Hunger by Kayla

Hunger by Kayla - April 2020 Scholarship Essay

Hello, my name is Kayla Rauschert. I believe that attending college is very important and I am writing this personal statement because a few months back marked my one-year anniversary on making the biggest decision in my life and I want to share my story. January 5th, 2019 marked the last day of my job that I had for the past seven years. At the age of 30, I made the hard decision to quit my job, go back to school full-time, and purse dental hygiene. I was hungry to make a better life for myself, my future family, and to make a direct impact in patient care.

The reasons why I am interested in re-attending college and pursuing dental hygiene has to do with hunger, work ethic, and passion. Since I was 18 years old, I have always had this inner ache inside my chest for healthcare and helping people live healthier lives. With healthcare being a tough field to purse as a student athlete, I ultimately chose to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business. Through that journey I knew all along that my passion was really in the field of dental hygiene and patient care. Tony Robbins, a well-known life coach states that “Our hunger determines whether you simply talk about the life you want to live or take action to make that dream a reality” (Robins, 2019). Thankfully, with the support of surrounding mentors I found my inner strength and hunger to push myself out of my comfort zone, take a leap of faith, and start pursuing a career in dental hygiene. Although my journey through business school taught me many valuable lessons and intangibles to life, a part of my passion was still missing.

Though this inner ache had lived inside me for over a decade, I chose to continue chasing the foundation that I had created during those four years. I attained a job with Grand Canyon University (GCU), the school that pushed me and helped me grow both personally and professionally. During my seven years as an employee at GCU I was honored to graduate with two masters degrees, Master of Science in Leadership and Master of Business Administration respectively. During my time at GCU I gained knowledge in executing organization’s missions, leadership models, time management, and the value of communication. Though I gained incredible knowledge through my time at GCU I didn’t feel fulfilled and realized even more that my passion was really towards healthcare. I also realized I was not focused on my passion for healthcare. I adjusted my focus and took the lessons I had learned and applied them to my original passion for patient care and dental hygiene. With the qualities that I possess such as teamwork, drive, problem-solving and communication skills I am confident that I will be a successful dental hygienist. I also recognize that the lessons I have learned personally such as patience, understanding, and empathy will better allow me to connect with my future patients.

As a dental hygienist, I know that I will face many different strengths and challenges. As for me, the main strength I will demonstrate is honesty. Working with patients may bring some challenges especially when it entails personal health. The strength to be honest with my patients will allow me to build trust. I will provide them with truthful and transparent information in order to implement the best patient care. My overall goal is to understand each one of my patients and offer an open and trusting relationship with the hope of leading them to a healthier lifestyle.

Currently, I am working at Redlands Mesa Family Dentistry as a dental assistant and receptionist. Both positions have helped me thoroughly understand the importance of oral health, how oral health affects the human body, and how it can impact various disease states such as various disease states such as diabetes and oral cancer screenings.

As I have challenged and allowed myself to get out of my comfort zone, I have been able to find my true passion of patient care in dental hygiene, If I am accepted for this scholarship, I will continue to take this inner hunger to make a better life for myself, my future family, and for all of those around me including my patients. I hope I get the opportunity to continue this and be the best dental hygienist I can be.

Reference

Robbins, Tony. (2019). The Gift Of Drive. Retrieved from http://core.tonyrobbins.com/gift-
drive/drive-509CX-3220GC.html?