Share the Dream: My Life, My Focus, My Goal Share the Dream: My Life, My Focus, My Goal: Washington, Gianah

Talent Merit Scholarship Recipient

I am Gianah Washington. I am from Mashpee, which is a town on Cape Cod. I have lived there my entire life, and there's no other place I’d rather call home. I’m very family-oriented. I grew up with a big, loving family, constantly with my aunts, uncles, grandparents, mom, siblings, and little cousins. I am the oldest out of all my siblings. Being the oldest definitely shaped me. My mom, also being a single mom who works a lot, forced me a bit to grow up earlier, with having to help parent my siblings, but I am very grateful because it helped me mature, and I love my siblings. I didn’t grow up with a father; he passed away when I was a baby, but my grandfather and Uncle have always played that father figure role in my life, even my mother. I wouldn’t say I grew up rich or anything, but my family always makes sure my siblings and I have everything we need and more. I have always felt surrounded by love. I say all this because my family really is such a special and big part of who I am. They are the ones who pushed me and helped me through everything in life. I couldn't imagine life without them.

I am Mashpee Wampanoag and Cape Verdean. My tribe is a big part of who I am because I’ve been involved in it since I was a little girl and have so much love for them. We have a tradition called a powwow, where everyone from our tribe and others gets together and dances. My Family has their own stand, which I have helped work at for the past two years. I love being able to share my beautiful culture with others. I’ve also helped accomplish big things for my tribe. I was a part of NEA, a native environmental ambassador. I traveled to a few places with them, like Alaska, New Hampshire, and New York, to conferences to help change water laws for our waters that were becoming contaminated. I also talked in front of my whole grade, presenting what our group did. I did many things with and for my tribe that helped me grow. Being a part of the NEA has helped me with public speaking and just being more confident in leadership. I am very passionate about being Native American and proud.

High school was a little rough for me. I started in 9th grade pretty rough. I went through many different things, and it had a big toll on my grades and mental health. In 10th grade, I moved schools, but it didn’t last long. I ended up getting a bad concussion and missing lots of school, and coming back to Mashpee High School. In 11th grade, I was doing better and getting somewhat back on track, and I figured out I wanted to go to college. I knew my grades were not that great in the past, but all I could do was do better moving forward if I was serious about going to college. In 12th grade, I really showed myself that everything is a mindset and did better in school than I ever had. I explored my interests and found nursing was something I could enjoy. I ended up getting my CNA license and really enjoyed that. I wasn’t one hundred percent about where I wanted to, but I know I didn’t wanna go far. I also knew I wanted to go somewhere that was diverse and felt like home.

I chose UMass Dartmouth because when I first toured here, I felt very comfortable. Everyone was very friendly. I really wanted somewhere I wouldn’t be far from home, so I could go back on weekends to help my mom and see my family. Growing up in Mashpee, it's diverse, but not really the high school. So I wanted to experience somewhere with a new atmosphere and new people. I explored many different schools in Boston, but the city wasn't somewhere I wanted to live. UMass Dartmouth’s location and area were just right; it's very close to stores I frequently visit. I also appreciate the size of the campus. I like how it’s not too big but not too small either. Classes are a good walk away. I feel like here I’m able to grow more independence and still stay connected to my hometown.

While being here at UMass Dartmouth, I wanna focus on my time management skills, staying organized, keeping my grades up, and not losing motivation. I also want to focus on meeting new people and making sure my major is definitely what I want to pursue. I plan to pursue nursing. The only part about nursing that makes me draw away a bit is having to go through chemistry, which I am not good at. Once I complete my nursing degree, I would love to become a nurse practitioner. I think nursing is something I will enjoy. I love helping people and the medical aspect. I would like to eventually become a pediatric nurse practitioner. I know nursing school is challenging, but I feel like I’m ready for it now. I really do enjoy learning new things. I’m also very passionate about expanding my education. I want to make my time count here and accomplish as much as I can while being here. I’m planning to join clubs and even go outside the
box and join at least one club I wouldn't particularly join, just to try something new.

Once I get my degree, I want to give back to the world as much as I can and to my family. I would really love to travel to third-world countries to help the sick. I would also like to help sick babies. One country I want to go to, to help, is Cape Verde. Some of my family is from there; it is a third-world country, and I'm interested in how healthcare is run there. I also want to see how I can help give medical help to people in need, such as the homeless and low-income individuals. I think I would be interested in possibly being in an organization that helps people in those situations. Another idea I have to give back to the community is to possibly work at my tribal doctor's office. They have always been short-staffed. They also go around to our elders' houses and help them with anything, check vital signs, and address any medical issues. I would love to give back and provide them with my help because, after all, they helped get me here to college.

The very first thing I would do is give as much as I can back to my family. They have given me so much throughout my life, and I'm very grateful for that. I would love to make sure my mother can live financially comfortably and be less stressed. This is important to me because even through the struggles, my mom has done her best for me. I would love to remove any financial burdens from her life.