JBU NOW
Scholarships Allow Student-Athlete to Cheerfully Jump into Nursing Program BY OLIVIA MCCARVER
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ohn Brown University checked every box on Brighton Acord’s university wish list — close to home, college cheerleading and a Christ-centered education. Now a junior, she is thriving on campus and grateful for the opportunities that have enabled her to pursue a degree in nursing and continue her cheerleading career. “[The JBU Scholarship Fund] has allowed me to be able to focus on my academics and athletics,” Acord said. “It has allowed my family to be more comfortable and to not stress about finances as much.” Like many students coming out of high school, Acord wasn’t ready to hang up her uniform and let go of the sport she loved. “I chose to join the cheer team because I cheered throughout high school and did all-star competitive cheer and was not ready to give up the sport I had done my entire life,” she said. While events like the annual Toilet Paper Game are among Acord’s favorite memories, she values practice and time with her teammates.
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“I love all of our practices. We truly have such a good team dynamic,” she said. “We have had several team bonding events outside of practices which help us grow stronger together.” Acord’s ability to balance the rigorous demands of JBU academics and her responsibilities as a student-athlete will serve her well as she prepares for her future career. She was recently accepted into JBU’s nursing program and will begin adding clinical hours to her schedule in the fall. Thanks to generous donors, this hard-working, dedicated future healthcare professional is part of a community Acord loves, where she consistently demonstrates the excellence and strong work ethic required of a Golden Eagle student-athlete. “I love the atmosphere [at JBU]. The professors truly care about you and want you to succeed, and the friends you make are so special,” she said. “Even though it is a small campus, it can feel big at times as I am constantly meeting new people.”
