Remembering Shayna

By Tracy Brown Wright

Shayna Teijido

Senior nursing student Shayna Alexsandra Teijido passed away unexpectedly Jan. 17 at her home in Gainesville. A native of Safety Harbor, Fla., Teijido was scheduled to graduate with her bachelor’s degree in nursing this spring. She was 21.

As evidenced by her choice of the nursing career field, Teijido was passionate about service to others. She was a member of the UF Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity and the Sigma Phi Lambda Christian sorority, and volunteered for several charitable organizations, including Gainesville Pet Rescue and Noah’s Endeavor, a program that offers recreational activities to children, many with disabilities.

Teijido was in the honors program and served as a mentor to junior nursing students. She would have graduated with honors and planned to pursue graduate study in nursing.

“I have truly been blessed to have had Shayna as one of the co-principal investigators on a research honor project with me,” said Cynthia Figueroa-Haas, Ph.D., A.R.N.P., a clinical assistant professor. “While working with her, it was clear Shayna possessed outstanding talents and capabilities … She did so much with her life for so many people, and even in her passing, continues to enrich lives she leaves behind.”

The college plans to ask UF to award Teijido a posthumous degree and will honor her at its commencement ceremony.

“The faculty, staff and students in the College of Nursing are saddened by Shayna’s sudden death,” said College of Nursing Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Sharon Bradley, D.N.P., R.N. “She was a great student who always had a smile on her face and we will miss her.”

For those interested in honoring her memory, the family requests donations be sent to the Shayna Teijido Memorial Gator Nursing Scholarship Fund, Office of Development, University of Florida, P.O. Box 100197, Gainesville, FL 32610. Checks should be made payable to the UF Foundation. For more information on the scholarship fund, call Anna Harper, director of development at 352-273-6360 or e-mail aemiller@ufl.edu .