Noemi Meza, a nursing major with a clinical research minor, has been named as a recipient of the UNC Wilmington Cornerstone Award. Each spring, student leaders who are making significant impact on the UNCW campus are recognized through the Cornerstone Awards. Recipients are nominated and selected by UNCW staff and faculty and recognized at the annual Cornerstone Awards Banquet and the Senior Excellence Luncheon.
When learning about the news, Meza said, “My family and I were very excited. They told me that ‘As long as you put in the work, it'll show and we know it's been tough with school, studying day in, day out, so make sure to take the time to really appreciate and celebrate this honor,’” she said.
Ever since Meza was a child, she knew that she wanted to dedicate my life to helping others. “There are so many careers that do this, like social work, but one-on-one patient-centered care that nurses provide is really what attracted me to this profession,” she said.
Meza is currently participating in a biochemistry research experience under the supervision of Dr. Ying Wang, a professor in biochemistry. Their research is focused on repurposing various diabetes drugs for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Meza spent the summer of 2023 studying in Mexico, representing the UNCW Latin community for an organization called the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), an experience that Meza calls life-changing and crucially important. “The organization really loves to see student involvement, so I went and really learned about what other universities are doing to help encourage the study abroad program within the Hispanic community. I took notes and explored many valuable opportunities to help the International Education office make this program a little bit more accessible for Hispanic students,” she said.
Additionally, Meza has participated as a Students Engaged in Enriching Diversity in Sciences (SEEDS) scholar during the 2023-24 school year. SEEDS scholarships were established by Novant Health-UNC Health to increase pipeline initiatives for rural and disadvantaged students interested in allied health careers.
Evaluating her future plans, Meza has been researching a variety of residency programs to pursue that will satisfy her plan to complete a residency, specifically in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. “I really want to work with babies, and I would like to experience a few years as a mother-baby nurse or in labor and delivery because I've also really enjoyed that environment,” she said.
This article has the following tags: Students & Alumni Academics School of Nursing College of Health & Human Services Accomplishments