Araya

Primarily it was my mom who made me want to go into nursing. After she was diagnosed with cancer in 2017, her nurses welcomed my family with open arms and loved my mom like she was their own mom or aunt. It was a cool experience to see how they loved her as she was going through chemo and radiation. I would like to specialize in oncology and give that back to someone else. I think I can bring a kind spirit and kind heart to nursing. I personally don’t want to do it for the money, in fact if I could do it for free I would. People’s lives are at stake and no life is worth more than money. I would rather be dead-broke and living than be rich and feeling dead inside. I want to be a kind spirit to people who are in need, who are feeling down, who don’t have a strong voice or support person to do that.

Araya is a 2022 graduate of Aliquippa Jr./Sr. High School where she achieved high honors and was number seven in her class. She was also part of Talent Search, National Honor Society, and received eight varsity letters during her high school career for Varsity Cheerleading (Captain) and Volleyball (Co-Captain.) During her senior year, she served as Class Treasurer. Her academic drive assisted Araya as she earned a number of scholarships including the Aliquippa Alumni Class or 1986 and 1995 Scholarships, Modern Club of Aliquippa Scholarship, and Heather Feltenberg Scholarship. She was also chosen for a Board of Governors Scholarship from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. Still deciding where to attend, Araya plans to study nursing in the fall and work toward her B.S.N. She intends to specialize in oncology and be employed as a traveling nurse after earning her degree.

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