Four UNC School of Nursing students have been awarded American Cancer Society Graduate Scholarships in Cancer Nursing Practice. The recipients are Sean Gallagher, RN; April Lenker, RN; Melissa Matson, RN; and Lori Walker, RN.
The scholarship supports graduate students pursuing a master’s degree in cancer nursing or doctorate of nursing practice (DNP). The UNC recipients are second-year students in the UNC Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) program studying to become adult-gerontology nurse practitioners with an oncology focus.
Deborah Mayer, PhD, RN, associate professor of nursing and oncology focus coordinator, said, “It is very rewarding that all four students who applied were able to receive this generous scholarship. It speaks to their accomplishments as students and to the caliber of the UNC program.” Dr. Mayer is a member of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Sean Gallagher earned his BSN from UNC, and was a nurse navigator and coordinator for the UNC Head and Neck Oncology Program of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center before deciding to pursue his MSN.
April Lenker earned her BSN from UNC and gained experience as a hematology/oncology nurse at Rex and a specialty surgical unit at Duke University before returning to school.
Melissa Matson earned her BSN from UNC, and prior to starting her graduate studies, she was a clinical nurse and nurse navigator with UNC Hematology/Oncology.
Lori Walker earned her BSN from UNC-Wilmington and was a hematology/oncology nurse at Georgetown Lombardi Cancer Center in Washington, DC, prior to returning to North Carolina to earn her MSN.