Shantel Coleman, AGPCNP-BC, Nancy Stilwell McLernon Scholarship Fund

• Hometown: Jamaica Queens, NY
  
• Favorite Self-Care Activity: Yoga or palliates
  
• Undergraduate Education: Long Island University Brooklyn Campus, School of Nursing
• Current Program: Doctorate of Nursing Practice, Adult/Gerontology
  

I chose university of Buffalo School of Nursing because UB is consistently known as one of the world's most exceptional universities. UB has some of the most world-renowned faculty teaching and guiding its students. This university has high quality academic programs that produce excellent professionals. Lastly, UB is a place where you are challenged to apply your knowledge and collaborate with other individuals to address some of the world's complex issues via research.

My area of interest at this particular time is gastroenterology as a specialty. My interest was sparked as a result of being a gastroenterology RN working inpatient endoscopy unit at North Shore University Hospital. As a RN in gastroenterology, I saw various complex diseases involving the GI tract that intrigued me to want to learn more. I then became an adult-gerontology nurse practitioner.

I have begun my seeking research and potential topics that will assist me with my DNP final project. I take part in a numerous amount of gastroenterology educational programs. I will be working on an outreach program in one of the underserved communities I grew up in to provide education on colon cancer screenings.

My professional goal is to obtain my doctorate degree in Adult Health. Upon completion I would like to open a community clinic in the underserved community. The clinic will be primary area and open to the entire neighborhood. I will have various specialties that will work in the practice to maintain stability for the patients.

My pursuits will help shape or transform health care, nursing education and/or practice. This will be done by reestablishing trust in the community between the provider and the patient. Many patients do not have a sense of trust any more with the providers. They believe that it is only about how much money they will be reimbursed from the insurance companies, not the actual care for the patient, which means the most to the patient. I will use my evidence-based research and knowledge obtained from this degree to inform my patients of the importance of maintaining health. I will open up a practice that is geared to treating the patients as a whole. The knowledge that they will receive will inspire them to inform others to get evaluated and treated.

This scholarship award will help me achieve my academic and professional goals by aiding me financially the ability to pursue my dreams. I am a mother of 5 children [whose] ages ranges from 13 to 2 years old. The cost to go back to school for a doctorate degree is costly. However, with the assistance from this scholarship, it allows me to keep my loan requests to a minimum. At some point I will be needing to afford or take out loans on behalf of my children. But if I could keep that to a minimum now it will allow me to be there for them at some point. Scholarships are an amazing way to help others. My goal is to be able to give back to others as one once has done for me.