Two University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo alumnae have been honored with the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) State Award for Excellence. Miki Miura, a 2019 graduate with a doctorate in nursing practice, secured the accolade for Hawaiʻi, while Mya Yee Nandar, who graduated in nursing in 2016, earned the distinction for Illinois. The award, granted annually to one nurse practitioner from each state, highlights their exceptional contributions to the field.
Nandar is a nurse practitioner specializing in mental healthcare at a clinic in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. She is an advocate for underserved and undertreated populations.
“[I strive] to do more, better, for human caring, with love, kindness, respect, and dignity,” Nandar said.
Miura is a nurse practitioner at several clinics such as the Waiʻanae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, where she specializes in women’s health. A Japan native, Miura came to the U.S. when she was 25 to achieve her dream of becoming a nurse practitioner.
“Learning complex subjects like nursing in my second language was challenging. I remember bringing an English-Japanese dictionary to my first clinical rotation in the U.S.”
More about the AANP recognition
The AANP State Award for Excellence recognizes nurse practitioners who have demonstrated excellence in clinical practice and have shown efforts to advance the image, profile and visibility of nurse practitioners at the state level.
