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Nursing is the perfect career for Sebastian Shigeyoshi ’20. He’s compassionate, thoughtful, engaging, and feels a strong sense of commitment to helping others.

“It is important to understand that the world is bigger than us, and that we all have the ability to improve the lives of others,” Sebastian says. “Nursing is a profession that will allow me to serve people. There’s something gratifying about caring for people when they need help.”

����ֱ��'s Close The Gap Scholarship is supporting Sebastian as he pursues a career focused on caring for others. When Sebastian transferred to ����ֱ�� as a sophomore he was juggling multiple jobs in order to finance his education. Now a junior, he has had to cut back on work to focus on a demanding schedule of clinical rotations and academics.

The Bachelor of Science in nursing program is an intensive six-semester program. At the completion of the program, students will have also completed over 1,000 clinical hours, cared for individuals from all walks of life while developing life-long friendships with members of a diverse student population.

Not only is the Close the Gap Scholarship making it possible for Sebastian to focus on his studies, it also is helping to reduce stress and anxiety.

“The scholarship has definitely helped a lot. Even with financial aid, the tuition my first semester was eating into my savings and I was getting worried about what was ahead,” he says. “The Close the Gap Scholarship is helping to mitigate the costs of my education, as well as relieving stress. I am very thankful to the donors.”

A San Francisco native, Sebastian was not sure what he wanted to do after high school. The first in his immediate family to attend college, Sebastian enrolled at the nearby San Francisco City College to start figuring things out.

One day a friend of a friend mentioned taking courses in nursing. Sebastian was intrigued.

“Up until that point I had no solid understanding of nursing, but it sounded interesting and I wanted to learn more,” he recalls.

Sebastian started volunteering at California Pacific Medical Center CPMC. Before long he realized he had found his calling.

Looking back, he admits that the fascination with nursing actually began in seventh grade when a deep cat bite turned into Cellulitis. Hospitalized for several days, Sebastian says it was the nurses who helped make his hospital stay less intimidating.

“I remember having a nurse who was really cool, she really helped me through the ordeal. As a patient, it is a big comfort to have someone who is there who can help you get through the process.”

Drawn to the hands-on focus of ����ֱ��’s nursing program, Sebastian is enjoying the support and encouragement he receives from faculty mentors, including nursing professor Dr. Harvey Davis.

“I’ve never been a strong reader – but Dr. Davis really gets you to read,” says Sebastian. “There’s a lot of supplemental readings that are really, really interesting – a new study about mental health or a case study that’s relevant to the work we are doing in our rotations. I look forward to his class.”

As he continues through the nursing program, Sebastian is settling on areas he will want to pursue after graduation. Geriatric nursing interests him, especially after he helped in a flu clinic at a local nursing home and connected with some of the residents.

On March 19, ����ֱ�� will hold its third fundraising event, All In for ����ֱ��. Again, donors will be able to help students such as Sebastian through gifts in support of the Close the Gap Scholarship. Their generosity, says Sebastian, will make a big impact.

“They will be donating to students who are focused on improving their own lives and improving the lives of people around them,” Sebastian says. “That’s an investment. That’s a good investment.”