Nursing students receive competitive scholarships from Society of Pediatric Nurses

UCLA Joe C. Wen School of Nursing undergraduate students Riley Rehfeld and Megan Nim have been selected as 2025 Los Angeles Chapter of the Society of Pediatric Nurses (LA SPN) scholarship recipients. 

These competitive scholarships are awarded to students who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing pediatric nursing through scholarship and innovation, as well as for their commitment to improving the wellbeing and lives of children and their families, according to LA SPN,

As part of the scholarships, the students will present individual projects of their choosing at the 2026 LA SPN Chapter Conference.

Turning personal experiences into a mission of health advocacy

Growing up in a low-income immigrant household, Megan Nim faced challenges that shaped her understanding of health disparities. Her mother, who did not speak English or have access to formal education, prepared meals with love but limited nutritional knowledge, contributing to Nim’s struggle with childhood obesity and the bullying that followed. These early struggles gave her a firsthand view of how cultural and socioeconomic factors can affect children’s health and well-being.

Motivated by these experiences, Nim has become a passionate advocate for early intervention and culturally competent care. Through her involvement in UCLA Nursing’s Pediatric Interest Club (PICU) and the Maternity and Pediatric Community Outreach (MAP) clubs, she is developing a community health initiative aimed at local schools. Her project will feature interactive events that teach children about nutrition, hydration, and exercise through engaging activities like mini-exercise challenges and food demonstrations. If you are interested in helping with the initiative, you can sign up through this interest form. Volunteers will have the opportunity to assist in developing the program, support event activities, and help promote healthier habits in the community.

Nim plans to pilot the first event this year, using it to refine the format and gather feedback from families through surveys. The goal is to create a replicable model that can be expanded to other schools, reaching more children and promoting healthier habits in underserved communities. By collaborating with fellow students and volunteers, she hopes to build a sustainable outreach program that makes pediatric health education both accessible and fun. 

 “I’m truly honored and so grateful to receive this scholarship. Growing up in a low-income immigrant household shaped how I view health and community and continues to inspire the work I do. This recognition reminds me why I’m so passionate about pursuing efforts that help children and families lead healthier, happier lives.”

Leading with compassion in pediatric nursing

As president of UCLA Nursing’s Pediatric Interest Club, Riley Rehfeld has organized craft donations for children’s hospitals, volunteered at the UCLA NICU reunion, and has supported children with serious medical conditions through her volunteer work at The Painted Turtle. Her commitment to pediatric care is hands-on and from the heart, and this October, she will begin a new volunteer role in the patient playroom at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital.

In addition to her service work, Rehfeld is preparing to launch a research project focused on the benefit of how engaging in arts and crafts can benefit hospitalized children by promoting emotional well-being, enhancing fine motor skills, and providing a positive outlet for self-expression during their recovery. Inspired by the Pediatric Interest Club outreach efforts, she plans to work with pediatric nursing mentor and UCLA Joe C. Wen School of Nursing Assistant Professor Dr. Kristi Westphaln to study how arts and crafts can positively impact pediatric patients.

Her leadership also includes a strong focus on mental health advocacy for nurses. After completing her pediatric clinical rotation, she recognized the emotional toll that caring for young patients and their families can have on healthcare providers. In response, she is passionate about reducing the stigma surrounding mental health, raising awareness of the emotional challenges faced by new graduate nurses, and fostering a supportive community where nursing students can uplift and care for one another.

Through her scholarship, leadership, and advocacy, Rehfeld is helping shape a more compassionate and resilient future for pediatric nursing.

"I am so honored to be a recipient of the 2025 LA SPN scholarship. Thank you to the passionate pediatric nurses at UCLA School of Nursing and UCLA Mattel Children’s hospital for inspiring my passion for the pediatric population.” 

Congratulates to both of this year’s LA SPN scholarship recipients on this tremendous honor.