Avigayle Burgin

Spring 2021 - Avigayle Burgin, a junior nursing major from Arlington, Texas, contends that her blood ran green and gold before she could even talk. That's largely due to the influence of her father, a Baylor student in the early 1980s. "I decided firmly in the fourth grade that I would be a Baylor Bear, no matter what it took," she said.

Now that she is nearing the end of her studies at Baylor, with only one year remaining before pursuing a career in pediatric nursing or labor and delivery, she finds herself grateful for all that has made her Baylor experience unique.

A recipient of the Dr. and Mrs. Zack Bobo Jr. Scholarship, Avigayle said one of the things she appreciates the most is the philanthropic generosity of others in the Baylor Family that provides crucial financial support to students like her.

"I had the privilege of growing up hearing about Dr. and Mrs. Bobo from my father and grandmother," she said. "Dr. Bobo delivered my grandmother, and my dad was a recipient of this same scholarship when he attended Baylor in 1984. Our love for the Bobo family runs deep."

A HEART FOR OTHERS

Avigayle dates her desire to become a nurse to when she was 10 years old. "My mother is a nurse in Fort Worth, and my father is the head of counseling at Mission Arlington," she said. "I wanted to attend a top-tier university, but my parents were not able to afford the cost of Baylor's tuition without help."

With the assistance of financial aid through what she calls the "radical generosity" of donors, she and her family found the doors to a Baylor education opening up. Today, she said, the Bobo Scholarship is helping her continue to pursue her dream every day. "I want to use my practice of caring for others in a way that conveys the love of Christ, no matter who my patients are or where they come from," Avigayle said. "It is because of those who have contributed to the Bobo Scholarship over the years that I am here, and I will forever be grateful."

Avigayle said she has found Baylor to be the perfect fit for her professional and personal growth. "Baylor felt like home the moment I stepped out of the car, and I knew that I wanted to be surrounded by such a loving and caring community while I navigated my college years," she said.

In addition to her studies, she has kept busy through involvement in several organizations, including Chi Omega, Campus Crusade for Christ, Bears for the Cure and groups focused on advocating for pediatric cancer patients and their families.

"It is incredible to look back on the past three years of college and see all that the Lord has done," Avigayle said. "I am blown away by His faithfulness and the many blessings He has bestowed on me."