 | Sayaka Ogata |
Sayaka Ogata of the Yale School of Nursing (YSN) is one of five Connecticut nursing students to receive the 2006 Nightingale Scholarships, awarded by the Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) of South Central Connecticut in partnership with the Hospital of St. Raphael, Masonicare and Yale-New Haven Hospital.
Ogata and the other scholarship recipients will be honored at a ceremony and press conference on Thursday, April 27, at 3:30 p.m. at the VNA of South Central Connecticut in New Haven.
Born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, Sayaka entered YSN in 2003 as a student in the Graduate Entry Prespecialty in Nursing program, a three-year, full-time course of study that combines preparation in basic nursing with advanced preparation in a clinical specialty and in nursing research. She will graduate in May with a Master of Science in Nursing in the women's health specialty.
"Since I arrived at the U.S., the issues of culture identities, culture clashes and how they relate to health have become a personal interest of mine," says Sayaka. "It has developed into much more than a personal interest over the years at YSN."
In addition to her academic and clinical responsibilities, Sayaka has been active on YSN's Diversity Action Committee, which has promoted diversity education and training on Yale campus.
Prior to entering YSN, Sayaka helped organize a conference on cultural competency as an intern at the Harvard Medical School's Center of Excellence in Women's Health. She also took a year off from college to work as a volunteer in Central America. She taught about HIV/AIDS to sex workers in Guatemala and organized arts/sports clubs for children in rural areas of Nicaragua.
"The people I met there taught me more than I ever imagined," says Sayaka of the experience. "Women were confined in brothels yet held onto their pride and optimism, and families were living with hope that maybe if they work hard enough, they can afford the medicines prescribed. My wish is to give back by helping those who are underserved, in the U.S. or worldwide."
In 2005, Sayaka was one of two YSN students awarded the Wilbur Downs International Health Student Travel Fellowship. She traveled to the People's Republic of China to assess knowledge, attitude and willingness for integration of HIV/AIDS services among family planning workers.
Sayaka plans to work as a nurse practitioner after graduation, but she has more planned for years ahead. "In the future, I hope to pursue a degree in health policy or global health," she explains. "If I can be part of the change that I wish to see in health care ... that would be my dream."
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