A Cleveland State Community College nursing student has been awarded the 2020 CastleBranch Student Scholarship for Allied Health Careerists in nursing. Kristy Cranford received the financial award from the Organization for Associate Degree Nursing and was recognized at the awards luncheon in Dallas over the weekend.
“She demonstrated exemplary service to nursing through the completion of her service learning project,” stated Nancy Thomas, director of nursing at Cleveland State Community College. “She went well above and beyond what was expected on each assignment and even helped organize the service event for other students. She also became a peer leader for a study group for other nursing students taking the course. She is an excellent student and I enjoyed having the opportunity to have her in the class.”
Ms. Cranford will receive $2,500 for the scholarship. The scholarship was established to assist second career students in pursuit of professional nursing education and a career as a registered nurse.
A Chattanooga native, Ms. Cranford is in the evening sequence of the nursing program at CSCC. She is set to graduate in December 2022. As her first year in the program comes to an end, she continues to stay focused on her career goals.
“The goal that I am working towards once completing the ADN program is to move in the direction of obtaining a BSN while working in the area of women’s health, specifically labor and delivery,” stated Ms. Cranford. “The ultimate future goal is to complete a master’s program in order to become a nurse midwife, all while providing education to women from all walks of life about the functionality of the body and how to augment positive outcomes in their own health journey.”
As Ms. Cranford attends Cleveland State, she is also working on her certification as a functional nutrition lifestyle practitioner through the Functional Nutrition Alliance. Her biggest interest is in women’s health, but most importantly she loves spending time with her husband and two dogs, Miller and Mabel, enjoying the outdoors of the scenic city.