Commencement 2021 profile: Avanna Lukusa
Avanna (Arrington) Lukusa is the epitome of perseverance and diligence.
Lukusa received a bachelor’s degree in human development in 2012 at Binghamton University, and, after receiving a bachelor’s degree in nursing in Buffalo, is now graduating in May 2021 with a master’s degree in nursing from Binghamton’s Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
While getting her first undergraduate degree at Binghamton, Lukusa was involved in multiple programs that she credits with giving her the resources to succeed, including the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) and the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP).
“There were so many programs that Binghamton University offered, and one program I was given the opportunity to be a part of was CSTEP,” she said. “It helped me by providing services such as counseling and tutoring, and providing job references. But, it also gave opportunities to underrepresented minority groups by funding their research, including my own with Dr. Sharon Bryant.”
Speaking about EOP, Lukusa said that program was like a second family to her, and it helped her navigate Binghamton during her undergraduate years.
Lukusa always set out to be a nurse, particularly because her father battled cancer when she was young, and she watched nurses help him. She applied to Decker College more than once, but was unsuccessful, so she decided to major in human development to “get educated on a more personal side of psychology,” she said.
“While I continued studying human development, I applied to Decker multiple times but I was denied,” she said. “But that didn’t stop me. I began conducting research, did internships through Decker and became familiar with a lot of the faculty members. And, I continued to voice my interest in being part of the nursing program; I was determined and would not give up.”
Lukusa’s perseverance paid off when she was accepted to Decker’s master’s program in nursing. Her goal: to become a community health primary care nurse practitioner.
She said she chose Decker not only due to its high-ranking program, but also she felt she was meant to be there.
“I believe that it was my faith that brought me back to Binghamton,” she said. “Not successfully being admitted into Decker as an undergrad made me want to receive my nurse practitioner degree through Decker that much more. Although I have my bachelor’s from Binghamton, receiving my master’s also from Binghamton — but through Decker — has validated my not-so-linear journey.”
While getting her graduate degree at Binghamton, Lukusa began working as a labor and delivery nurse at Ascension Lourdes Hospital and had her first child.
Her favorite part about Decker College is knowing she will be fully prepared for her career.
“It is not only the reputation of Decker, but it’s also the foundation that Decker has laid out for me, and how they prepared me to become a strong, independent nurse practitioner once I graduate,” she said.
Lukusa chose the community health primary care specialization to better understand how to help underserved populations. After working at an OB-GYN office as a registered nurse, she realized the importance of understanding the community she is treating.
“I selected community health because it would allow me to tie in my human development degree,” she said. “And from working at an OB-GYN office dealing with women’s health, I realized that understanding different individuals and communities will allow me to identify the best methods of care I can provide.”
While working on her advanced-practice nursing degree, Lukusa pursued a capstone project that had her holding mental-health wellness events to spread awareness of on-campus resources, knowing COVID-19 has impacted many students’ mental well-being in negative ways. After conducting a focus group and gathering information via a survey, she and a teammate realized many students were unaware of the many resources Binghamton offers.
“My classmate and I felt that if students were informed about mental health and the available resources at Binghamton from a student’s perspective through a student-led event, more students would be open to the idea of seeking mental health assistance, especially during COVID-19,” she said. “A lot of students weren’t aware of the mental health services Binghamton has to offer and how to access them.”
“Avanna is an excellent student and has worked on the need for mental health for both nursing students and undergraduates across the University,” said Gale Spencer, distinguished teaching professor, Decker Chair in Community Health Nursing, associate dean and coordinator of the community health primary care nursing specialty. “She is one of our community health nurse practitioner students, and she did her clinical practice with one of our community health nurse practitioner graduates, Edwin Torres, in his practice in New York City.”
Lukusa is working as a registered nurse through an agency that allows her to travel to different nursing rehabilitation centers. She is expecting her second child and plans to focus on her family before deciding which avenue to pursue next in her career.