AMERICA | 23-year-old Deja Catons from Brooklyn, New York, has earned her Master’s degree in Nursing through a scholarship at Johns Hopkins University, the top-ranked nursing school in the United States.
Deja’s academic journey began with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Morgan State University, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude.
In an interview with Voyage Baltimore, Deja reflected on her family’s influence, especially her grandmother’s emphasis on faith and her mother’s commitment to education.
Her mother, who earned her own Master’s degree when Deja was just two, made it her goal to ensure Deja received the best education possible.
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And just like her mother’s wish, Deja grew up to thrive academically and socially, balancing extracurriculars like varsity field hockey, band, chorus, and community service.
Deja’s academic diligence led her to graduate high school with a 4.03 grade point average, paving the way for college with Advanced Placement credits and volunteer experience.
Although accepted to Ivy League schools, she chose Morgan State University in the United States, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), to find a sense of community and representation.
At Morgan State University, Deja majored in Biology with a minor in Chemistry and quickly became an active member on campus, joining the Biology Club’s executive board and participating in the ASCEND (A Student-Centered Entrepreneurship Development) research program funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
She also earned licenses as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and Dialysis Technician (CNA-DT), working full-time in dialysis during her studies.
Deja graduated in 2022 with a 3.921 grade point and as an ASCEND NIH/NIGMS Build Scholar and Clara I. Adams Honors College graduate. She said her work in dialysis allowed her to accumulate over 3,000 hours of patient care.
This experience and her research on advanced nursing roles inspired her to pursue a career as a Nurse Practitioner.
She set her sights on the Direct-Entry MSN program at Johns Hopkins, a unique path designed for individuals with non-nursing bachelor’s degrees. Her application was accepted within two weeks, and she recently graduated with her Master of Science in Nursing.
As she begins her career as a Registered Nurse, Deja aims to become a Nurse Practitioner. She hopes to use her social media as a platform to provide guidance and mentorship, recognizing the importance of representation for Black and Brown individuals in healthcare.
Deja takes pride in helping others, whether they are patients, mentees, or community members. She describes herself as “grind, determination, and support personified,” and she is eager to inspire others with the same drive she brings to her work.
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