Natalie Coughlin

Natalie Coughlin

2024 - 2025 Scholarship Recipient
University of California, Los Angeles | School of Nursing

My name is Natalie Coughlin, and I am a fourth-year nursing student at UCLA, set to graduate this June. My journey into nursing has been profoundly shaped by my father, a veteran of over 20 years in the United States Marine Corps. His service exposed me to the complex physical and mental health challenges that military personnel and veterans often endure, challenges frequently overlooked in traditional healthcare.

Witnessing my father’s experiences have made me acutely aware of the critical gaps in education and awareness surrounding veterans' health in the nursing field. With over 16 million veterans living in the United States, far too many face significant barriers to care while struggling with service-related health conditions. While my father successfully transitioned out of the military into civilian life, this is unfortunately not the case for so many. Witnessing these disparities first hand has shaped my passion for nursing and solidified my commitment to making a tangible difference within the field.

At UCLA, I have dedicated myself to providing patient-centered care while actively seeking opportunities to drive meaningful, systemic change. My ultimate goal is to become a nurse who integrates holistic patient care with meaningful change within healthcare. I am committed to advocating for underserved communities, addressing systemic barriers to care, and continuously improving patient outcomes through evidence-based practice and compassionate, patient-centered care. Beyond direct care, I also hope to conduct research at UCLA's Center for Vulnerable Populations, applying evidence-based strategies to improve health outcomes for veterans and other underserved communities. 

To me, nursing is more than just a profession. It is a commitment to serving communities and advocating for those who lack the resources or voice to advocate for themselves. Inspired by my father's resilience and the countless veterans navigating complex healthcare challenges, I am determined to use my nursing career to bridge critical gaps in care, raise awareness among the nursing community, and create lasting, meaningful change within healthcare.