Congratulations to the 16th Annual HCC & AMN Healthcare Scholarship Essay Contest winner, Oberlyn Gambito.

Oberlyn Gambito recently graduated from Sweetwater High School. She will be attending the University of California San Diego this coming fall and major in Molecular and Cell Biology. Migrating to the United States was a major turning point of her life because she had to adapt to a whole new culture that was substantially different from the culture she was accustomed to. For instance, the English language placed her in massive struggle. Initially, she struggled to do well in school due to her inability to understand and speak English fluently. But, she persevered to advance her ability to speak the English language by reading books and taking ELD class. Consequently, she was able to maintain her spot on the Principal’s Honor Roll and graduated high school with a GPA of 4.42. Overcoming this language barrier further encouraged Oberlyn to keep achieving highly in her academics and pursue her dream of becoming a Pediatrician. To gain experience in the medical setting, she joined the Health Academy Program at her high school. In addition to taking medical related classes, she was given the opportunity to participate in a mentorship program at Scripps Mercy Hospital where she worked closely with doctors in different departments. Determined to further her experience, Oberlyn is actively looking for more medical related volunteer opportunities in order to acquire more knowledge about the field she sees herself in the future.

Congratulations to the 15th Annual HCC & AMN Healthcare Scholarship Essay Contest winner, Tanner Curnow.

Tanner graduated from Fallbrook Union High School. He will be attending California Baptist University for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Tanner interned at Palomar Hospital, and said he knew he wanted to become a nurse after caring for a hospice patient who lived for six months and passed away in my home during my junior year of high school. Currently, Tanner is working night shifts as an Emergency Room Technician at Paradise Valley Hospital as well as a second year California State Beach Lifeguard.

Tung Nguyen, 2017 AMN Healthcare/HCC Scholarship winner is a recent graduate of Patrick Henry High School who is attending San Diego State University studying Biology. After immigrating to the United States just four years ago, Tung was determined to be the one who made a difference for his family. He overcame a variety of  hardships and continued to excel in school, graduating with a 4.21 cumulative GPA. In his scholarship essay submission, Tung shared, "Being an immigrant has taught me how to overcome struggles, how to stay determined and work hard towards my goal of becoming a first-generation college student for my family and achieve my dream career of being an epidemiologist."

Lauren Haneke-Hopps, 2016 AMN Healthcare/HCC Scholarship winner is a recent graduate from Patrick Henry High School who is now attending University of Alabama studying the field of Kinesiology and playing collegiate wheelchair tennis. As an adapted athlete, she has personally experienced what it feels like to receive much needed healthcare assistance. In her essay, Lauren shared, “Being in a wheelchair does not limit me; I hope to share with those that have been born with a disability or injured, that anything is possible to overcome and achieve any goal that is sent in their mind.” After four years of studying Kinesiology, she plans to become an occupational or physical therapist.