Sidney Mathews earned her Bachelor of Science in Allied Health, with a minor in Psychology, from Texas A&M University in College Station. Throughout her undergraduate career, she worked as a Caregiver for Visiting Angels, helping assist patients at their homes with care and daily living tasks. She then went on to obtain her Certified Nurse Assistant certification and worked as a CNA at a local Nursing Home and Rehabilitation facility in College Station where she gained her bedside skills and learned to work alongside a nursing team. Her passion for nursing sparked even more here, falling in love with building connections with patients, investing in their care, and learning the way an interdisciplinary team worked together to achieve and support patients as best as possible. Sidney states she had a nurse mentor at the nursing home who she has to thank for helping her push herself in the field and guiding her through patient tasks with prioritization. Her mentor showed her respect and allowed her to challenge herself in a safe supportive environment and for this Sidney is grateful and wants to do the same in her future career for others. Sidney is interested in the Nursing leadership world for a hospital here in Texas for a chance to hopefully work as a Nurse Manager or Director someday. Sidney can't wait to graduate and obtain her license and is forever grateful for UTMB and PLUS for helping shape her into the future nurse graduate she is today. She is thankful to her staff, family, and friends for supporting her each step of the way.

Leading comes from a way of life. Whether it is sharing the previous knowledge you obtain from someone else, assisting and teaching people in a crowd, or behind a closed door showing another how to help them succeed. It isn't how you can be the better candidate or better selection for the position than another. It is showing you are available to be there for another so that no matter the challenge or obstacle faced, there is support found from you however needed for however long.

Jayla Jackson completed her prerequisite courses at Texas Woman's University Denton as a pre-nursing major. She also earned a minor in business management during her time at TWU. She served as student staff of the Housing and Dining department as a Community Intern President and Residence Hall Association Vice President on campus. She also worked as home health CNA outside of school which helped fuel her passion for geriatric nursing. During her time in this program, she has served as a student ambassador giving tours, tips, and tools that have helped many incoming and prospective students. She was also a part of the UTMB Podcast which discusses tips for incoming students and more about the PLUS program. She also has the honor of working as a Nurse Technician II at Ben Taub Hospital caring for geriatric and psych patients. All of these opportunities have allowed her to grow in her leadership journey through communication, teamwork, and bedside manner. She is looking forward to using her talents to own and operate a long-term care facility some day.

I believe the most important qualities in a leader is being able to listen, observe, and serve. Listen so that you can identify and address the need. Observe so that you can identify the talents of your team to come to the best possible outcome. Serve because a true leader is usually the first to show up and the last to leave.

Mary Nguyen earned her Associate Degree in General Studies and Natural Sciences from San Jacinto Community College, concurrently with his high-school diploma from Clear Horizons Highschool. Before becoming a nursing student, Mary earned her CNA license and was a patient care assistant at Memorial Hermann Southeast as she builds a stronger groundwork for herself before entering nursing school. Thus, during her time at UTMB, she challenged himself to take up leadership roles such as being a course representative for Adult 1, active member and fundraising chair for Student Nurse Association, and Student Ambassador of Student Nurse Against Cancer. She was also inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society, a significant stepping stone to strengthening her leadership qualities. She strives to help the people around herself and establish a sense of harmony in her environment as she works towards being a pediatric nurse.

Lorena Valdez earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with a minor in Community Health, from the University of Texas at San Antonio. During her time at the university, she engaged in various community outreach programs and volunteered at local clinics, which deepened her understanding of the social determinants of health. After graduation, she began her professional journey as a behavioral technician at Sun Behavioral Houston. In this role, she worked closely with adolescents in group therapy sessions, helping them navigate mental health challenges. This experience was pivotal, as it ignited her passion for the nursing profession. She is particularly dedicated to improving access to quality healthcare and advocating for more comprehensive health education programs for low-income Americans and minority communities. Lorena aspires to further her education by pursuing studies in either Nurse Practitioner or PhD programs and her ultimate goal is to become a leader in the healthcare field.

A leader is more than just a figure of power. Though power is significant, a leader without love, passion, and empathy is nothing. True greatness in leadership lies in the ability to connect, understand, and actively listen. Effective leaders are proactive and people-focused, driving change, imparting wisdom, leading progress, and, most importantly, demonstrating empathy for those they advocate for.