Two CNM Nursing Students Win Prestigious Scholarship

Some people have never heard of the Nightingale Scholarship, but for nursing students, it’s a very big deal.

“It’s sort of like the New Mexico nursing Emmys,”  says Diane Evans-Prior, the Academic Affairs Director of Nursing here at CNM.

Both Collette Archuleta, 31, and Misty Eskridge, 47, won based on a number of criteria including overall GPA, college and community service, and the quality of their application essays.

Collette, who will graduate with an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing, and a Bachelors of Science in Nursing through the New Mexico Nursing Education Consortium partnership with UNM, says nursing was a clear choice for her because she wanted to be involved and helpful in the local Albuquerque community.

“I see people in need every day because of poverty or medical problems and I wanted to be able to help those people right off the street,” she says. “Nursing is a way that I can have an immediate and positive impact.”

For Misty, nursing has been a life-long goal.

“As far back as I can remember this is what I wanted to do,” she says. “I started back in the 90’s but put everything on hold because of my family. Now I’m excited to start helping people through their most difficult times, and to be part of an ever-changing medical field.”

Collette and Misty will each receive $1,000 from the Nightingale Scholarship, which is funded by the New Mexico Board of Nursing, to put toward their education. They’ll also have the eye-catching achievement to put on their resumes.

If you’re a nursing student and want to find out more about the scholarship, please contact Diane Evans-Prior at devansprior@cnm.edu.