SCHOLAR DIRECTORY

Heather Sanchez is an alumna from the University of Miami, having received her BSN in May 2018 with a minor in Public Health. She was recognized for her academic excellence during her undergraduate studies, graduating Magna Cum Laude and being inducted into Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She was chosen by faculty members for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Award, an award given annually to recognize one senior nursing student’s academic achievements and commitment to nursing education. During her undergraduate education, she was part of the 2017 Florida Blue Summer Scholars Program, where she worked alongside noted researchers Dr. Natalia Villegas and Dr. Rosina Cianelli from the School of Nursing and Health Studies on their Minority Older Women with HIV (MOWH) study. In addition, Heather was selected to represent the school and present preliminary quantitative results from the MOWH study at the annual Nursing Consortium of South Florida conference in November 2017 with a poster titled Social Support of Minority Older Women with HIV. She is pursuing her PhD in Nursing, with areas of research interest including women’s health, HIV treatment and prevention, and maternal-child health. She hopes to contribute to the ever-growing body of nursing knowledge and support the continued elevation of nursing as a profession grounded in science and compassionate care.