Robin Wollard is directing her life to complete a full circle. Twenty-four years ago she graduated from a diploma nursing program, returned to her hometown of Sedalia , Mo. , and started her nursing career at the local hospital.

As an RN for the Outpatient Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Center at Bothwell Regional Health Center , Wollard helps patients get back on their feet after they've suffered a heart attack or as they learn to live with lung or heart disease. On average patients stay at the rehab center for three months, and as time passes she sees a complete transformation in them.

“They arrive looking scared and weak,” Wollard says. “As each day goes by, I see them grow stronger and gain more confidence in taking over the care of their own health.”

Wanting to be in charge of one's own destiny is a characteristic of most people, and Wollard is no different than her patients in that regard. Seven years ago, Wollard made the decision to leave her 16-year career in the hospital's intensive care unit for the rehab center. As this career move reduced her stress level and taught her new nursing skills, it also motivated her to change her educational goals. She obtained her BSN degree in 1999 and enrolled in the MU Sinclair School of Nursing's Master's program in 2006.

The challenge of taking master's courses hadn't been a part of Wollard's career plan until recently. Up until this point, she was taking care of her parents as they aged and passed away. She also says now that her son, Sam, and daughter, Alyssa, are teenagers they understand when she tells them she has to study. “Hopefully I'm setting a good example of life-long learning for them,” Wollard says.

Wollard wants to enter her career's final phase in a primary-care setting. Making this decision is where her life's path started the upward swing to complete the circle. For the past nine years, Wollard's daughter has received treatment for Crohn's disease. This disorder causes inflammation of the digestive tract. The swelling is painful and, at this point, there is no cure. Treatment includes drugs, nutritional supplements, surgery or a combination of all three. Not only are the treatments expensive, but they are exhausting emotionally, physically and spiritually.

“Our family has been blessed to have had a nurse practitioner by our side during Alyssa's disease,” Wollard says. “She has supported us and helped us understand this disease as well as how to incorporate changes in our lifestyle to control Alyssa's symptoms. This is what I want to do in the final part of my career. I want to be that kind of liaison between our local hospital and its patients.”

So with the support of her family, Wollard took a cyber leap and enrolled in the on-line degree program. Going on-line for an advance degree took a little getting use to, Wollard said. “Learning how to use the technology was scarier to me than taking on the challenge of studying. If I can learn it, anyone can,” she laughed.

Even with the cost of living and her daughter's costly treatments, Wollard didn't apply for scholarships. “I have a great support system within my family, and my husband doesn't mind if some of the daily chores such as keeping an impeccably clean house doesn't get done right now,” Wollard laughs.

Wollard believes there are students who need more financial help then she does. “I have an established career in a profession I love as well as the financial support of my husband,” she says.

So with the support of her family, Robin took a cyber leap and enrolled in the on-line degree program. Even with the cost of living and her daughter's costly treatments, Robin didn't apply for scholarships. However, the Fund the Drive for Nurses scholarship is not based strictly on meeting the financial needs of a student. This scholarship is also based on academic achievement and leadership while helping to offset college costs. And with a faculty member's encouragement, Robin applied.

“This is the first scholarship I've applied for and received during my time at MU,” Wollard said. “It has allowed me to work a little less and study a little more all the while still being a part of my husband's and children's lives.”

Since enrolling in the school, Wollard has changed her emphasis to Family Nurse Practitioner. The reason? To make herself the best well-rounded, health-care professional for the community she was born in, works in and plans to retire in.

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