Meyers Grad Students Win National Scholarships

Two NYU Meyers graduate students have been awarded scholarships by the Nurses Educational Fund, a century-old organization dedicated to supporting nurses pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees.

Maxine Amanua-Frimpong, RN, CNRN, SCRN, who works in the acute neurology and stroke unit at Hackensack Meridian Health-JFK University Medical Center, is earning a master’s degree in the family nurse practitioner program. Amanua-Frimpong won the NEF’s Estelle Massey Osborne scholarship, named for the pioneering nurse who was the first Black nurse to earn a master’s degree and the first Black nursing professor at NYU.

Her passion for nursing was shaped by early experiences with health disparities in underserved communities in Ghana. During her undergraduate years at the University of Ghana, she volunteered with the Proffer Aid International Foundation, providing free health screenings and public health education in rural communities.  In the future, Maxine hopes to work with underserved communities and implement sustainable primary care programs that focus on prevention, education, and client empowerment. 

Beyond clinical practice, Amanua-Frimpong is committed to nursing leadership, and advocacy. She served as the Graduate Nursing Students’ Academy (GNSA) Advocacy Leader for New Jersey during the 2023-2024 term and is currently serving a second term for 2024-2025. In this national role, she works alongside nurse leaders to advance policies that support nursing education, practice and workforce development. She also dedicates her free time to volunteering at community outreach events.

Natalie Radino, RN, ANP, AGNP-C, who is enrolled in the DNP program, received the NEF Mathy Mezey Scholarship, which is awarded to nurses demonstrating advanced practice, leadership, and advocacy for older adults. Radino is an adult gerontology nurse practitioner at NYU Langone Health. Her interest and commitment to working with older adults was inspired by her early roles in critical care and emergency nursing at Long Island Community Hospital (now NYU Langone Hospital–Suffolk). These foundational experiences exposed her to the complex needs of older adults and sparking her passion for providing gerontological care. 

At NYU Langone Hospital–Suffolk Infusion, Radino is committed to delivering comprehensive care to patients with complex medical conditions. She leads and partners on quality improvement efforts, develops new policies, and oversees advanced infusion therapies. Her contributions have been honored with various awards, including the 2024 Nurse Practitioner of the Year Award for Excellence in Patient Care and her recognition as a Marquis Who’s Who Honoree in 2024.

A total of 37 graduate nursing students nationwide are part of the 2025-26 NEF scholarship class. For more information about this year’s recipients go to  the NEF winners page. 

The application period for the NEF 2026-27 scholarships opens October 1, 2025 and closes February 2, 2026.