RWJ Scholars Round Two

Trina Haines:

I am originally from Louisiana, but I have been living in Rochester for almost 5 years now. I have a love for science; therefore my Bachelor’s degree is in Biology. I am very excited about attending U of R and becoming a nurse. I have a deep passion for helping others and I do a lot of volunteer work in the Rochester community.

Floyd Hutchison:

I am originally from Johnstown, PA, a small town east of Pittsburgh, but have lived in Rochester for the last six years and happily consider it to be my home. In 2001 I received my A.A.S. in dental hygiene and currently practice as a registered dental hygienist. In 2003, I received my B.A. in psychology from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Most recently, I completed my M.S. in Leadership in Health Care Systems at the University of Rochester School of Nursing. I look forward to combining a decade of clinical work, my love for direct patient care, psychology, and children by working in child/adolescent psychiatric nursing.

Anna Solomonik:

For my undergraduate education I went to both American University (Washington,DC) and the University of Rochester. I majored in Health and Society. Since graduation, I have been working at the U of R for the Department of Community and Preventive Medicine doing mostly breastfeeding-related research. Now I am looking forward to becoming a nurse, working with patients and exploring all the areas this career has to offer.

Ngoc Diep:

I was born in Vietnam and came to Rochester, NY when I was six and have resided here ever since. I graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology in 2006 with a Bachelor’s degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography, better known as ultrasound. After college, I worked in the Prenatal Unit at the University of Rochester for four years doing high-risk OB/GYN ultrasound. I am eager to explore all aspects of nursing and excited to begin my new career. My ultimate goal is to become a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Sean Goonan:

I have lived in Rochester, NY my entire life, with the exception of four years spent in Athens, OH, where I obtained my BS in Finance from Ohio University in 2000.; For the past nine years, I was a financial analyst in the Treasury department at Paychex. Quite a swing, going from finance to nursing. I am enthusiastic about what lies ahead at the University of Rochester, and, more so, about my decision to pursue nursing as a second career.

Arnice Jackson:

I was born and raised in New York City and for as long as I can remember I wanted to be a nurse. I attended Binghamton University and obtained a Bachelor's in Human Development and a Bachelor's in Africana Studies. Still, I knew that Nursing was for me. I'm now a Nursing student at the University of Rochester and will continue on in this program to obtain a Master's as a Family Nurse Practitioner. My ultimate career goals are to work in the Women's Health field and conduct research on contraceptives and HIV prevalence, as well as to do some international work for non-profit organizations.

Sharon M. Lawson-Davis:

I am currently a Partner at the law firm of Gray, Johnson & Lawson, L.L.P. in Greensboro, North Carolina. I was born and raised in Cambria Heights, New York. I received a B.S. in International Studies from Long Island University-C.W. Post, and a J.D. from Howard University School of Law. I have been a practicing attorney for the past 16 years, and look forward to a new and exciting career in nursing. I am married and my interests include traveling, reading and spending time with my husband.

Andrew (Cyrus) Marcy:

Last year I graduated from Wells College which is located in a small town named Aurora about two hours from Rochester. I have a BA in psychology with minors in both management and science health and values (bioethics). During my undergraduate studies I worked part time in customer service and volunteered as an advocate for survivors of rape and sexual assault. My primary hope is that this program will jostle me out of my shell and provide some practical knowledge so I can begin making a positive impact on the community.

Tim Munier:

I graduated from SUNY Geneseo in 2009 with a BA in Sociology. After that I spent a year working in Buffalo with the Homeless Alliance of WNY through the AmeriCorps VISTA program. Through nursing I hope to address inequalities in access to medical care. In my spare time I enjoy bicycles, reading, and listening to music.

Nana Nuamah:

I was born in the Bronx, NY but then moved to Ghana, West Africa (where my family is from) when I was a year old. My dad was a diplomat and so we moved to Geneva, Switzerland when I was 3 then back to Ghana when I was 7. I moved back to the United States when I was 15. I graduated from NYU with a bachelor's in French and have since worked doing research in optometry and cardiac electrophysiology. I sang in my church choir for 6 years until I fell in love with the children's church and decided to invest more of my time there. I am excited about nursing because medical missions is a passion of mine and I also want to work with the elderly.

Asher Takoda:

I grew up in the Rochester area, lived in Sweden and Mexico for significant periods of time, and have traveled extensively in the U.S. and Europe. I completed my bachelor’s degree in nutrition at Cornell University, my master’s degree in education at the University of Massachusetts, and my career has primarily focused on health and nutrition education in low-income communities. I am very excited about becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner, and I hope to create a nursing career that combines my love of travel with my passion for working with those most in need.