Vincentian Glenna Brewster has graduated with a PhD in Nursing Science from the University of South Florida (USF) 2015 cohort.

“It has been my lifelong goal to become a health care professional,” said Brewster about her achievement. She went on to say:{{more}} “The reason is that while growing up in my community and country I saw the need to be a part of and play an important role in this area of national development.”

The young graduate added that it is sad to see persons not getting the proper health care for some of their medical conditions when the need arises; and with the lack of such care, persons can endure complications, pain, and lifelong suffering.

Brewster articulated that the field of study in which she has written and successfully defended her dissertation is relevant to St Vincent and the Grenadines and the rest of the world.

“My dissertation focused on understanding the relationship among sleep, depressive symptoms and cognition in older adults and caregivers on persons with dementia,” she explained.

The Vincentian health care professional said that that during her years in graduate school, she was awarded a National Institute of Health Diversity Supplement and was one of 10 who were awarded a prestigious National Hartford Centre of Gerontology Nursing Excellence Patricia G Archbold scholarship.

“I also served as secretary for Emerging Scholars and Professional Organization of the Gerontology Society of America, and president of the Doctoral Nursing Student Organization.”

In highlighting her journey through the world of Nursing Science, Glenna explained that it all started with her attending Broward College, where she completed an Associate of Science and an Associate of Arts degree with highest honours in Nursing.

She continued: “Upon becoming a registered nurse, I attended the University of South Florida, where I completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Summa Cum Laude — receiving a King O’Neal Scholar award from the Alumni Organization for completing the degree with a 4.0 GPA. Further, I completed a Master’s in Nursing with a Family Nurse Practitioner concentration and a Master’s in Gerontology.”

Brewster is currently pursuing a Post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Centre for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology. During this time, she will also be reaching out to health care professionals in St Vincent and the Grenadines and abroad to collaborate on ways they can increase awareness of mental health and neuro-cognitive conditions.

The recent graduate acknowledged that she would not have achieved this milestone without the support and prayers of many people; and thanked God, her mother Huelin Brewster, dissertation committee members, mentors, teachers, colleagues, family and friends.

A product of the Park Hill community, Brewster is a former student of the Park Hill Government School, the Girls’ High School and the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College.