling at California State University but, after a year in the masters program, she realized becoming a counselor was not her priority. She moved to New York City and worked as a nanny and personal trainer.
Life turned her world upside down with a phone call and the words, "your mother has ovarian cancer."
"The next morning I flew to Reno as my mother underwent a 12-hour surgery. For three weeks I watched as the nurses on staff took care of my mother day in and day out," she said. "They became like family. The impact they had on my mother's life, my father's life, and on my own life was unmistakable. During that very difficult time, I was inspired by the art of nursing. I have always wanted to do something great with my life and I believe nursing is that something great.
"It has been a challenging four years, but I know it has made me stronger. I believe the inspiration to become a leader is not often born from a life of simplicity, but rather dragged up from the depths of suffering; therefore I plan to use my life experience to become the best nurse I possibly can."
"I would like to say thank you to the Nevada Nurses Association for selecting me as a scholarship recipient for the 2010-2011 school year. Your generous financial support has helped cover the cost of my tuition, which allows me to continue working towards my dream of becoming a nurse."
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