Jaelyn Nelson '23 Recruiting Profile

My educational journey is marked by multiple moves and different schools. As a result, I had to constantly build new friendships and adapt to new academic environments and unfortunately, my grades suffered. Most of my attention was going towards building healthy relationships rather than building my GPA. But, all I have ever wanted was a stable learning environment where I can explore different areas of study to build my professional future. While my grades took a dive, my motivation to succeed in life did not sway and in fact, it grew exponentially and reached a boiling point when I began playing lacrosse. 

Lacrosse is just like any other endeavor in life because it has multiple levels to climb in order to excel. Lacrosse taught me sportsmanship and teamwork, giving me a strong competitive drive, and provides me with an opportunity to release my problems through physical exercise. The sport provides me with another family I did not know I could have.Through research, I discovered Lacrosse is an historically Native American sport so I know the game was built on love and community values. Knowing the true meaning of its history allowed me to become one with the sport and with myself. Like the Sankofa bird, I had to look backwards to the past in order to look forward and I am so excited for my future at this university and beyond.

As a foundation for my path to self actualization, I focused heavily on the intersection between race and equity. Unfortunately, racism is a real issue often detrimentally personified in the educational system. Fortunately, I understand now and can combat racism which I learned through research and observation. I now have the emotional stability and ability to help others move forward by practicing empathy, compassion, and empathy in the medical field.

Empathy and compassion are the main driving forces behind breaking the social barriers that become health problems. I understand that a multidisciplinary education is the key to becoming an effective figure in the medical field. Strong knowledge supplemented by practical training will help me to further understand the current state of society and the vital steps necessary to create a healthier world.

I want everyone to find what gives them the motivation lacrosse has given me. Since societal injustices are the result of systems that are deeply ingrained, they must therefore be approached not as an individual situation but as the consequence of a multitude of systematic factors and I am ready for that challenge.

After seeing my grandmother and both my great uncles suffer and pass away from preventable diseases, I realized It is not possible to step even one foot in someone else's shoes. Their life's journeys were marked by hardships I could never even dream of going through myself. But I can still understand and appreciate their plights. As a result, I can help others address curable conditions with empathy by understanding and being compassionate enough to create a stable environment for others in order to be healthy. It is vital for me to help people become the narrators of their own stories just as I have done with this personal statement.