Can you tell us more about yourself and your background?
Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh.
Satsriakal, my name is Sandeep Kaur. I am an American-born Sikh, raised in California with my parents and grandparents who never let me forget my roots. I am very passionate about my faith, family, and education. While I have had many ambitions to pursue one route or another, my ultimate goal is to continue Seva in the community. I am an active member of Global Medical Brigades, first as a part of Univ of California Irvine and now at Foothill College. As a part of this non-profit foundation, I enjoy providing free patient care to people in undeveloped countries. I look forward to expanding my horizons in the future and creating more destinations to help improve the health of people worldwide. I completed my Bachelor's Degree at the University of California: Irvine and graduated in 2012 with a Degree in Psychology and Social Behavior. While the economy took a big dip, college tuition took an even bigger hike. I constantly tried to work while balancing school to relieve some of the financial stress on my family. Currently, I'm a full-time student, employed at Kaiser Permanente and John Muir Medical Center as a Phlebotomist and ER Scribe. These jobs have helped me build a foundation of knowledge that will help me as I pursue my goal of becoming a RN and later a Nurse Practitioner.
What is your philosophy in life?
"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending." My philosophy in life is to let go of yesterday, have confidence, and never give up in life. While I have faced many hardships in the past, I look at every day as a new day. Life is short and unpredictable. A bit part of it is what has really influenced my decisions and shaped me into the woman I am today.
What is your dream in life?
My ultimate dream in life would be to bring back the one person who I miss everyday, my grandmother. They say "distance makes the heart grow fonder," but this is too fond for my own good. When reality sets in, I realize I can pursue the goals she influenced me to set for myself and know that she is with Babbaji, watching over me. My dream is to become a Nurse Practitioner with a Master's Degree in Clinical Leadership. While I have witnessed a number of patients, whether it is a family member or complete stranger, suffer in healthcare facilities from miscommunication, medication reactions, and procedural errors, my dream is to create better and safer routes to minimize these mistakes. My dream is to give peace to those who were victim of these mistakes in the past. In addition, my dream is to take care of my parents. They have spent the larger half of their lives raising my brother and I, never falling short of anything we may have taken for granted. If I can grow up to be half the person they are, I would be very thankful to God.
How has Sikhi played a role in your life?
I
have taken the values I've learned from Sikhi and applied them to my life at school, at work, and in the community. Sikhi brings me sanity. As a child, my grandmother used to drag me by the ear to Punjabi school in the summers. It was not until I lost her at a young age where I really became curious to know if there is a God. I became more interested in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji and began to read English versions of it daily on Sikhnet.com. Sikhi has given me strength, courage, and wisdom over the course of many years. I enjoy apps on my phone that play live Phatt and Kirtan from major gurdwaras around the world while I balance my work-school schedules.
Do you have any message for the sangat?
Babbaji has given me the hope that good people will always lend a hand rather than look for their own benefit in helping out. While I am currently still recovering from the cost of my Bachelor's Degree, two and a half years later, I have made the decision to pursue my Master's Degree in Nursing. I encourage the sangat to please lend a favor and support me to win a $5,000 scholarship for college. Loans are the only financial aid option given to graduate students in California from the government, but this scholarship would go a long way.
If you would like to support, all it takes is for you to VOTE for Sandeep Kaur at http://www.drpeppertuition.com/profile/1413300229. I am currently in 7th place out of over 500,000 contestants! I need to reach the Top 5 to win. You only need a Facebook to be eligible to support. In return, I will use my passion for Seva and education to pay it forward and improve the healthcare system of the next generations. Thank you so much for reading my story, I hope you support. Rab Rakha.
Note: Voting ends Jan 12, 2015.
Vote at: http://www.drpeppertuition.com/profile/1413300229
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