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ɫ�ش�ý (DUSON) selected Asma Agad as its 2016 ɫ�ش�ý University Scholar. Each summer the School selects a degree seeking student from the ABSN, MSN or DNP program to receive a full-tuition University scholarship. The student is selected by the associate dean for academic affairs with input from ABSN, MSN and DNP program directors.

“Asma’s personal story of triumph and passion for education, quality and safety stood out to the committee,” said Janice Humphreys, PhD, RN, FAAN, professor and associate dean for academic affairs at ɫ�ش�ý. “We had a group of highly qualified and deserving nominees, but her professional and personal background and experiences led us to conclude that she would be an excellent DUSON University Scholar.”

Agad is a DNP student in the Nurse Anesthesia program, and her journey into the world of nursing has been interesting and exciting. While in school at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, she worked at Emory Hospital and served as a voting member on the Nursing Research Council overseeing all ongoing nursing-driven evidenced-based research for the hospital. She then began her career as a nurse at ɫ�ش�ý Hospital and was a finalist for the 2015 Friends of Nursing Gala for her valuable role in the Medical Intensive Care Unit.

Although her career has been quite rewarding, Agad credits serving her communities and resource-limited countries as the most enriching aspects of her education and career. “In the Atlanta community, I served as a mentor to minority groups, and worked as a patient affairs coordinator for a non-profit to provide free medical treatments to injured children in dire need of surgery in the Middle East,” she said.

Agad attributes those experiences to why she goes the extra mile for her patients now, and it fuels her passion for her career in anesthesia. “My dream is to be able to serve as a lead certified registered nurse anesthetist and instructor on medical mission trips in resource-limited countries where there is a need for medical care,” she said. “I also want to educate health care professionals and evaluate the effectiveness, quality and safety of anesthesia administration.”

With a very humble beginning, Agad knows firsthand how to thrive in unpredictable situations and how to triumph in the midst of hardships. “At one point in my life, I found myself in a vulnerable place, and instead of giving up and giving in, I kept going. My life experiences have taught me to face an unpredictable world with confidence,” said Agad.

And kept going she did. Agad worked and attended school full-time while at Emory University and graduated cum laude with her bachelor of science in nursing degree.

Agad is honored and excited to represent DUSON as a University Scholar. “I know that the nurse anesthesia program is rigorous, but my intense desire to lead and be active in my profession is what defines me,” she said. “I cannot wait to represent DUSON to the ɫ�ش�ý University community, and I’m excited to contribute to the intellectual community of University Scholars.

The ɫ�ش�ý University Scholar Program is designed to stimulate an interdisciplinary, inter-generational community of scholars. Undergraduate, graduate and professional school University Scholars are selected for their ability to explore new academic horizons. They represent a range of personal and intellectual backgrounds and share an excitement for original research, collaborative thinking and innovative scholarship.

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