The Nadja Anne Prepetit-Barnett Scholarship was established by UA alumna Nadja Anne Prepetit-Barnett ’87, ’90, ’98, ’04. Her gift helps non-traditional students and those returning to college to prepare for new careers. Mrs. Barnett, a native of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, came to Akron in 1982 earning multiple degrees, including an associate degree in business management technology (1987), a Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design (1990), a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (1998), and Master of Science degree in nursing with the title Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist in (2004).
While a student, Mrs. Barnett met her husband, Carlton, on campus. After working in graphic design, she returned to UA to study nursing. She then worked at the Cleveland Clinic in the cardio-thoracic ICU for five years before returning to UA for a master’s degree. Mrs. Barnett joined the U.S. Army Reserves as a nurse in 2002 and spent nine years, two tours of active duty and finishing as a U.S. Army Captain. She worked with the Summa Health System for more than 17 years, which includes past service as a clinical instructor in the ICU at Cleveland Clinic Akron General Hospital. Through her experiences, Mrs. Barnett has handled and overcome the challenges of returning to college from the workforce which led her to establish a scholarship making it easier for others to achieve their dreams.