SCHOLAR DIRECTORY

La’Kita M. J. Knight, a native of Charlotte, NC, earned her Bachelors of Science from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, in 2003. She continued her studies at Queens University of Charlotte earning her BSN graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2009. While at Queens University she was a recipient of the North Carolina Nurse Scholars Program, a member of The Honor Society of Nursing- Sigma Theta Tau International as well as the Mortar Board Honor Society. Following graduation, she worked as a Registered Nurse on a Neurological Surgical ICU at Duke University Hospital. In 2015, she attended Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) to pursue her Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN). La’Kita Knight was also chosen as a member of the third cohort of the WSSU-Duke Nursing Bridge to the Doctorate Scholar program. As a WSSU-Duke Bridge Scholar, she completed an additional 17 credit hours in research, data analysis, and thesis curriculum. La’Kita Knight graduated in May of 2017 from WSSU’s MSN program, with a concentration as a Family Nurse Practitioner, all while completing a research intensive track. La’Kita is currently enrolled in the Nursing PhD program at Duke University School of Nursing. Her research focus is neurocognitive developmental delays in persons living with sickle cell disease. La’Kita’s interest as a Nurse Scientist comes from her clinical exposure and experience as a registered nurse, Family Nurse Practitioner, and PhD student. Through these opportunities, she works alongside several scientists trying to address and eliminate health disparities in sickle cell disease.