CFF Springfield HS Scholarship Recipient Emma Sulpizio’s Commitment to Others Drives Her Daily Life

Emma Sulpizio

Emma Sulpizio is looking forward to joining the ranks of healthcare workers doing good for others.

Emma, the 2020 recipient of the Casey Feldman Foundation Springfield High School (SHS) Scholarship, is now studying to be a nurse at Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania —  a path she may not have chosen without an SHS program. 

The school’s Medical Careers program allows high school seniors who are interested in pursuing a future in medicine to learn an extensive medical curriculum from professionals and take part in clinical rotations. Emma calls it “the best experience of my life.”

Every day, Emma would wake up at 5 a.m. and commute to Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park, Pa., where she would shadow her mentor, observing everything from basic patient care to a hip replacement operation. She would stay at the medical facility until midday and then return to SHS to finish out the rest of her academic day.

In a letter of recommendation, her mentor, a nurse called Emma one of the top students in the program. “She is consistently prepared for class, her work is never late and she is rarely absent,” the letter read. “Emma participates in every class; in fact, her hand is usually up first whenever I pose a question to my students! Her answers reveal thoughtful insight and a level of maturity beyond her years.”

Emma’s time at Medical Careers allowed her to have face-to-face, hands-on interaction with patients — an opportunity that would greatly impact her future dreams. It ultimately shifted her goal of pursuing medical sonography to nursing, where she could be more active in patient’s lives. 

I like being hands-on, I like talking to people and I feel like nursing is all about that,” Emma said. As a nurse, you have the opportunity to get to know your patients and learn to love your patients and I realized that that’s what I really want to do.”  

Emma Sulpizio and her parents at her graduation from Springfield High School

In addition to her hospital duties, Emma made time to be a dedicated athlete at SHS. She was a varsity field hockey player her freshman and sophomore years, and captain of the track team during her junior and senior years, where she received the MVP award.

Working as a team with doctors and nurses, and knowing how to work together and communicate is just like being on a [sports] team because you have to use the same skills,” she said.

Rounding out her ultra-packed schedule was her participation as a committee member of THON, a student run philanthropy organized dedicated to raising awareness and fundraising for children and families affected by childhood cancer. Emma’s grandmother also got her involved in volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House from a young age, often pitching in to cook breakfast for families staying at the facility.

Emma’s sheer determination and commitment to others is what fills up her schedule most days — and that’s just the way she likes it. When she graduates from Widener in 2024, she says she can’t wait to launch her career as a nurse and possibly further her education, eventually becoming a nurse practitioner.
I don’t know exactly what part of nursing I want to go into but I do know that I just want to be able to make a difference,” she said.