Heremela Gebrehiwot
Quick Facts
Age: 20
Major: Nursing, 2025
Notable: First-generation
Languages: Tigrinya
Transfer Institution: Green River College, Associate in Arts
“Civility is a powerful force. It’s choosing to improve yourself and be self-aware. It’s bettering yourself to be better for others.”
Service & Work:
Emergency Department Volunteer, MultiCare Auburn Medical Center, July 2022–June 2023
Caregiver, Dawn Adult Family Home, Auburn, WA, July 2022–May 2023
Clinical Assistant, Medical Teams International, Auburn, WA, October 2022
Awards & Honors:
Alfie Scholars, Cohort 8, 2023–2025
WA College Bound Scholarship
Stanley O. McNaughton Community Service Award, July 2023–June 2024
Leadership 1000 Scholarship, April 2023–June 2025
Heremela’s Story
I came to the United States from Eritrea at the age of five with my two siblings and our mother. However, my father and oldest brother had to stay in Eritrea for some time. My mother was quick to get a job as a caregiver and worked herself up to be a nursing assistant. While my siblings and I were with a babysitter, she was working 12-hour shifts. She would buy medication for my family, who was not as fortunate to afford it. She took care of people to make money to take care of other people. She took charge and is why I know what a leader looks like. Her happiness came from caring for others' well-being. My mother planted a seed in my heart for medicine.
I knew that my parent's goal when immigrating to the U.S. was to provide my siblings and me with an education. In elementary school I picked up reading and was the leader of my school's global reading challenge. In middle school, I continued pushing for academic success and was on the honor roll. When high school came around, my perception of it was wrong. I continued along until my junior year I realized I was stuck. I did not feel content, was not motivated, and did not know which specific career in medicine to choose.
So I made it my goal in junior year to gain improvements in various aspects of my life. I got a job and started the Running Start program at Green River College. At the same time, I found out what a nurse practitioner was and fell in love with it. I saw it as a combination of my love for medicine and nursing. However, most importantly, I opened my Bible and sought Jesus. As time went on, I felt improvement. I began my volunteering journey in an emergency department and adult family home. I also volunteered with the non-profit organization Medical Teams International. I finished my AA in Pre-Nursing with high honors and became a certified nursing assistant. I felt whole and directed.
I have found a love for learning academically and in general. I am excited to join the healthcare field and assist underserved communities. I am also optimistic about the future. Through it all, I have found joy.
Goals:
My current goal is to obtain my Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Ever since I was a young girl, I knew my contribution to this world would be through healthcare. I will be providing care, but also offering comfort, compassion, reassurance, and relationships. I will be focusing on my patients in a holistic way. My patients will understand I care about their situation and well-being. I also want to provide comfort and assistance to diverse and underserved communities. I want them to come into the healthcare setting feeling safe. Nursing will be my way of making positive impacts in people's lives.
After focusing on that for a few years, I will earn my Doctorate of Nursing Practice. My ultimate goal is to become a family nurse practitioner. As a nurse, I’ll be assisting patients hands-on and direct. However, as a nurse practitioner, I'll be, ordering, treating, and educating on diagnosis. I want to grow my and my patient's knowledge of medicine. Being in the family specialty will allow me to meet and work with many ages. I want to experience assisting people at different times in their lives. I want them to understand their health and any concerns. Through it all, I will be reliable, gain relationships, and offer comfort.
On Civility:
Civility is a powerful force. It's choosing to improve yourself and be self-aware. It's bettering yourself to be better for others. Instead of allowing differences to cause divisions, civility aims to unify communities by appreciating differences. A person who demonstrates civility has empathy. They have compassion for those who are quick to judge or react in anger. It's taking advantage of those little moments in our day to choose kindness. Civility is choosing to be that light in the dark space.
