2023 Starting Now Scholarship Winner

Congratulations to our scholarship winners, Sofia Carrillo and Judy Winther. Judy's submission gives insight into Sofia's excellent attitude and drive to better her practice for herself and her patients! 

"Sofia Carrillo came to the PCU unit as a new graduate nurse about a year ago. She has excelled as a graduate nurse and become a very active member of the unit and hospital. She is breaking new ground as she became a member of our Unit Practice Council (UPC) and our hospital Shared Governance Council (SGC). As a member of UPC and SGC, Sofia can help transform nursing by working with fellow nurses to resolve problems and issues that arise on the unit and the hospital. Her becoming a member of these councils has renewed my hope in the next generation of nurses becoming active members of the nursing community and not just nurses that only want to come to work and go home at the end of the shift. Sofia is breaking new ground for our unit by becoming a preceptor for new nurses to our unit. She has a great work ethic and critical thinking skills which make our unit Manager and Educator confident that she can do a good job of precepting. She is setting an example for these new nurses by demonstrating the importance of being an active member of a unit. As she precepts she sets the example that we are not alone when caring for our assigned patients but can work together by asking questions about care and teaming with the Patient Care Techs and fellow nurses. As part of her teaching other nurses, she made a stroke poster. I am nominating Sofia for the “Starting Now” scholarship as a membership to AACN will help her in furthering her education by being able to utilize their educational offerings of journals, online courses and webinars. As she prepares for her PCCN certification this education will be invaluable. As a nurse who has an interest and has the drive to be active in leadership activities, I feel she will be an asset to MOC as they seek more bedside nurses in their leadership roles. Starting now, it is time for nursing organizations like AACN and MOC to encourage and assist in getting young new graduate nurses involved as they are the future of nursing."