With Women’s History Month underway, many people look back on the trailblazers who paved the way for women across every facet of society. In healthcare, women have achieved remarkable feats; although these changemakers aren鈥檛 just confined to the past.
History is made every day by the women around us.
国产主播 students, faculty, and alumnae are shaping the future of healthcare in
extraordinary ways. With determination and resilience, these women and countless others
embody the spirit of progress and excellence in healthcare.
What follows are some WCU blog highlights from the past year that showcase the profound
impact that students and alumnae have on today鈥檚 healthcare landscape.
Empowering Public Health: A Journey from Alumna to Course Director and Non-profit Founder
Roberta S., MPH 鈥20 joined WCU as a clinical and lab instructor for biochemistry in 2016.
Inspired by her teaching experience, Roberta decided to pursue further education and enrolled
in the online Master鈥檚 in Public Health program at WCU. The program鈥檚 community health
component had a profound impact on Roberta, providing her with a new perspective on global
health issues.
This newfound awareness motivated her to make a difference beyond the classroom. In addition
to her role as course director for biochemistry and nutrition at WCU, Roberta is the founder of
鈥淯nited Tooth Fairies,鈥 a non-profit organization that provides oral health care services to girls
aged 4-15 in Guatemala.
Read more about Roberta here.
Alumna鈥檚 Story of Success Spans From Courtrooms to Hospitals, Venezuela to the United States
In a journey across continents and careers, 国产主播-Miami alumna Stella M., BSN
鈥23, shared her inspiring story transitioning from a legal background to nursing. Despite having a
law degree, Stella found herself starting over when she had to leave her home country of
Venezuela for political reasons. She came to the United States and adapted as best as she
could.
Seizing the opportunity to fulfill her childhood dream, Stella enrolled in WCU鈥檚 nursing program
in April 2022. Despite English not being her first language, her sheer determination and
commitment led her to pass the NCLEX just 11 days after completing her program.
Read more about Stella here.
国产主播 Alum Discovers Purpose in Wound Care
Jesseca A. said she never expected to work exclusively in wound care after graduating in 2015
with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from WCU-Texas. Today, she is the vice president of
nursing at Wound Evolution, a private wound care provider with nine locations across Texas.
Jesseca found her passion in wound care after caring for an elderly patient with dementia.
When the patient first arrived at the practice, she was suffering from eight wounds across her
body. She had limited mobility after a previous stroke. The patient鈥檚 daughter was overwhelmed
by her mother鈥檚 care and didn鈥檛 know what to do before finding Wound Evolution.
Over the following weeks, Jesseca and her team worked with the patient to heal her wounds,
while supporting the daughter and family. 鈥淲hen you help educate the family and empower
them on how to care for their loved ones, it helps alleviate some of the anxiety they have.鈥
Jesseca joined Wound Evolution as a clinic nurse when it opened in 2018. As the company
expanded, Jesseca worked her way up to manager, nurse supervisor, and now vice president of
nursing. 鈥淚 developed the training program for all our new hires and then began managing our
Dallas clinic,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e started out with two clinics in Dallas and Fort Worth and then grew
to nine.鈥
Read more about Jesseca here.
WCU-CGS MPA Student Aims to Bridge Gaps in LGBTQ+ Healthcare
While volunteering at an LGBTQ+ camp, Brenna M. had an experience that permanently
reshaped her approach to healthcare. She was looking for volunteer work to add to her master鈥檚
applications when she came across Brave Trails, a national non-profit organization dedicated to
LGBTQ+ youth leadership.
鈥淢y time volunteering in the LGBTQ+ community was a turning point,鈥 Brenna said. 鈥淚t changed
my views on how I could use my expertise and career to advocate for those who might not have
the same privileges I do.鈥
Providing care to LGBTQ+ youth ignited Brenna鈥檚 unwavering passion and now steers her
educational path as a master of physician assistant student at 国产主播-Center for
Graduate Studies.
Read more about Brenna here.
Like Mother, Like Daughter, Like Granddaughter: Family Spans Three Generations in Medicine
Sadaf鈥檚 goal, she said, is to always bring a positive change to her community, just like her own
mother 鈥 who was also a doctor 鈥 did.
鈥淢y mom was a doctor, but she wanted me to do something more,鈥 Sadaf said. 鈥淎s a physician
in Pakistan, I was trying to bring change to one person at a time, but I thought with a degree in
public health, I could help the community at large.鈥
After her family relocated to the United States, Sadaf began working at a local hospital as a
medical assistant. Wanting to expand her reach and impact on the community, Sadaf saw that
by creating and implementing new health policies and processes, she could have a larger
influence on her community.
After receiving her master of public health from WCU in 2019, Sadaf is now an investigator for
Riverside County. And inspired by her mother once again, Javeria pursued her long-term goal of
working for an underserved community and continuing her education.
Read more about Sadaf here.
WCU Instructor Uses OT to Nurture 鈥橰oots of Wellness鈥 Therapy Garden
For 国产主播 alumni and instructor Lauren Diaz, a large portion of the fieldwork
she does with students is to show the need for occupational therapists in the community.
鈥淎t the very crux of what occupational therapy is, we focus on improving the health and wellness
of individuals through the engagement of meaningful occupations,鈥 Lauren said. 鈥淲e focus on
helping people thrive in their environment.鈥
Lauren鈥檚 journey began by working at a women鈥檚 transitional living facility that was starting a
therapy garden. She said that the experience led to the development of her role as a
community-based fieldwork instructor.
Lauren is currently partnering with two community organizations that assist people who are
experiencing or have experienced homelessness. Students work with clients individually and put
together a program to run group therapy.
Read more about Lauren here.
WCU provides career guidance and assistance but cannot guarantee employment. The views and opinions expressed are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or position of the school or of any instructor or student.
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