UHV student wins Salute to Nurses scholarship
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| Lauren Watson |
Lauren Watson, a Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing student at the University of Houston-Victoria, recently received a $1,500 scholarship as part of the Houston Chronicle’s Salute to Nurses program.
The UHV School of Nursing was asked to nominate a student who had maintained academic excellence and shown dedication, promise and exceptional character, said Kathryn Tart, founding dean of the school. Watson and four other students from the Houston area who exemplified these ideals then were chosen to receive scholarships and were recognized at a May 12 luncheon.
Watson, a Houston resident, takes UHV classes at the University of Houston System at Sugar Land and will graduate in August.
She already had a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from the University of Texas at Arlington when she realized she wasn’t completely satisfied with a career in physical therapy.
“I tend to get a little bored if I get stuck in one area, not that in physical therapy you can’t do different things, but I worked in an outpatient physical therapy clinic,” Watson said. “I felt like I was in the same place every day, but in nursing, there are so many different fields and levels you can work in.”
An earlier experience also inspired Watson to pursue nursing. Two years ago, her father received a liver transplant.
“The nurses my dad had were like angels,” Watson said. “I’d like to be that for someone else. My goal has always been to help people. It makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something.”
It’s easy to see why Watson was selected for the Salute to Nurses award. She has maintained a 4.0 grade-point average and was nominated by her instructors for her integrity and natural ability to lead.
“I always try to help my fellow students,” Watson said. “And I always want to learn and get as much as I can out of the clinical experience and everything we do in the lab. But I didn’t think they’d pick me, so it was definitely a nice surprise.”
Watson said she’s interested in entering the fields of organ transplant or neurology in the future. She also plans to pursue a Master’s of Science in Nursing.
The UHV Outstanding Student is an online feature highlighting the exceptional students who attend the University of Houston-Victoria. To nominate a student, contact UHV Communications Manager Paula Cobler or call 361-570-4350.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
