Awarded the Miriam Powell Scholarship, is in her third year of pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For four years Nakia taught undergraduate nursing courses at UNC Chapel Hill. While education plays an important role in her life, she also believes it is important to commit to providing community service through her local church and sorority. She is committed to becoming a nursing leader and pursuing a career in both research and nursing education. Her research interests include using information technology to improve handoff communication between health care professionals during patient care transitions.