MY GOALS  
by Jennifer Henderson, Center TX

Karen Cooper Essay Contest Winner 2004-2005

 

My goals include the following items. One, I will earn an Associate Degree in Nursing from Panola College in Carthage, Texas. Two, I will pass the licensure examination and become a Registered Nurse. Three, I will work as a Registered Nurse, in a psychiatric setting, while studying to become a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. Four, I will become a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and work as such for up to five years, saving money for further education. Five, I will earn a doctorate in Evolutionary Psychology, then begin a career as a professor of Evolutionary Psychology.

My experience began as a teenager, when I worked part-time in a doctor’s office in Palmyra, Pennsylvania. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and graduated cum laude from Pomona College in Claremont, California. During college, I volunteered at the Walter Hoving Home, a recovery program for female drug addicts and prostitutes, under the auspices of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. I then worked for a year as a Child Care Worker with neglected and abused boys at McKinley Children’s Center in San Dimas, California. After moving to Pennsylvania, I was employed as a Psychiatric Assistant at Philhaven Behavioral Services, a not-for-profit psychiatric hospital. I worked on the secure Adult Unit for four years and was promoted twice. As a Lead Psychiatric Assistant II, I supervised all personnel who were in contact with patients. Lead Psychiatric Assistant II is the highest position a person can hold in that program without a nursing or graduate degree. While employed at Philhaven, I earned several commendations and excellent yearly reviews.

My achievements in high school include earning a 4.037 GPA, winning or placing in several poetry contests, including the Scholastic Writing Awards, and qualifying for District Band. I was also a member of the track team, the swimming team, the band, the orchestra, the jazz band, the choir, and the stage crew. In college, I was a member of the choir and the chamber choir for four years and a member of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship for two years. I graduated with honors while overcoming a long-term major medical problem.

I have taken several steps towards reaching my goals. This semester, I am taking prerequisites for the Nursing Program at Panola College. I will be taking a placement test in March, so that I will be able to start the nursing program in Fall 2005. I volunteer once a week at the Teneha Clinic Hope Project, a free clinic for the uninsured and underserved. I am researching scholarships and grants to fund my education, and I am also considering Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner programs across the country. I am strongly motivated to achieve my goals.

Throughout my education, I have shown perseverance and flexibility in reaching my goals. In my career, I have demonstrated that I can work in and adapt to widely differing and uniquely stressful situations. I have valuable experience in several areas of the mental health profession and an awareness of its strengths and weaknesses. I have shown leadership and initiative in my positions at McKinley Children’s Center and Philhaven Behavioral Services. I excel in academics, I am hard working, and I expect the best from myself and from others with whom I work. I will enjoy the challenge of reaching my goals.