USF Nursing Student With Perfect Grades Earns King O’Neal Scholar Award

When USF Health College of Nursing student Danielle Myers graduates in December 2020, she will be ending her undergraduate career on a perfect academic note.

Myers achieved straight A’s in all her college courses, earning her the prestigious King O’Neal Scholar award for maintaining a 4.0 GPA. She will be recognized at the USF Fall 2020 Virtual Commencement ceremony on Dec. 12.

The award, presented by the USF Alumni Association, was created in honor of charter USF graduates Lucas King and Evelyn O’Neal.

Myers said receiving the King O’Neal Scholar award was an unexpected, but welcome surprise.

“To me, it felt really good to be acknowledged for that hard work, because a lot of times you won’t be or it won’t matter,” she said.

Myers earned her associate degree in nursing from St. Petersburg College and when she transferred her credits, she carried over her 4.0 GPA and continued that academic excellence throughout her time at USF.

She said she wasn’t planning on shooting for perfect grades in the college’s RN to BSN nursing pathway.

“It just kind of happened that way, out of habit of wanting to learn everything and doing the best that I can do. I’ve always did it for myself. It’s a standard that I held myself to,” Myers said.

After graduation, she hopes to start a nursing residency and apply all she has learned as a Bull Nurse.

“I’ve worked really hard to prepare myself to be as knowledgeable as I can and to apply everything into caring for others. I’m looking forward to starting, getting my feet wet and being able to use everything that I’ve absorbed so far,” she said.

Story by Elizabeth L. Brown, USF College of Nursing