2025 Rosen & Ohr Scholarship Winner

A Shattered Vase, A Shifting Life

By: Maria Ramona Ciorciovel

In December 2021, just days before Christmas, my family and I went for lunch on 5th Avenue in Naples, Florida. The streets were beautifully decorated and closed to traffic, and we chose a table outside at Café Milano. The tables were small, and each was adorned with a tall, heavy vase full of fresh flowers and water. My 6-year-old daughter and I stepped away briefly to wash our hands. When we returned, our lives changed forever.

We found my husband lying unconscious on the pavement, his face covered in blood. A tall vase had unexpectedly fallen and struck him on the head, shattering into his forehead—very close to his temple—and breaking the eye socket. Police and paramedics surrounded him as they waited for the ambulance. My daughter screamed in panic, calling out, “Daddy, what happened?” That image will forever be etched in my memory.

He was rushed to the hospital, and due to COVID restrictions, my daughter and I had to wait in the parking lot for hours. He was diagnosed with a concussion and required neurological evaluation. Since then, nothing has been the same. He began suffering from severe daily migraines, blurred vision, and persistent dizziness.

A few months later, the trauma took an even darker turn. My husband began experiencing seizures and was taken back to the hospital. He was prescribed new medications, which he still takes today. The man I married — strong, focused, full of energy — is no longer the same. He cannot always finish a full work shift. Some days, the pain and disorientation force him to rest. The emotional toll on our family has been immense.

This accident didn’t just harm him physically — it changed everything in our lives. I had to become the primary financial provider for our family while caring for him and raising our daughter. I worked full-time in hospitality, while still pursuing my dream of becoming a nurse. I applied to Florida SouthWestern State College’s nursing program and was admitted in 2025. But because I already hold a bachelor’s degree, I do not qualify for federal financial aid. I had to pay for all ten prerequisite science courses out of pocket, and now, I am struggling to cover tuition, textbooks, supplies, and living expenses on my own.

Despite these hardships, I’ve kept moving forward. I earned a 4.0 GPA in my prerequisites and scored “Advanced” on the TEAS exam. Nursing is more than a career choice for me — it is a calling, shaped by what I’ve lived through. I’ve seen how fragile life can be, and how critical compassion and care are in moments of crisis. I want to be the nurse that families like mine can count on when everything feels uncertain.

Receiving the Rosen & Ohr Scholarship would not only ease the financial burden but would also give me the ability to focus fully on my education and clinical work. It would allow me to continue building a better future for my family and to serve others with knowledge and empathy drawn from personal experience.