Scholarship provides more than financial support

After graduating with a sociology degree and service as an AmeriCorps member, Song Yang was accepted into the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Public Health Associate Program.

“That was where my love for public health developed and what led me to look into a career in nursing,” said Yang.

As a public health adviser, she helped to implement a sexually transmitted disease intervention project in California, in an area that had some of the state’s highest rates of syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea. Eventually, intervention efforts were hindered as the local health department’s priorities began to mirror the conservative environment around it.

“Unwilling to wave the white flag, I collaborated with four nurses to find ways to prioritize the syphilis outbreak in the county,” said Yang. “From the nurses, I saw strong advocates and nurses who weren’t just nurturers, but also strong fighters in the areas of health promotion and prevention, and that is exactly what I want to be.”

“Her path inspires me to become a role model for my own community.”
_{– Song Yang, about Alice Kuramoto}

Yang sought out a program specifically focused on those looking to change their career paths to nursing and was accepted into the competitive Master of Nursing program at the University of Minnesota. When she learned she was a recipient of the Dr. Alice Kuramoto Nursing Scholarship, she knew her aspirations of becoming a nurse would become a reality.

“I immediately researched who Dr. Kuramoto was and was inspired by her achievements,” said Yang. “It makes me happy to see such an incredible nurse, who also is Asian, doing amazing things. Her path inspires me to become a role model for my own community.”

The scholarship lightened her financial burden and allowed her to focus on learning. After graduating in December, she’s eager to pursue her career as a nurse.

“I look forward to the endless opportunities a career in nursing will provide and the vital role I will have in transforming health care,” said Yang.