Learn about the “Day in the Life” of our Students!
BSN to PhD
Ashley Andraski, BSN, RN
Hometown: Orlando, Florida
Area of Research: Type 1 Diabetes
Faculty Mentor: Lisa Scarton, PhD, RN
Affiliations: University of Florida Diabetes Institute Ambassador, Gator Nurse Ambassador
Honors and Awards: University of Florida College of Nursing Alumni Book Award, Jimmy Carnes Memorial Scholarship, Jonas Scholar
Ailya Bai
Faculty Mentor: Victoria Menzies, PhD, RN, FAAN & Diana Wilkie, PhD, RN, FAAN
Caroline Deaterly, BSN, RN
Hometown: Sarasota, Florida
Area of Research: Substance use and health outcomes in women living with HIV
Faculty Mentor: Leslie Parker, PhD, APRN, NNP-BC, FAAN
Affiliations: Florida Nurses Association
Honors/Awards: University of Florida College of Nursing Accelerated BSN Research Award, Pre-Doctoral Fellow in Southern HIV and Alcohol Research Consortium T32 Program
Keliy Fordham, BSN, RN
Hometown: Sarasota, Florida
Area of Research: Neonatal and preterm infant health outcomes; neonatal nurse well-being
Faculty Mentor: Leslie Parker, PhD, APRN, NNP-BC, FAAN
Honors/Awards: Ruth Hay and Hans Schrader Nursing Scholarship/Fellowship Fund and the Walter and Louise Sutcliffe Scholarship Fund
Gina Gehling, BSN, RN, PCCN
Hometown: Bentonville, Arkansas
Area of Research: Identification of potential biomarkers associated with breast cancer-related treatment effects
Faculty Mentor: Jennifer R. Dungan, PhD, MSN, RN
Affiliations: Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society, Sigma Theta Tau, Southern Nursing Research Society, International Association for the Study of Pain
Honors/Awards: Thomas H. Maren Scholarship for Doctoral Nursing Students (2021-2022, 2022-2023), North Florida Doctoral Consortium, College of Nursing Endowed Scholarship, Nursing Grinter Award
Christina Grinstead, BSN, RN
Hometown: Gainesville, Florida
Area of Research: Cachexia and biologic characteristics in pancreatic cancer
Faculty Mentor: Saunjoo Yoon, PhD, RN
Affiliations: Southern Nursing Research Society, Beta Eta Sigma Honor Society
Honors and Awards: Rising Stars of Research and Scholarship Invited Student Poster Program at the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor
Society of Nursing’s 46th Biennial Convention, Brightest Students to Faculty Scholarship, Shands Board of Directors Nursing Scholarship
Larissa Iapicca, BSN, RN-BC
Hometown: Micanopy, Florida
Area of Research: Breastfeeding and congenital heart disease
Faculty Mentor: Leslie Parker, PhD, ARNP, NNP-BC, FAAN
Honors and Awards: Robert Wood Johnson Future of Nursing Scholar
Simone Jackson, BSN, RN
Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Area of Research: Alternative therapies for pain control
Faculty Mentor: Miriam Ezenwa, PhD, RN
Affiliations: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
Honors and Awards: Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation Nursing Scholarship
Elham Samami Kojidi
Faculty Mentor: Debra Lyon, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, FNAP, FAAN & Debra Kelly, PhD, RN, OCN, CNE, FAAN
Rigan Louis, FNP
Hometown: Léogâne, Haiti
Area of Research: Infectious disease, health promotion, vulnerable populations
Faculty Mentor: Michael Weaver, PhD, RN, FAAN
Affiliations: International Association of Clinical Research Nursing
Honors and Awards: Latin American/Caribbean (LAC) Award; College of Nursing Endowed Scholarship Award
Urszula Alina Snigurska, BSN, RN
Hometown: Racibórz, Śląskie, Poland
Area of Research: Aging, biomedical informatics
Faculty Mentor: Ann Horgas, PhD, MSN, BSN, RN, FAAN
Affiliations: Graduate Nursing Student Academy; American Medical Informatics Association; Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing
Honors and Awards: UF College of Nursing Certificate of Outstanding Merit, UF College of Nursing Research Scholar, UF College of Nursing Certificate of Outstanding Merit, UF Anderson Scholar of Highest Distinction, UF International Center Certificate of Outstanding Academic Achievement, UF International Center Certificate of Outstanding Academic Achievement, UF College of Nursing Research Scholar, Emanuel and Raidie P. Merdinger Scholarship Fund, Thomas M. and Irene B. Kirbo Charitable Trust
MSN to PhD
Fatmah Alamoudi, MSN, RN, BSN
- Hometown: United States of America, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Area of Research: Factors associated with survivorship in patients with pancreatic cancer
- Faculty Mentor: Saunjoo Yoon, PhD, RN
- Affiliations: Golden Key International Honor Society and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing
- Honors and Awards: Saudi Arabia Cultural Mission (SACM), Prince Sultan Military College of Health Sciences (PSMCHS)
Khadeeja Alnefaie,
Faculty mentor: Jennifer Dungan, PhD, MSN & Michael Weaver, PhD, RN, FAAN
Shuruq Alsayed, BSN, MSN-FNP, RN
- Hometown: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Area of Research: Mental health and well-being, psychosocial and psychiatric; autism
- Name of Faculty Mentor: Jeanne-Marie Stacciarini, PhD, RN, FAAN
- Honors and Awards: Princess Nourah Bint Abdul Rahman University Saudi Arabia Cultural Mission
Hussah Bubshait MSN, RN
Hometown: Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Area of Research: Breastfeeding, kangaroo care and neonatal disorders
Faculty Mentor: Leslie Parker, PhD, ARNP, NNP-BC, FAAN
Affiliations: Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing
Honors and Awards: Ministry of Higher Education in Saudi Arabia
Alexandria Carey, MSN, MBA-HC, RN, CEN, CPEN, CNE
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Area of Research: Emergency medicine
Faculty Mentor: Angela Starkweather, PhD, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN
Affiliations: Emergency Nurses Association
Honors/Awards: National Nightingale Award (for excellence in nursing education), Leader of the Quarter
Fabiana Cristina dos Santos, MSN, RN
Hometown: Sertaozinho, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Area of Research: Nursing Informatics and Palliative Care
Faculty Mentor: Gail Keenan, PhD, RN, FAAN & Tamara Macieira, PhD, RN
Affiliations: Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing: Rho Upsilon Chapter
Honors and Awards: Outstanding academic performance, leadership, and participation in research projects award from the Rho Upsilon Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society, Lois Malasanos Fellowship Fund Award, Walter and Louise Sutcliffe Scholarship Fund Award.
Elizabeth (Mendy) Dunn, MSN, RN, ACRP-CP, NE-BC
Hometown: Milton, FL
Area of Research: Informatics and health systems research
Faculty Mentor: Jane Carrington, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAMIA
Affiliations: American Nurses Association, Florida Nurses Association, Florida Organization of Nurse Executives, Emergency Nurses Association, International Association of Clinical Research Nursing
Honors/Awards: DeLuca Scholar
Lisa Johnson (Gawronski), MSN, APRN
Hometown: Merritt Island, Florida
Area of Research: Pediatric obesity, nursing informatics, digital health technology
Faculty Mentor: Hwayoung Cho, PhD, RN & Gail Keenan, PhD, RN, FAAN
Affiliations: Graduate Nursing Student Academy (GNSA)-AACN; National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)
Honors and Awards: University of Florida College of Nursing Graduate Assistantship Award
Olatunde Madandola MPH, BSN, RN
- Hometown: Nigeria
- Area of Research: Nursing Informatics
- Faculty Mentors: Gail Keenan, PhD, RN, FAAN, & Ragnhildur Bjarnadottir, PhD, MPH
- Affiliations: Golden Key International Honor Society
- Honors and Awards: Grinter Award, and Emanuel and Raidie P. Merdinger Scholarship Fund Award
Dennine McCadden, MSN-ED, RN
Hometown: Orlando, Florida
Area of Research: Pain and the Aging Adult with Dementia
Faculty Mentor: Ann Horgas, PhD, MSN, BSN, RN, FAAN
Affiliations: Sigma Theta Tau, AORN, FNA
Honors and Awards: Grinter Award, College of Nursing Scholarship
Angela Monk, BSN, MPH, RN, IBCLC
Hometown: Gainesville, Florida
Area of research: Neonatal nutrition and human lactation
Faculty mentor: Leslie Parker, PhD, ARNP, NNP-BC, FAAN
Honors and Awards: Arlene P McKitrick Grad Scholarship
Tarah Nelson, MSN, APRN, FNP-C
Hometown: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Area of Research: Type 2 diabetes in American Indian populations
Faculty Mentor: Lisa Scarton, PhD, RN
Affiliations: Southern Nursing Research Society
Honors and Awards: Graduate School Fellowship, College of Nursing Scholarship
Isaac Payton, MSN, MBA, APRN, PMHNP-BC
Hometown: Plum Branch, South Carolina
Area of Research: LGBTQIA+ Mental Health Disparities
Faculty Mentor: Jeanne-Marie Stacciarini, PhD, RN, FAAN
Affiliations: Sigma Theta Tau; Zeta Pi Chapter
Honors and Awards: McKnight Fellowship
Jennifer Pruitt, RN,MSN, CNM, ARNP
Hometown: Gainesville, Florida
Area of Research: Neonatal hypoglycemia, preterm infants and glucose gel
Faculty Mentor: Leslie Parker, PhD, ARNP, NNP-BC, FAAN
Affiliations: UF Health Shands, Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses
Honors and Awards: Research Fellowship – UF Health, North Florida Doctoral Consortium Scholarship, Brightest Students to Faculty
Jianli Wu, RN, MSN
Hometown: China
Area of Research: Pain Management
Faculty Mentor: Ann L Horgas, PhD, MSN, BSN, RN, FAAN and Staja Booker, PhD, RN
Honors and Awards: Emanuel and Raidie P. Merdinger Scholarship