College of Nursing Students, Alumna, and Staff Honored with Lyman T. Johnson Awards
Two students, an alumna and a staff member from the College of Nursing were honored on Friday, October 14 during the 31st annual Lyman T. Johnson Awards program, which was hosted by The UK Alumni Association, the Lyman T. Johnson African American Alumni Group, and the UK Office for Institutional Diversity. Friday’s ceremony was a combined 2021 and 2022 ceremony because last year’s event was postponed due to the pandemic.
Senior Nadja Nelson was recognized as the 2021 recipient of the Lyman T. Johnson Torch Bearer Award and Tyra Fondren as the 2022 recipient. Recruiter and Scholarship Coordinator Brittany Fiero was recognized as the 2022 recipient of the Lyman T. Johnson Torch of Excellence Award, and Dr. Adebola Adegboyega as the 2021 recipient.
“Friday was an amazing day with several Homecoming activities including the recognition of our faculty, staff, and students,” Dean Janie Heath said.
Ms. Nelson is a senior from Elizabethtown. As a member of a military family, she has lived in many places including Germany, where she was born. Growing up, Ms. Nelson was able to watch her grandmother at work as a nurse. It was this experience along with the Certified Nursing Aide (CNA) course she took that helped her begin to explore nursing as a career. Since becoming a CNA, she has worked in nursing homes and more recently for Wild Health, assisting with fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
During her time at UK, she has participated in the Lewis Honors program and the Chellgren Student Fellows program. Both programs have allowed her to explore her passion for research. She has also been part of a service project to set up clinics in Ecuador. Ms. Nelson will be traveling to Ikaria, Greece this summer to explore wellness found in the Blue Zones and connect with the health behaviors of students. The goal of this project is to identify positive choices to help prevent future nurse burnout. Both faculty and staff spoke highly of her saying she is a “highly motivated student with a great interest in global health.”
After graduation, Ms. Nelson hopes to work in pediatrics and gain as much bedside care experience as possible. She also hopes to return to graduate school to further her education. When not studying or working, she loves making art including drawing, painting, and crocheting.
Ms. Fondren will graduate from the ABSN program in December and has served as an active-duty Air Force medic for the last eight years. Thanks to her uncle, Ms. Fondren grew up hearing a lot about the military and enlisted in the Air Force after fulfilling a two year college academic scholarship. After boot camp, she completed technical school training in Texas and Florida. She was then stationed in the United Kingdom, followed by South Korea, Japan and California. In her first 5 years serving, Ms. Fondren was recognized for her leadership qualities and accomplishments. She moved quickly up the ladder and was granted the impressive rank of Technical Sergeant. She loves the Air Force and after working alongside nurses serving veterans and their family, she knew it was where she belonged. While searching online for ABSN programs, she found UK’s and was immediately intrigued.
Ms. Fondren liked the central Midwest location, which is closer to family, and the military-friendly aspect of campus. She credits former Assistant Dean Joanne Davis for taking her under her wing and helping with all the necessary paperwork to make her dream a reality. Of the thousands who applied for the Air Force's Nurse Enlisted Commissioning Program (NECP), she is proud to be one of 44 to be accepted. Upon graduation, Ms. Fondren will be commissioned to 2nd Lieutenant. Ms. Fondren said, “I love being here in Lexington, being at the College of Nursing and UK! From the moment I stepped on campus, it felt like home, so welcoming and friendly. I now definitely bleed blue.” She admires how nurses provide one-on-one patient centered, safe, evidence-based care and takes considerable pride in being a part of something bigger than herself.
Senior Lecturer Jennifer Cowley, MSN, RN, said, “Tyra is an exemplary student in every way, maintaining a high GPA with her Air Force commitments. She is professional, engaged, and eager to learn all aspects of nursing. I so look forward to seeing where this nursing career path will take Tyra. She will be a standout and a leader in anything she chooses to pursue. It has been a pleasure to work with her.”
Ms. Fondren will continue on to Air Force Officer Training School and the Nurse Transition Program before beginning her assignment in San Antonio, Texas. After a few years of experience, she has plans to continue her education to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). She enjoys school, and wants to keep learning and growing, to be the best nurse she can be.
Dr. Adegboyega is a two-time graduate of the College of Nursing. She is currently an assistant professor. She also received a BSc in 1997 from the Institute of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nigeria, and a Postgraduate Diploma in 2005 from the University of Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. She is a member of the Community Health Advocacy iNterventions Generating Equity (CHANGE) team and the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Program at UK’s Markey Cancer Center. Dr. Adegboyega is also a member of the Translation on Research Interventions into Practice, Population and Policy Leadership (TRIPPLe) Team and the UNited In True racial Equity (UNITE) Research Priority Area.
Originally from Nigeria, she first came to the U.S. in 2006. Driven by her passion to build on her educational career and contribute to the society in a meaningful way, she graduated from the Second Degree program in 2012. She enrolled in graduate school in 2013. Dr. Adegboyega worked as an acute care nurse at UK’s Good Samaritan Hospital and served as a graduate research assistant. She enjoys cooking, sharing her faith and spending time with her family.
Active in research as an undergraduate and graduate student, she has focused on cancer prevention, HPV screening and cancer screening among Sub-Saharan African immigrant Women and other underserved and minority populations. Dr. Adegboyega hopes to train the next generation of nurses by promoting health and reducing health disparities experienced by underserved and minority populations. She has already received approximately $1 million in research funding.
She is actively involved in professional and community organizations and currently serves as the treasurer for the Lexington chapter of the National Black Nurses Association. Dr. Adegboyega is also a board member for the Delta Psi chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. At the community level, she leverages her nursing experiences to coordinate and lead a yearly summer health fair and screenings to promote healthy lifestyles.
We are proud to recognize her dedicated research to enhance cervical cancer screening among African American and Sub-Saharan African immigrant women. Dr. Adegboyega has been on a rapid path of academic career success to accelerate research that reflects our institutional culture for health equity and inclusion. Since joining our faculty, she has successfully earned a 5-year K01 career development award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and an intramural award from the Markey Cancer Center; she also serves as a co-investigator on a large P01 grant from NCI. In addition, Dr. Adegboyega is highly engaged in teaching and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students to develop research skills and best evidence practices for clinical reasoning.
Mrs. Fiero is a native of Louisville and has served as the Recruiter and Scholarship Coordinator for the College of Nursing since 2018. A first generation college student, she is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University, Marshall University and is currently working on a post graduate certificate in Diversity and Inclusion at UK. Her parents have always supported her educational endeavors and are proud of the woman she has become. She even attended Lyman T. Johnson Traditional Middle School and knew of Mr. Johnson’s accomplishments.
“As alumni of the Lyman T. Johnson Traditional Middle School in Louisville and a first generation college graduate, her smile reflects what an honor it is to carry on the legacy of Mr. Johnson,” said Dean Heath.
As a former recreational therapist and career consultant, Mrs. Fiero understands the importance of providing pathways for students and believes every position she has held has led to success in her current role. She was a perfect fit from day one and has become a much beloved member of the Student Services team. She is often the first person prospective students, and their parents meet and she projects a warm, welcoming, professional image.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mrs. Fiero went above and beyond to meet with prospective students and be responsive to their questions and needs. She was especially helpful to the current working nurses, those on the front lines who were interested in returning to school for graduate degrees. As the recruiter, she coordinates over 50 events a year, and travels and exhibits on behalf of the College. As the scholarship coordinator, she is responsible for distributing over $300,000 in award money to over 200 students annually.
She has received the College’s Diversity and Inclusivity Champion Award, is the advisor for the Nursing Student Ambassadors and is a member of the College’s Equity, Outreach and Social Justice Council. Faculty and staff state, “We cannot think of a more deserving person for this award than Brittany Fiero. She has a wonderful personality and a calm, easy-going nature that resonates with faculty, staff, and students alike. She wants the best for everyone and helps others help themselves to reach heights they didn’t think were possible.”
Family is very important to her, she and her husband Christian have two boys, Frederick, and Franklin, who are the light of their lives. We are honored to nominate someone who not only knows who Mr. Johnson was, but what he stood for and is proud to carry
