A Beacon of Service: A Scholar’s Journey to Healthcare Leadership
Article by Nicole Scheidel, 2024 Scheidel Foundation College Success Fellow
The Herbert W. Scheidel Leadership in Action Award, a prestigious scholarship at Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ), annually recognizes a student who embodies Mr. Scheidel’s passion for community engagement. Each year, the award recognizes one student and two finalists who demonstrate exceptional leadership through immersing themselves in their communities and volunteering to expand opportunities to the underserved. In 2024, Francine Calayag received this award for embodying these qualities and attributes.
Francine’s Commitment to the Healthcare Community
Francine (pictured second from left, accepting the Leadership in Action Award) exemplified the service attribute of the award by fully immersing herself in giving back to the community through her dedication to her volunteer work. Since March 2023, Francine has volunteered over 150 hours at the Mayo Clinic, demonstrating remarkable discipline while juggling a full-time college schedule, maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA, and working two part-time jobs. For Francine, volunteering is not simply an obligation. Instead, it is a fulfilling endeavor that brings her joy and allows her to make a tangible impact, even though it may seem trivial. “You may not see it, but you really do make a great impact on those people, and they will really appreciate it,” she said.
Francine’s fascination with healthcare started when she first learned to read, and has since blossomed into a career aspiration. Currently pursuing pre-nursing studies at FSCJ, Francine’s extensive volunteer experience has solidified her desire to become a Nurse Educator. This goal stems from her firsthand observation of healthcare professionals’ burnout through her studies and volunteering experience. Ultimately, through Francine’s dedication to volunteering and contributing to the healthcare field, she was able to find a deeper sense of purpose giving back to the community while solidifying her passion for the healthcare industry as well.
How Service has Shaped and Cultivated Francine
Beyond Francine’s direct contribution to her community, her volunteering experience also greatly contributed to shaping her character and skill set. “When it comes to healthcare, I learned that patience is the key to living a peaceful life. Being patient and more understanding allows me to focus on my work. Communication is also key to expressing and achieving my goals,” Francine said. She credits her experiences for these skills which she deems essential for a successful career in healthcare. “Always remaining curious and asking questions allows me to grow and develop leadership skills.” These skills have added significantly to her growth as a student and for her future as a Nurse Educator.
On top of these practical skills for her career, she also learned and grew stronger mentally through her experience volunteering. Francine expresses that even though volunteering is an unpaid experience, “it’s very rewarding for one’s emotional, social, and mental health. Nothing can go wrong with volunteering.”
Francine emphasizes the emotional and mental rewards of volunteering, noting how it has led her to develop a meditation practice to maintain balance amidst her busy schedule. Her Christian faith, she says, has been a driving force, motivating her to create a life of purpose and positive representation. Her dedication to improving healthcare from within, coupled with her unwavering commitment to service, marks her as a rising leader in her field and a worthy recipient of the Scheidel Award.
Receiving The Leadership In Action Award
The Leadership in Action Award has provided Francine with more than just recognition and has become a powerful motivator in her personal and professional journey. “This award has impacted me to become more committed to the craft I am doing,” Francine reflects. “Previously, whenever I felt unmotivated, I thought about my Christian faith and making a great story of my life. After winning the scholarship, I have something tangible to look back to — It truly represents a great milestone for the life I created and want to create. “
Recipients are granted the opportunity to make a charitable donation, allowing them to further their community impact. Francine has chosen Pace Center for Girls in Jacksonville as the beneficiary, whose mission is to empower young women through “education, counseling, training, and advocacy.” Francine expresses great appreciation for the support system she had while pursuing her college studies and finding her passion, and wants to provide as much help as she can to pay this forward for those who do not have the same.
As Francine expresses: “One of my mantras in life is to represent myself as someone my younger self would be proud of. I hope that my younger self is and continues to be proud of me for what I have achieved”. Wherever Francine is in her life or career, she hopes to always continue to give back to her community as best as she can.