Nyasia White

Hi! My name is Nyasia White. I currently live in Pennsylvania but I spent the majority of my life growing up in New Jersey. I am a sophomore nursing student at Villanova University who is active in two dance groups and the Villanova gospel choir. As a nursing student with a rigorous and very structured curriculum, it is difficult to study abroad during the semester and nearly impossible to take up a second major or even acquire a minor. In my four years at Villanova, I will not be able to minor in sociocultural anthropology with a concentration in Africana Studies as I would like to or spend a full semester abroad. With that in mind, the SIT summer program, Madagascar: Traditional Medicine and Healthcare, would be a perfect fit for me. It is medical related, located in a country of Africa and is offered during the summer months so it does not interfere with my studies. I was in need of this scholarship because I am deserving of an equal opportunity to study abroad and experience cultures outside my own while enhancing knowledge in my academic field, like students of other majors, without having to suffer from the burden of summer program costs.

My goal is to work in underserved areas, nationally and internationally, in order to improve health education and overall health in populations that may not have the best access to proper healthcare. First and foremost, the program in Madagascar will allow me to develop the knowledge needed to think cross-culturally; learning about different health policies and practices will steer me closer to my goal of shaping health politics. Secondly, it will allow me to gain an open-mind to different healthcare practices, allow me to analyze healthcare with a new mindset and gain knowledge that will put me ahead of other students in my class.