Alexandra Ford, of North Haven, a student in the doctor of nurse practice program at Quinnipiac University, has been chosen to receive financial support through Jonas Philanthropies’ and the Flynn Foundation’s joint scholarship program.
The scholarship program provides full tuition and was created to recognize doctoral nursing students seeking to improve health care for cancer patients.
“As I started my career as a registered nurse in pediatric oncology, my goal was to change the lives of my patients,” Ford said. “Little did I know, my oncology patients would change my life forever. As a Jonas-Flynn Scholar, I will be able to utilize my doctoral degree to further cancer research and clinical expertise to ultimately give back to the children who have changed my life’s perspective.”
Ford is among the third cohort of the Jonas-Flynn Oncology Nurse DNP Scholars program made possible by a grant from the two organizations. To date, 14 Jonas-Flynn scholarships totaling $380,000 in support have been awarded.
“The Jonas-Flynn Scholarship has helped me make my dreams and aspirations a reality, hopefully creating a chain reaction of positive, quality patient care,” Ford added. “The numerous opportunities and doors that the Jonas-Flynn Foundation has opened for me has a major impact on my clinical and academic success.”
Ford, who completed her BSN at Quinnipiac in 2019, is a pediatric oncology nurse at Connecticut Children’s. Her career goal is to be a family nurse practitioner in pediatric oncology and use her doctoral degree at the clinical level and eventually in academia.
“After receiving a doctorate through the Jonas-Flynn Scholarship, I hope to instill the knowledge, clinical skills and compassion to aspiring oncology practitioners through an academia role,” Ford said.
Ford was a Flynn Fellow at Connecticut Children’s in 2018.
“We are extremely honored to have Alexandra as our first Jonas-Flynn Scholar,” said Larry Slater, dean of the School of Nursing. “We also could not be prouder of her journey, as she initially grew her commitment to oncology nursing as a Flynn Fellow during her BSN program here at Quinnipiac. She has grown to be an outstanding nurse clinician, and the support she will receive as a Jonas-Flynn Scholar will provide her with the skills to be a leader in the transformation of holistic oncology care for the 21st Century.”
Beyond proud of Alexandra Ford and grateful for the opportunities provided to her through Fred Flynn’s fellowship and the Jonas- Flynn Scholars. Affording her these opportunities has helped her to achieve her dream, making a profound impact of the children and families she cares for.