Nursing Students’ Association hails student at UAMS

An Arkansas student who advocated for changes to state rules barring certain immigration-program recipients from being licensed as nurses has received a “Student of the Year” award.

Rosa Ruvalcaba Serna, a senior at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ College

of Nursing, was recognized with the award by the Arkansas Nursing Students’ Association in October.

In 2017, a move by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing ended licensure for applicants whose immigration status was protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program. The program is for people who were brought to the U.S. as children, but who do not have legal citizenship.

Ruvalcaba Serna, who was a nursing student at the time, was among those affected by the nursing board’s change.

During the 2019 legislative session, she helped lead advocacy efforts for a bill that would allow DACA recipients to obtain nursing licenses. The bill was signed into law in April as Act 837.

That work contributed to her selection as the student of the year, according to information on the UAMS website.

Ruvalcaba Serna is set to graduate this month.