Rebecca Bernardo

UConn School of Nursing

I was born in Hartford, CT and raised in Newington, CT. I currently attend UConn at Storrs. Growing up, I witnessed the negative impacts my father’s financial struggles had on his health; as a result, I have committed my life to serving underserved communities.

I volunteer as a catechist every Sunday, and have gone on five alternative spring break trips serving underserved populations in both the US and Central America. I have also served in Jumpstart, an organization that works with children from underserved communities, for two years, and am a member of the Public Health House Learning Community.

A major reason I applied to the School of Nursing at UConn is because I knew I wanted to join the Urban Service Track. I am extremely passionate about service, human rights, health, and social justice issues, and I aspire to incorporate these passions into a future career as a community health nurse in Hartford. I believe that the UST will enable me to make a positive difference in nursing by providing me with opportunities to work with an interprofessional healthcare team while learning about the healthcare challenges faced by urban communities. The program will also build my cultural competence, and teach me more about advocacy and the management of community resources. With the help of the UST, I will be able to identify the root causes of health issues in populations and help them strive for change.