Alyssa is honored to be the recipient of the Evelyn J. Barclay Scholarship. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Fairfield University while working as a patient care associate at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH).  Currently, she is enrolled as a full-time PhD student at the Boston College William Connell School of Nursing. 

She began her nursing career at MGH, caring for medically complex adult surgical patients. During this time, she served as a charge nurse and preceptor, mentoring novice nurses and new staff in their transition to clinical practice.  When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, Alyssa transitioned to a COVID Intensive Care Unit at MGH to care for critically ill adult patients.  Simultaneously, she began her Master of Science in Nursing in the Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner pathway at Salem State University. While working on her graduate studies and caring for a diverse population of older adults, Alyssa developed a strong interest in addressing how social determinants of health and structural inequities shape health outcomes in this population.

Recognizing the urgent need for a nursing workforce prepared to meet the complex needs of an aging and increasingly diverse patient population, Alyssa began teaching clinical courses in adult and public health nursing for both Boston College and the MGH Institute of Health Professions. After earning her master’s degree, she became board certified as an Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner by the ANCC.

With a passion for bridging clinical practice and research, Alyssa was inspired to pursue her doctoral studies. In 2023, she enrolled at the Boston College William Connell School of Nursing. Boston College’s reputation for academic rigor, its commitment to advancing the science of nursing, and the Jesuit values of social justice and service made it the ideal setting for her doctoral education. Alyssa is actively engaged in the BC Connell School of Nursing PhD Committee and a multidisciplinary palliative care advisory group. She is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, Alpha Chi Chapter, and is an active volunteer with the Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA).

Alyssa is deeply grateful to be awarded the Evelyn J. Barclay Scholarship, which supports doctoral students studying public health, nursing education, or research. This award will provide critical support as she advances her dissertation research on loneliness among older adults and older adult informal caregivers. Alyssa remains committed to educate future nurses and improving care outcomes for our growing population of older adults.