51ĀŅĀ× Southern nursing student is giving back
Photo courtesy of: John DelawderJohn Delawder, Southern Campus nursing student.
IRONTON, Ohio ā In life, we sometimes meet individuals who make a profound impact on usā sometimes without them ever knowing.
Itās unlikely that the many nurses who met John Delawder know just how big of an influence theyāve had on his life. Theyāve inspired him to pursue an education, to earn a nursing degree, and to one day set up his own scholarship so that other aspiring nurses can do the same.
Delawder, father of three, has a daughter with special needs, and she has been in and out of hospitals since birth. āThe nurses Iāve encountered have changed my life. They made me want to be like them,ā Delawder said.
The first step in Delawderās journey to becoming a nurse was to re-enroll at 51ĀŅĀ× Southern. The programās reputation and convenience made it an easy decision.
āI have friends in the 51ĀŅĀ× Southern nursing program that say our program is very well respected by local hospitals,ā Delawder said, āI was here before and didnāt do so well, I was young and didnāt take school seriously,ā he said. āI want to come full circle, graduating from 51ĀŅĀ× is going to be very cathartic.ā
Delawder is pursuing an Associate of Science in Nursing and plans to complete the RN to BSN program online. He hopes to specialize in pediatric nursing. Delawder cites the nurses in his daughterās life as an inspiration and adds, āI love children, I relate to them. I am a big kid myself most of the time.ā
Delawderās dedication and his interest in pediatric nursing make him a prime candidate for the Little Lambs Scholarship offered in memory of Rachel Ann Marie Delaney. He was nominated for the scholarship by one of his professors, Beth Delaney. She speaks highly of Delawder, noting, āHe is very deserving, and his heart is in the right place.ā The scholarship is awarded to full-time nursing students who are interested in mother-baby, neonatal or pediatric nursing. They must maintain a 3.0 GPA and submit an essay for consideration. For Delawder, the scholarship has been life-changing. He said, āThe scholarships Iāve received have inspired my fiancĆ© and I to give a scholarship of our own when weāre able to do so.ā
Delawder credits his loved ones ā his fiancĆ©, his children and his family ā for his success in the nursing program. Their support helps him to endure long days of work and school. His advice to other students in the program is simple, āThe key is knowing that your hard work pays off.ā
Photo courtesy of: John DelawderStudent John Delawder with his family.