Johnson & Johnson and NEF Partnership

Five exceptional doctoral nursing students each received a $10,000 Johnson & Johnson/NEF Health Equity Scholarship this summer. They are:

  • Sharren Burney, a PhD candidate at Boston College Connell School of Nursing. Her research investigates the role of hospital environments in shaping diabetes outcomes among vulnerable populations.
  • Christine “Charlie” Hawknuff, a Doctor of Nursing Practice at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in the DNP/MBA dual track and a Post-Master’s Certificate student in Nursing Education. She discovered her passion for work in the equity and inclusivity sphere serving in two leadership positions in large emergency departments that serve diverse communities.
  • Laura Mata Lopez is pursuing a PhD at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. Born and raised in Costa Rica, her practice and research are informed by stories of hardship and resilience passed down by generations of women in her family, and those entrusted to her by patients.
  • Paula Tucker, DNP is a 3rd year Ph.D. student at Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. At a young age, Paula possessed a desire to care for those in need as well as compassion and empathy for vulnerable populations. Her research focuses on predictors of functional recovery among patients with traumatic brain injury.
  • Roque Anthony Velasco is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus College of Nursing. His long-term goal is to build a research program to explore the interrelationship between the experience of multilevel stigma and primary care access on the health and health-related experiences of transgender and gender diverse (TGD) older adults.

The full biographies of each of these outstanding scholars can be located by clicking “Scholars” on the homepage Menu.

FEATURED SCHOLAR

Melanie Applegate

(2016-2017 Winner)

Winner of the Margaret Gould Tyson Memorial Scholarship, Melanie Applegate completed her bachelor’s degrees at University of Rochester in health and society and in music, and spent a semester interning at the D... read more.

Donate Today


Support a Graduate Nurse’s Education

NEF’s only purpose is to provide nursing scholarship assistance to make graduate level nursing education possible. NEF is the largest, single, private, professionally endorsed source of funds for advanced nursing study with over one hundred years of service to and for professional nursing.

NEF’s Board of Directors is comprised of leaders from nursing, education, technology, and business communities. Members donate their time and talent to the advancement of the nursing profession. NEF operates with exceptionally low overhead. NEF employs only one individual who serves in several capacities. NEF is a non-profit organization with 501(c) status; thus, your contributions are fully tax-deductible.