Each year, the Women’s Faculty Association recognizes outstanding graduating women students from each of the five schools at of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
The students were nominated and their selection was based on leadership, academic performance and participation in professional activities.
This year’s honorees include:
• Angela Victoria Rosales from the School of Allied Health Sciences
• Brook Loftis from the Dental School
• Mona Bains from the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
• Allison Armstrong, from the School of Medicine
• Erica Fonseca from the School of Nursing
Rosales received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and dance from Texas Women’s University. Her interest in dance brought her to the Master’s of Physical Therapy Program at the Health Science Center, where she served as class president for three years. Rosales plans to pursue a career in physical therapy focusing on the rehabilitation of dancers.
Loftis will be entering a general practice residency at the Medical College of Georgia in July. She is president of the American Student Dental Association (ASDA) and has served as the national District 9 trustee on the ASDA Board of Trustees and president of the local chapter. In addition, she has organized and participated in several dental political advocacy activities including lobbying for state legislation in Austin.
Bains entered the Ph.D. program after graduating from St. Mary’s University. Her doctoral studies on estrogen-mediated neuroprotection of primary mesencephalic dopamine neurons have made significant contributions to the understanding of devastating pathologies such as Parkinson’s disease. Her work has been published in outstanding journals such as
National Medicine and
Experimental Neurology. She is already working as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Colorado Health Science Center at Fitzsimons.
Armstrong earned a degree in biology and Spanish from The University of Texas at Austin, where she was captain of the rowing team and was named Most Valuable Rower. Interested in ophthalmology and sports, Armstrong has worked on projects using Tamsulosin for cataract removal and for paintball ocular trauma, which will lead to poster presentations and publications. She was matched to a preliminary medicine year at Reading Hospital Center in Reading, Pa., and an ophthalmology residency at George Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C.
Fonseca, a high school biology teacher for six years before enrolling in the nursing school, was involved in peer tutoring, mentoring and leadership. She was class treasurer, a peer mentor in the Juntos Podemos program and led numerous volunteer activities in the School of Nursing and in the community. She was inducted into the National Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau, based on her academic success.
