What is the CSRC student travel award and how did you receive the award?

The CSRC student travel award is to support PhD student members of the Cancer Survivorship Research Center (CSRC) to present at a regional, national, or international conference to share their knowledge with others and get feedback from peers/colleagues. I applied for the award in the Spring of 2024 and was chosen as the recipient to present my poster at the Oncology Nursing Society Annual Congress in Washington, D.C. After the conference I shared about my experience at one of our monthly CSRC meetings.

Tell us about your role in the CSRC.

I am a graduate student at the College of Nursing, and I started attending the monthly meetings with my mentor. Then, I continued to attend for the knowledge and insights I gained from our meetings. It also gives me a safe space to share my research and receive feedback. 

Are you working on research? If so, please share some details.

Yes, I am currently in the dissertation phase of my program. I am looking at Eastern European immigrants and their colorectal cancer screening adherence beliefs. I am interested in finding out what influences them to complete their cancer screening so that healthcare professionals can tailor their interventions to help improve screening adherence in this population. 

Do you have a research mentor? If so, please share who.

Yes, Dr. Karen McDonnell. 

Why did you choose USC Nursing?

I chose the University of South Carolina for my nursing PhD because it’s the perfect fit for what I need. They offer a flexible executive-style model so I can balance school with everything else in my life, and they even provide a tuition scholarship to help cover costs for the core courses. The program is full of opportunities to work with great professors, dive into important research, and collaborate with others to make a real difference in healthcare. Plus, the supportive and inclusive community makes it easy to feel at home.