FNSNA Scholarship Website
Scholarships are an amazing opportunity to relieve stress and provide opportunities for nursing students. This year, College of Nursing students Sara Gillilan and Kaia Myers were each awarded a $2,500 scholarship from the Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association (FNSNA). This organization supports undergraduate nursing students in state-approved programs by promoting leadership, professional development, and academic success.
Sara Gilliland
Sara Gilliland, a freshman in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, received the Shell Family Impact scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to committed and deserving nurses, supporting them in their academic journey to becoming health care professionals.
Gilliland’s passion for service is deeply rooted in her upbringing. Surrounded by civil servants, her father is a police officer, her mother a special education teacher, her grandmother a charge nurse, and a close mentor a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), helping others has always been second nature.
She chose the University of Tennessee for what she describes as “the best nursing program” paired with an unmatched campus atmosphere. From the moment she arrived, Gilliland felt embraced by the university’s Volunteer Spirit and credits orientation with preparing her for a successful first semester.
Anatomy has become her favorite course since starting the BSN program. It constantly reassures her that she is on the correct path and is meant to be a CRNA herself. Observing an 8-hour open heart surgery, Gilliland stayed for more than half of the operation. When others look away, she leans closer.
Gilliland is involved in her sorority, volunteering, working, and other college student experiences. Receiving this scholarship alleviates the financial stress of college and allows her to participate in these activities while remaining focused on her future.
Her advice for future students is to “get involved so you know people and get excited to go to class.”
Kaia Myers
Kaia Myers, a junior in the college’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, received the $2,500 Johnson & Johnson Scholarship. This scholarship provides aid to nursing students so that they can better achieve their academic goals.
Originally from Nashville, TN, Myers was attracted to Knoxville for the nursing program and its proximity to home. Influenced by her mom, a nurse, and her mom’s group of nursing friends, she found herself interested in health care and medicine. Myers shared, “it’s just always been what I was going to do.”
As her nursing journey progresses, she hopes to study cardiovascular health specifically.
The most beneficial aspects of the program for Myers have been clinicals, simulations, and faculty. Having the opportunity to learn “in lab and simultaneously have clinicals,” ensures she solidifies her knowledge through practice.
Simulation experience in particular supports more hands-on skills such as transferring a fallen patient from the floor to the bed, wound care, and rapid patient decline response.
Equally impactful has been the kindness she receives from faculty. Aware that some nursing programs can feel intimidating, Myers was relieved to find professors who are both approachable and deeply invested in student success.
Myers is especially thankful for this scholarship as it allowed her to study abroad in Belize. Through this experience, she was able to observe outside cultures and health care practices while developing her own clinical skills.
The scholarship also provided Myers with the opportunity to study abroad in Belize, where she gained firsthand experience with global health care practices. There, she observed how providers assess patients relying on symptoms, socioeconomic context, and clinical judgment. The experience reinforced the critical importance of thorough patient assessment.
During her time at the university, she has since joined the Delta Zeta sorority and served on the Student Nurses Association (SNA) as their PR chair.
Her advice to other nursing students is to prioritize self-care, time management, and surrounding yourself with other nursing students that share similar experiences.
Contacts:
Kara Clark Cardwell ([email protected], 865-974-9498)
Lauren Bryant ([email protected], 865-974-8250)