UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Three Nese College of Nursing students have been named CGNE Gero Scholars with the Tressa Nese and Helen Diskevich Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence (CGNE) for the 2022-23 academic year. Megan Lucey, Anne-Marie Stewart, and Nanda Zheng were awarded the distinction for their academic excellence and commitment to gerontological nursing.
Launched in 2020, the CGNE Gero Scholars Program offers personalized, meaningful experiences with geriatric nursing science and the care of older adults. The program supports students enrolled in the college’s bachelor of science in nursing (BSN), master of science in nursing (MSN), or graduate certificate programs who show interest in gerontological nursing or aging science and will potentially pursue a doctoral degree in nursing focused on improving the lives of and care for older adults.
The program provides scholarship support; educational and service opportunities, including relevant conference attendance; personalized mentorship; and an introduction to nursing research and doctoral educational pathways. This year’s accomplished group includes:
Megan Lucey, a fourth-year honors student at the Penn State Scranton campus with specific interest in critical care nursing and nursing research. Lucey has co-authored four published manuscripts and was the lead author on one. She aspires to serve the community through nursing and motivate others. A captain for Penn State Scranton’s women’s cross-country team, Lucey was honored in December as Female Student Athlete of the Year during the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Cross Country National Championship held in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Her mentor is Dr. Michael M. Evans, assistant dean for Undergraduate Nursing Education at the Commonwealth Campuses, associate professor, and CGNE affiliate faculty member.
Anne-Marie Stewart, a student in the second-degree BSN program at Penn State Harrisburg. With a degree in English Literature and Language already in hand, Stewart worked for six years in the non-profit sector on issues related to aging and marginalization. Her work in policy and research on economic and health inequalities led to an interest in pursuing a nursing career. She is particularly interested in the cognitive and emotional health of older adults, including how aging intersects with our social identities and how this impacts health outcomes.
Stewart’s mentor for this academic year is Dr. Andrea Sillner, assistant professor in the college and CGNE leadership team member who also serves as Gero Scholars Program committee lead this year.
Nanda Zheng, a third-year Schreyer Honors student pursuing a bachelor's degree in nursing at the University Park campus. Her intended specialty is ICU or critical care nursing with an interest in geriatrics. Among her many campus activities, she co-organized and recruited fellow nursing students during her sophomore year to take part in the Dolores Huerta Day of Service: "Own Your Health!" — a free health clinic that offered blood pressure readings, vision/BMI tests, HIV testing along with other health assessments — aimed at expanding healthcare accessibility and knowledge to underserved populations.
Zheng is mentored by Dr. Ying-Ling Jao, associate professor and CGNE leadership team member.
The CGNE at Penn State strives for every older adult to receive the highest quality of evidenced-based care and well-being that respects their individual goals and preferences. The scholars program aligns with the center’s mission by directly supporting students seeking to serve the older adult population.
“The CGNE Gero Scholars program allows undergraduate and graduate students, with an interest in geriatric nursing science, to identify and meet their own educational and professional goals, through individual support and mentorship,” Sillner said. “Although students work primarily with one CGNE affiliated faculty member, they are able to experience any aspect of geriatric nursing science, education and service that may be of interest to them.
“I know from personal experience how important it is for someone to reach out and provide these types of opportunities with scholarship support,” she explained. “If someone hadn't tapped me as a new BSN graduate, I know that I would not be where I am today. This is why I am so passionate about the continued success of this program.”
Like many of CGNE’s important initiatives, the Gero Scholars Program is funded annually through endowments established by alumni and friends of the center. This year’s scholars are eligible for $2,000 in scholarship plus the opportunity to apply for up to $500 in conference financial support. To learn more, contact Director of Development and Alumni Relations Beth Gregg at bfg5201@psu.edu.