Spring 2024 Behan Law Group Military Veteran Scholarship Winner

Each semester, The Behan Law Group offers an award of $1,000 to support the higher education of military veterans, current service members, and their children. Our scholarship also requires the applicant to submit an essay discussing how their experience affected their academic and career goals and they plan to use their education to positively impact their community.

Nicole Hancock

Graduate student and military veteran Nicole Hancock has been named the first-place winner of our Behan Law Group Military Veterans Scholarship. Nicole plans on using her award of $1,000 toward her education as she seeks to become a speech-language pathologist and help veterans at the VA hospital overcome speech disorders caused by a stroke, traumatic brain injury, and more. Read Nicole’s essay to get a better understanding of Nicole’s story and her career aspirations.

Read Nicole's Essay:

I am a proud Army Veteran. Before I joined the service, I approached life “as one who went with the tides.” However, my time in service molded my dreamer mentality into an ambitious individual. I learned that ideas are great but even better when put into practice. As a Veteran, I learned quickly that the production of ideas or plans needs to be met with execution. I carried that practice over to my personal life. The military shaped me into an individual who is resilient, service-minded, and determined to accomplish what I set out to do. I received my DD 214 in March 2022 from active duty. However, I continue my military service as a Reservist currently in my city. Soon after my ETS from active duty, I began undergraduate classes in Communication Science and Deaf Education at Utah State University (USU). Speech-Language Pathology is a practical service that combines both my passion for language and people. My passion to serve and care for individuals will be fully expressed in this career field. I graduated from USU in Summer 2023 with a Bachelor of Science.

My time as an Army Veteran enforced the “Never Quit” attitude and influenced me to reach my professional goals. I am continuing my education at Baylor University (BU) as a graduate student in the Master of Science in Communication Science & Disorders. After graduation, I plan to serve Veterans as a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) within a Veteran Affairs hospital. My goal is to serve patients who have undergone a stroke, traumatic brain injury, and/or any other neurogenerative-related speech disorder. As an SLP and a Veteran, I will be able to relate to those individuals and assist them in their rehabilitation process. The rehabilitation process for neurogenerative disorders can be long and taxing on an individual. However, I desire to remind my fellow Veterans that he/she is not alone and that giving up is not an option. The Army’s Warrior Ethos echoes the same mentality: to place the mission first, never accept defeat, never quit, and never leave a fallen comrade. In the same way, my mission is to become a Speech Language Pathologist to seek the welfare and good of those whom I serve.

I no longer approach life “as one who goes with the tides” solo. Instead, I look at how I may build a life that creates well-being and value for those around me. My military service taught me that dreams become a reality with practical steps. For this reason, I credit my time in service as the reason for my present-day ambition, determination, and desire to go into the field of communication sciences and disorders. My experience taught me to continue regardless of setbacks; by doing so, I endeavor for the betterment of the profession, myself, and, ultimately, other individuals in need. I am grateful to serve as an Army Veteran and to continue my education. In the future, I will have the opportunity to serve my fellow military Veterans in need.