Heartfelt Thanks
Speech by nursing major stirs emotions at scholarship luncheon

Amidst all the hardships and trials that we as a nation have gone through these past couple of years, it’s wonderful to be reminded of the greatness of the human spirit.

Donors, let me start off by telling you a little about myself so that you can get an idea of why I am so appreciative of your kindness. I was born and raised in the great state of Mississippi. I am the youngest of three children born to a single mother. She did the best she could to support us but it definitely wasn’t easy. She worked two jobs most of the time just to make ends meet and sometimes that wasn’t even possible.

I made straight A’s throughout school. I had a great love for science and took first place each year at our regional science fair. I was one of those kids that, while everybody else was dying to go outside and play, was busy curled up reading a book or planning how to win the next year’s science fair. It’s safe to say I was a nerd.

After eighth grade, I went to school in another district. Funding was inadequate and I wasn’t challenged enough. Quite frankly, I was bored. I dropped out at the end of the ninth grade because I felt I would be doing better by helping my mother work.

I went to work at the greenhouse with my mom. Within a few months, I had enough money saved up to buy my books for home schooling. I worked during the days and taught myself in the evenings. I graduated from the program when I was 16.

No one in my family had ever gone to college. But I had dreams that were so big and stretched far further than conformity. I knew I wanted to be a nurse. I was aware of the nursing shortage in our country as well as the rest of the world. When I was applying in 2003, the United States alone had a shortage of over 168,000 nurses.

I researched universities all over the country. No matter where I looked, Old Dominion stuck out. It was voted best in the mid-Atlantic by Princeton Review. The School of Nursing had the highest pass rate on the NCLEX than any other school in Virginia. My mind was made up – I was going to ODU no matter what it took – never mind that I didn’t have a dollar to my name and the cost of attendance was well over $20,000 a year for an out-of-state student. ODU was the only school I applied to.

I’ve gone through and experienced so much these past few years. In August 2005, with Hurricane Katrina, we experienced the loss of our home back in Mississippi. While it wasn’t completely destroyed, the damage was enough to prove unlivable. In March of 2006, I married my soul mate. With marriage, one might think my financial situation has improved. But it just so happens he is a soldier in the U.S. Army and we all know that they don’t make any money either. He is currently deployed to Afghanistan.

Everyone here at ODU is top-notch. From the nursing faculty who have to put up with me every day to the school administration that only has to deal with me when I have a problem, they’ve all treated me like family. I’ve made friendships that I know will last my lifetime.
With all that I’ve accomplished, none of this would have been possible without the support from my donors, one of whom is sitting in this room right now – Mr. Jordan Levitin with the TOWN Foundation.

Mr. Levitin, thank you – from the bottom of my heart. Without you, I wouldn’t be where I’m standing today. These scholarships for me were the difference from being able to get an education and not. There was no other way I would have been able to go to school. I provided the vision and you made it possible. Thank you for making this small town girl’s dreams come true.

To all the donors, thank you for believing in us. To give of yourselves so that others may experience something as rewarding as an education is priceless. Your faith in this next generation is astounding and we won’t let you down.

To the recipients, you’ve been given such a remarkable opportunity and you are so blessed. There are many intelligent and gifted people out there who would love the chance to go to school and simply cannot afford it. Make the most of this chance you’ve been given. Thank those who have helped you get to where you are. And when you succeed like I know you will, remember where you came from and the kindness shown to you. Pass it on. Change the life of another who was once struggling like you. Caring and genuine concern are what make us as humans different from any other species on Earth.
It’s humanity – pass it on.

(Editor’s note: Junior nursing major Miranda Brown gave this speech in November at ODU’s Hugh L. Vaughan Scholarship Luncheon, an annual event that brings together scholarship donors and recipients. One of her awards is from the TOWN Foundation, a local philanthropic organization that provides scholarships to students who plan to enter the nursing profession or teach in a public school setting. Recipients must meet academic and need-based criteria.)