Scholarship recipient: In his own words
Dear Donor,
I would like to thank you for this scholarship that will help my family quite significantly. As an Operation Enduring Freedom Veteran, husband and a father of twin boys, the Elizabeth O'Neil Charbonneau Scholarship will help in alleviating the enormous financial burden that comes with higher education. It will allow us to achieve our goals as a family without being forced into the throws of inescapable debt.
My name is Thomas M. Kumler. I am a nursing student at Lonestar College in Tomball, and again I would like to humbly thank you for this scholarship. I was a Medic in the Airforce for almost five years and worked in a Medical/Surgical Ward at Travis Airforce Base. Throughout my service, I have provided care for over three-hundred patients. These experiences and the feelings received culminated a desire within me to continue a profession in healthcare. I will be attending Lone Star College in Tomball for Nursing to better myself and provide a better life for my family.
With an Associate Degree in Nursing, I will be able to increase my repertoire of skills and apply them in the civilian sector thus continuing my passion for helping others in the best way I know how. Currently, my wife and I have decided to pull our twins out of school after the rise in Covid cases that are happening there. These trying times can be stressful, but we have each other to lean on, and to lift each other up. I see these brave frontline healthcare workers doing their best, and when I receive my Associates Degree in Nursing, I will be able to join them and continue to fulfill my duty to the people.
After receiving my Associates Degree in Nursing, my next step is to begin my Bachelor's Degree in a long road to eventually a Doctorate. I have a strong desire to work at a VA hospital and help other veterans like myself and my wife. I also have inclinations for teaching which developed as I was training students while in the service. With a master's and potentially a Doctorate, teaching Nursing would most certainly be obtainable.
Being able to train the next generation of nurses and bring out their full potential, as others did for me, would be most rewarding. Thank you for your time involved in reading my letter. I wanted to reiterate exactly how much this means to me. I am so grateful for you choosing me as a recipient of the Scholarship and the potential that you, the Donors, see in me.
Very Respectfully,
Thomas M Kumler