Marcela Nelson

UConn School of Nursing, Class of 2019

I was raised in Norfolk, Connecticut. I graduated from Northwestern Regional High School in 2015 and  I am currently working towards my Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing.

I volunteer with the Northwest Special Olympic Swim Team, where I run practices, teach athletes with disabilities how to swim, and chaperone the overnight State’s competition. I also volunteer with Camp Horizons, where volunteers run activities for campers to have fun and learn practical skills. Working with these kids every week, I learned the rewards and the challenges of working with underserved populations. My time volunteering led me to feel that it is incumbent upon me to be an advocate for such populations, closed off as they are from adequate health care.

I sought involvement in Urban Service Track to learn about the challenges facing my community and how I can help alleviate them. To provide the best care possible for my patients, I must be attuned to their different community backgrounds and those communities’ unique needs. The UST can help me become a nurse who can tailor her practice specifically towards helping underserved population. As well, through the UST, I will work with a team of interdisciplinary professionals, all with the common goal of making a difference in our communities. This collaborative learning will help me be a more effective team member in future health care scenarios. I want to become a nurse dedicated to serving the underserved and UST will give me the resources to achieve this goal.