Featured Testimonial About Creighton University
It was just one of those moments where you realize, ‘I know what I’m doing. This is working. This is where I’m meant to be.’
Even if Abdul Tholley is in the thick of the 12-month Accelerated Nursing Program at Creighton’s Phoenix campus, he still finds the time to volunteer where he can. Even if it means leaving the country.
Once a month, a group of Phoenix and Tucson medical professionals, including students, take the four-hour drive to the Mexican fishing and resort city of Puerto Peñasco to set up a weekend clinic. Earlier this year, Abdul joined the mission trip, and the experience proved both eye-opening and life-affirming.
“People came into the clinic from all over and for every reason,” he says. “Women in labor, patients with heart problems and medication issues and broken legs.”
Many were seeking care they couldn’t get elsewhere, and Abdul got to help many of them. In one case, a doctor asked Abdul to do the assessment with a pregnant woman whose water had broken a week prior but who had not yet given birth. Abdul, who does not speak Spanish, asked questions, and the doctor translated.
“It was just one of those moments where you realize, ‘I know what I’m doing. This is working. This is where I’m meant to be,’” he says.
Abdul was accepted to a handful of schools across the country, but Creighton’s curriculum, academic reputation for excellence and financial support made it his top choice for pursuing his second degree.
After graduation, Abdul hopes to work in emergency pediatrics, though he’s excited by the possibilities a nursing degree affords.
Abdul grew up inspired by the nurses who worked and lived in his home. His mother taught him how rewarding it was to be involved in holistic patient care. His grandmother’s home health nurse showed him firsthand what a nurse can to do empower a family.
Likewise, Abdul has seen what a family can do to empower a nurse.
Abdul earned the prestigious Stephanie, BSN’84, and David Scott Scholarship, which the Scotts established in 2011.
Without the scholarship, enrolling in the accelerated nursing program might not have been an option for Abdul. Without it, he might not have ended up exactly where he said he’s meant to be.
“It’s so important to have good future nurses like Abdul in Phoenix. He is kind, engaged, and easily develops rapport. We are thrilled to have him in the program,” said Hez Naylor, MSN, FNP-BC, senior nurse practitioner and instructor at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center.
WHY ARE SCHOLARSHIPS IMPORTANT?
There is no limit to what a bright, talented, and hardworking student can accomplish in the field of nursing when given the opportunity.
Our scholarships allow students to break the barrier to entry, opening a world of possibility with a hands-on educational approach and expert faculty guidance. Through philanthropy, we offer students and faculty the ability to attend courses, conduct and present research, and study abroad. Scholarships help build a trusted representation of our institution through accreditation, and allow for a diverse group of students with different backgrounds to become the guiding figures of the future of health care.
