GROWTH IN THE IUI HONORS PROGRAM
2022 - 2026
"IT'S ONLY AFTER YOU'VE STEPPED OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE THAT YOU BEGIN TO CHANGE, GROW AND TRANSFORM." -ROY T. BENNET.
Introduction
pic from Adobe Stock
When I began college, I was unsure of what direction my schooling would go. I knew that I wanted to pursue nursing, however I did not know what I wanted to specialize in. My first “I am” statement and "I want to become statement" were made in the spring of 2023 and how I viewed myself and my goals at the time. It brings forth who I believed I was at that moment in my life. Now, in the spring of 2026, I have written a new "I am and “I want to become” statements showing my goals for my future and how I would like to see myself grow as well as how I view myself now. This has allowed me to witness the growth and change I have experienced throughout my college years, especially pertaining to how my mindset has changed and how I perceive my goals.
I am a persistent and loyal person. I am empathetic and outspoken. I am the salty water from my childhood and the melted snowman made by my siblings and I. I am a mosaic of all of the people I have ever loved, a little piece of them still residing in me for the rest of my life. I am somebody who enjoys rainy days and walking to every destination I can. I find enjoyment in resting after stressful times, love from my companions, and animals. I am somebody who will find the good in uncomfortable situations. I am somebody that will squeal when seeing a cute dog and cheer on my friends even when in competition with them. I am somebody that will cry at any sad movie and overly laugh at funny ones. I am somebody that works hard towards the things that I love and works even harder to help those that I love. I am somebody that will cheer for the person who has nobody backing them. I am somebody that will never leave somebody to struggle by themself, even if it slows me down from reaching my goals. I am motivated by the individuals around me, my role models, and the success that I foresee in my future. I am my mother and father's daughter and my sibling's sister, but I am also my own person with my own place in this world. I am somebody worth fighting for and nothing will ever change that.
I want to become a person I would want myself to look up to. This will begin and end with asking myself questions on the decisions I make. It will cause me to take ownership in everything I do, even if I do not want to. I want to unconditionally lend myself to help others become the best versions of themselves. This will be used in many ways, with children, with the less fortunate, with patients, and anyone around me. I will make myself a support system for them and openly help them, no matter the circumstance.
I want to become somebody that will allow myself to open up to people and new ideas. This will allow me to grow my mindset and my knowledge; you will never grow when you are comfortable. I want to become somebody who will grow my knowledge in every way that I can and use it to better the world around us. This is how I will use my privileges that I was given to help others and make the world a safer and more protected area for the people I care about. It will also help not only me, but others learn how to protect others from the same hurt that is being caused every day. I want to become a nurse that people enjoy and trust being around. This comes with opening myself up to new ideas and broadening my horizon. I never want to be somebody that people do not feel safe around, I will treat them with the respect they know, and I know, that they deserve. I want to become a safe space for people to come to in times of hurt and pain.
I want to become somebody who will support and breathe hope into those around me. These two come together in many ways. In order to be a safe space, I have to have people that will come to be in times of need. Everybody needs that person that helps them through tough times, I would like to be that person for anybody that ever needs it, even if they do not ask. I want to become a wife and a mother. Someday I will get married and have children of my own and I will pour my drive and love into my family, just as my family did with me. I want to become somebody known for being a great worker and an even greater human. Although the medical field has its struggles, my boss or those around me will not have to struggle because of me. I will work towards making my work environment a better place for everyone.
I want to become somebody who empathizes with those around me and never forgets the privileges that I have received, no matter how far I go in life. I grew up with many privileges, and I will never let them alter my view of others around me who never got those same privileges. I will instead work towards helping others get these privileges and never change these ways even if situations change. I want to become somebody whose value is not dependent on the title I receive from others.
Reflection
With these assignments I found what I was truly passionate about when I was beginning college. It made me sit back and truly look at what I am interested in and who I want to become as I develop into my new career and going into a new environment. I had started out not knowing what I wanted to specialize in and not feeling confident in my skills or what I have learned. Now I know what I want to specialize in and I feel more confident in my skills in knowledge. I think this is important for people to write down their wants for themselves because it is always nice to fall back on when you get stressed out and defeated. I believe it is good to have something physical that you can look back on to remind you why you have spent countless nights studying and what the stress of school is building you towards. I also enjoyed this assignment because it can allow me to learn more about other's goals. I think it is easy to be stuck on what we as one person want to be and forget that there are others around us that are in the same positions as us.
"TO HAVE COURAGE FOR WHATEVER COMES IN LIFE — EVERYTHING LIES IN THAT." -SAINT TERESA OF ÁVILA
pic from Adobe Stock
I am resilient and deeply rooted in loyalty, compassionate with a voice that refuses to stay quiet when advocacy is needed. I am the calm in uncertain moments and the steady presence others can lean on. I am shaped by the people who love me and the patients who trust me, carrying pieces of them with me as I grow. I find meaning in quiet moments, comfort in rest after exhaustion, and strength in teamwork during long days. I am someone who looks for hope in uncomfortable situations, celebrates others wholeheartedly, and feels deeply—laughing freely and crying without shame. I am a nurse who leads with empathy, listens with intention, and treats every person as more than a diagnosis or a room number. I stay a little longer, explain one more time, and hold space when words fall short because healing is rooted in being seen and respected. I work tirelessly for what I love and even harder for the people in my care, standing beside those without a voice and refusing to walk away when things become difficult. I am my parents’ daughter and my siblings’ sister, grounded by where I come from yet defined by where I am going. I am growing into the nurse and person I am meant to be, worthy of compassion, purpose, and belief—especially my own.
I want to become the kind of person and nurse I would have looked up to in my most uncertain moments—someone grounded in integrity, accountability, and compassion. I want to become an ICU nurse who remains steady in chaos, thoughtful in high-stakes decision-making, and deeply present for patients and families during the most vulnerable moments of their lives. I want to continually question my choices, take ownership of my growth, and pursue education with intention, knowing that mastery in critical care and the path toward becoming a CRNA require humility, discipline, and lifelong learning. I want to grow not only in clinical skill and knowledge, but also in emotional intelligence, resilience, and self-awareness. I want to be someone my colleagues can rely on, my patients can trust, and my loved ones can lean on. I want to create safe spaces—at work, in friendships, and in my future family—where people feel heard, supported, and valued. I want to become a wife and a mother who leads with patience and love, just as I strive to lead in my profession. I want to use the privileges and opportunities I have been given to protect others, advocate for those without a voice, and contribute to a healthcare environment rooted in respect and teamwork. I want to pursue advanced practice not for status, but for responsibility, service, and the ability to provide the highest level of care. No matter how far I go, I want to remain grounded in empathy, grateful for where I came from, and confident in who I am becoming—ensuring that my worth is defined not by a title, but by my character, my effort, and the way I care for others.
Reflection
Reflecting on my new "I am" and "I want to become" statements has allowed me to witness my growth as I have progressed throughout college. I have become more confident in my skills as an upcoming nurse and broadened my knowledge of myself and my career. I have begun to find my place in my career and decided what I would like the next steps for me to look like. I am more positive about what my future will look like as I have found what I am passionate about. However, I can still see my previous self in this new version of myself too. I have kept my very basic components, and I think that is special too. I am not a totally remade person, just a more refined version of my younger self. I think it is important to remember where I came from and how much I have changed.
"EVERY EXPERIENCE I HAVE IS PERFECT FOR MY GROWTH."
-LOUISE HAY
pic from Adobe Stock
Introduction
When I first joined the IUI Honors College, I was a new freshman student who had just moved away from home and started a new journey. I was nervous, as this had been my first time away from home and security of my parents. However, I was also excited about the future and what this new journey could bring to me. Being in the Honors College and taking the H200 class made me think in depth of what I wanted for my future and what I needed to do to ensure that it happened. That is where I began my journey map, with the ideas that I had come up with for my journey towards becoming a nurse. This map highlighted my goals and gave me a physical outline of how to achieve my goals, that I could follow as I progressed through them. This next artifact, my original journey map, shows who I was at that moment and what my goals and aspirations were. Looking at this artifact allows me to view just how much my years in the IUI Honors College have allowed me to grow and develop more closely with my goals.
Journey Maps
Journey Map - Spring 2023
My Actual Journey Map - Spring 2026
Application is no longer available.
Next Steps
In my future, I expect to work towards gaining experience as a new graduate ICU nurse. I will first study for and take the NCLEX in early June, using study resources from school and bought from online. I will then start my job as a nurse and begin the orientation process. During this step I plan to join unit committees to further immerse myself in my nursing career and ensure I am creating good relationships with my coworkers. After two or more years of gaining valuable experience and getting comfortable with my new role as a nurse, I will begin to start applying for a doctorate program, either as a CRNA or Nursing Midwife. I will research schools and look for what experience is needed for the programs, using my current skills and skills that I will gain to help me gather the information. I will work towards any needs that I have during this time to increase my likelihood of getting into the program. After this I plan to finish school and start my new career in whichever field that I choose. While this is where my current goals end in terms of my career, I plan to continue fostering an environment where I grow personally and professionally after hitting this milestone.
Summary
Then
- Ambitious goals
​
- Concrete path toward success
​
- Self-discipline to gain experience​​​
pic from Adobe Stock
Now
- Concrete path towards goals that varied from original
- Job/volunteer experiences to gain experience​
​
- Ability to see outcome​​
pic from Adobe Stock
Future
- Study for and take NCLEX​
​
- Gain experience as new graduate nurse
​
- Join committees and clubs on hospital unit to foster connection​​​
​
- Choose doctorate program and finish program
​
- Continue to grow personally and professionally
pic from Adobe Stock
Reflection
With this assignment I saw just how far along I have grown and progressed throughout my goals from high school to my senior year of college. While doing the first assignment, I focused on my long-term goal of graduating college with my BSN degree. This allowed me to think not only in the long-term but also how to actively participate in my goals and ensure I will reach them, little step by little step. The second time doing this assignment I got to see my real journey throughout college. I got to see the growth and changes, as well as the steps I was taking to achieve my goals. It showed that the steps were not always linear, and not always the same as what I had planned, but it worked out anyways. This assignment reminded me just how lucky I am to be accomplishing my goals and also reminded me how much I learned and will continue to learn throughout my experience in college. I look forward to seeing what I will learn in my future career as an ICU nurse at Methodist Hospital and afterwards.