SCHOLAR
SPOTLIGHT: MISTY HILL
Hometown: Tampa, FL Hernando Healthcare Foundation, Inc./ Florida Blue Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship
What influenced your decision to attend PHSC? I remember watching the PHSC Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch being built next to my high school and slowly turning into this beautiful campus. Choosing PHSC felt natural. It showed me that I did not have to leave my community to build something meaningful. Being able to attend a college I had watched rise from the ground up felt special, almost like I was growing alongside it. It reminded me that my goals were just down the road.
What are you studying? I am studying Dental Hygiene. I have always wanted to become a dental hygienist because I truly believe a smile can change someone’ s life. When someone feels confident in their smile, it changes how they carry themselves, how they speak and how they show up in the world.
As I have learned more in my classes, I have also realized how deeply oral health connects to the rest of the body. It really does start with the mouth. So many systemic diseases are linked to oral health, and I hope to help people understand how important prevention and education are. I want to be not only someone who cleans teeth but someone who truly cares about each patient’ s overall health and confidence.
What is your fondest PHSC memory? I cannot name just one memory because PHSC has given me so many meaningful moments. I have formed some of the most genuine friendships of my life here, relationships built on encouragement, late-night study sessions, shared stress and shared victories.
I have also grown so much personally. PHSC did not just teach me academically; it helped shape who I am becoming. I have learned discipline, resilience and how to believe in myself even when things feel overwhelming. Looking back, every semester and challenge feels like it was leading me exactly where I was meant to be.
Is there someone at PHSC that you admire and why? It is honestly difficult to choose just one person. I would love to shout out Professor Nikole Jorgensen Zidar, my Anatomy instructor, who truly jump-started my academic career. She challenged me in the best way and helped me realize I was capable of more than I thought. I will never forget her corny jokes, but more importantly, I will always be grateful for the way she helped shape my work ethic and confidence as a student.
I also want to recognize Professor Jacqueline May, my English instructor, who has one of the biggest hearts. Through her class, I learned how to reflect more deeply and grow as a leader.
Within the Dental Hygiene program, I am incredibly grateful for Brianne Neville, Stephanie Hodges, Catherine Perales and Dr. Shah. They are blessings to work alongside, and their guidance and high standards continue to shape me as I grow into this profession. I walked into this program unsure of what to expect, but I am so blessed to have made it here.
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