Elma Sacic
B.S., magna cum laude, Nursing, 2023
Oncology Nurse, Seattle Children’s Hospital
“Being an Alfie means that you understand that there is more to a story than the eye can see. It is our responsibility to seek out more information to truly understand a topic and to be open to changing our minds when new information appears.”
Service & Work:
Treasurer, Seattle University Student Nurses Association (SUSNA)
Volunteer, Chinook Middle School, 2019
Awards & Honors:
Treasurer, Seattle University Student Nurses Association (SUSNA)
Alfie Scholars, Cohort 6, 2021–2023
Academic Achievement Scholarship
Redhawk Grant Transfer
President’s Honor Roll, Highline College, Spring 2020
Vice President’s Honor Roll, Highline College, Fall 2019, Winter 2020, Winter 2021
Elma’s Story
Although born and raised in Washington, I come from a Bosnian family. My parents were accepted into the United States as refugees in 1997 and 1998. They fled from a country that they no longer could call home. Their neighbors turned against them, and they were left with nothing. Although they finished high school, they never had a chance to continue their education into something great. They both received job training at colleges, but my mother often mentions how she wishes she did something more. As a first-generation college student, I always felt as though I needed to reach the dreams that my parents didn’t have the opportunity to achieve. I studied hard, got good grades, and always sought to make them proud.
Recently I realized that I spent too much of my educational journey trying to fulfill their dreams instead of fulfilling mine. At the beginning of my college career, my mom told me to never seek a job that I thought would make her happy; she and my father wanted only that I find a career that will keep me afloat and happy. They were always accepting of me as a person and their child, not just as a student. At that moment, I was set free. I began searching for my purpose and my dreams. I struggled trying to figure out what I wanted to be, growing up, since my parents gave me so much freedom. How am I to find a job that will keep me happy and successful? A life many people dream for. I recall wanting to be a veterinarian, police officer, and an EMT. All different fields of caring for different communities. I reflected this idea of caring for others to my grandparents. They took care of me for over half of my life. Throughout those years, I witnessed their health struggles. I remember asking my grandma to show me where the pain was coming from on my miniature toy skeleton and then recommend treatment. It is moments like those that pushed me to go towards nursing. My goal is always to find ways to ensure that those around me are cared for.
A challenge that I had to overcome was finishing my associate degree in Pre-Nursing through the pandemic. I unfortunately only had about two quarters at Highline College where I connected with the best professors and met amazing new people. Transitioning to online classes was not easy because I thoroughly enjoyed being surrounded by my peers and asking questions during class. When Fall 2020 came around, I had to take one of the toughest biology classes for my degree. I was incredibly nervous to take such a heavy course like this online without having the teacher by my side. I essentially turned this class into a full-time job. I spent 40 hours a week studying and drowning in assignments and concepts. It was never-ending, and I wasn’t sure I was fit to apply to nursing schools. However, I consistently reached out to my professor to meet during office hours to talk about things that I was unsure about. I understood the material, but test taking was always nerve wracking, especially since the exams were timed and I had to lock myself away in a different room in the house, hoping I wouldn’t hear any noise from my family. The pandemic took a lot of my hope for my future. Every day I felt as though I wasn’t gaining anything, just floating by. As the quarter came to an end, while the biology course was the toughest class I took, it did prepare me for the second portion of the class the following quarter. I knew what study strategies worked for me; I knew that my end goal was to obtain my associate degree, and I told myself to take things slow. I had constant support from my parents telling me that I can get through anything and to not put so much pressure on myself. I would tell myself, “You made it this far, you have so little to go.” I made it through the toughest time of my life with the help of my family and realizing my self-worth.
Advice
One piece of advice I have for high school students that are thinking about going to university, I highly recommend you take the time to start at a community college. I personally had the best connections with my professors because of the smaller class sizes. I had all the help that I needed and had immense support from the school during finals. If it wasn’t for an advising session at Highline College, I don’t think that I would be at Seattle University College of Nursing. Don’t stress about trying to discover what your future is going to be right off the bat. Choose classes that you think will be applicable to the real world along with ones that you enjoy. The one thing that the pandemic has taught me and many others is that you can only plan so far ahead. I spent far too long of my high school career stressing about the grades I was receiving rather than enjoying my classes. Every person’s path is different, so don’t become discouraged if your educational career is longer than the “average” person. Take the time you need to figure things out. Another piece of advice is to be open with new opportunities. I wholeheartedly believe that college and or university is the time where you get to harness your gifts and discover your part in the world.
Goals:
It was not until I moved schools that I started receiving personalized support that I truly felt empowered as a learner and person. This experience has had a profound impact on my success today and has inspired my goal to bring that same level of personalized support to my community. Firstly, in my professional life, my goal is to become a registered nurse so that I can advocate for greater patient representation through the diversification of the profession. By doing so, patients will receive improved support that is personalized to their background and particular needs. Secondly, outside of my professional life, my goal is to volunteer my time offering personalized educational support to students in my community. My hope is to connect with students on a deeper level by sharing my own story to inspire them to succeed. Overall, my goal in life, no matter what the endeavor, is to do my part to make those around me feel supported and heard.
On Civility:
To me, civility means we continue to advocate for equality and equity among our communities. If we see injustices happening around us, we foster civility by speaking against the injustice. Fostering civility also means that we are open to differing perspectives and cultures. By continuously being open to these different sides, we advance our knowledge and share it with others. The more we learn about one another and share our stories, the more understanding and respectful we become. Fostering civility creates stronger bonds between individuals and our communities.
