Paola De Leon, RN, BSN is the honored recipient of the Nurses Educational Funds Inc. Scholarship. Paola earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2019 from the College of New Rochelle. She is currently studying for her master’s as a Nurse Practitioner for the Adult-Geriatric population at New York University Rory Meyers School of Nursing. Paola currently works on a post-surgical unit at NYU Langone Medical Center. She loves to work in an environment where she can build a rapport with her patients and help them in their time of need.

Paola’s mother is a registered nurse in the United States and a doctor by trade in the Dominican Republic. Paola’s mother has always been her role model and she has always wanted to follow in her footsteps, as she saw her mom overcome the obstacles of immigrating to a foreign country and continue her passion for providing health care. Her mother’s determination fed Paola’s drive. Paola too saw the impact that she could have in healthcare. Becoming a nurse practitioner was a goal of Paola’s since she first became a nurse because she has always wanted to gain more experience and knowledge to better serve her community’s health disparities.

The Primary Adult Geriatric program at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing has been challenging in the best way by teaching her how to transition from a nurse into a primary provider. She is extremely honored to have received a NEF Scholarship. It will enable her to complete her studies and help advance one step closer to her goal of becoming a Nurse Practitioner.