My name is Lynnette Marie Huber (Lesmeister), I am an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. I am originally from Eagle Butte, SD and was born and raised on the Cheyenne River Sioux reservation. My lifelong dream of attending nursing school is moving forward as I am now in my final semester, thanks to generous educational scholarships like yours. Since being named one of the recipients of the Theosophical Order of Service Scholarship, my dream is becoming a reality at Oglala Lakota College. The $4000.00 award gives me an opportunity to continue to earn skills that will serve my community following graduation as a nurse. I am excited to graduate in June of this year and my plan after graduation is to return to the Cheyenne River Sioux reservation and work for CRST tribal health department or in the emergency department which is a part of Indian Health Service on my reservation.

I cannot thank you enough for your generosity: without scholarship patrons like TOS, students such as myself would be unable to pursue health care degrees or any degree that serves the Native American population. Since applying for this scholarship, I have been laid off from my place of employment and financially I have been struggling to keep a roof over my head and fuel in my tank (all requirements in order to fulfill my educational commitment at OLC). I travel 4 hours a day from and to my home to pursue my education, for the nursing program is located on the Oglala Sioux reservation in Pine Ridge, SD. I stay in the nursing dorm one night a week to cut expenses. I am currently working on my clinical preceptorship hours in Rapid City at Rapid City Regional Hospital in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit. I am very honored to have this opportunity to learn specialized nursing skills that will enhance my career.

Your scholarship will help me earn my degree in nursing, which requires sacrifice, special training, coursework, and time. My passion for healthcare is matched only by my love for my people, so my decision to pursue a degree in nursing comes from my heart. It is difficult to get providers to come to the reservations that stay. The retention of healthcare workers is low and the turn over high; and the trust relationship between healthcare providers and patients is minimal. I hope by returning home I can establish healthy trusting relationships with our clientele and a rapport with them that will benefit their healthcare outcomes. Additionally, I am pleased to inform you that I am continuing my education after graduation to further my nursing skills as a nurse practitioner.

Once again, thank you for the vote of confidence and the TOS scholarship. I am committed to my education and to the health care field, and one step closer to becoming a nurse, thanks to your generosity and the TOS Scholarship.