Neaux La Made Inc

Neaux La Made Inc is a nonprofit organization committed to supplying assistance to minority SRNAs so they may obtain resources needed for professional development and training.

Neaux La Made (pronounced NO-LA made-short for New Orleans Made) is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of anesthesia providers through mentorship, financial assistance, and providing other essential resources to assist underrepresented student registered nurse anesthetists. The formation of Neaux La Made was inspired by its founders first-hand experiences and lived experiences of students encountered in the clinical arena.
In 2013, Brittany Santa Marina and Mallory Simmons met while working as registered nurses in the medical intensive care unit (MICU). The two New Orleans natives quickly bonded over their similar interests and work ethics. This friendship eventually transformed into shared goals to become Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs). Intrigued by the CRNAs they saw caring for patients in the unit, Santa Marina and Simmons embarked on a journey that would change their careers and lives completely. After shadowing a local CRNA, the pair knew the journey would be worth the struggle to get there.
As luck would have it, both were accepted into the same cohort of Louisiana State University (LSU) Health Sciences Center Nurse Anesthesia Program in 2016. Despite being excited to pursue their dreams, they knew finances would become an issue. Even with student loans, it was difficult to contribute financially to their families. Both aspiring CRNAs found themselves picking up shifts in the MICU once finals were over to ease the financial strain on their families.
In 2019, the Neaux La Made founders graduated from LSU's nurse anesthesia program. After graduation, they began working at a teaching facility that allowed them to interact with nurse anesthesia students regularly. Recalling their own financial challenges during nurse anesthesia school, they recognized the signs in some of their students and vowed to assist underserved students in need.
Neaux La Made Incorporated is a non-profit organization that was created to assist second and third year underserved student registered nurse anesthetists. The founders and board members of Neaux La Made are CRNAs who currently practice full-time in teaching hospitals, where they encounter students who experience daily financial struggles associated with nurse anesthesia school. "We strive to leave an impression that we hope will inspire the recipients to pay it forward when they become a nurse anesthetist.
In addition to firsthand experiences and observations, data suggests that minorities are more likely to face financial instability throughout their lifetime.
Although obtaining higher education is a step toward the long-term goal of ensuring financial stability, financial stress can make it more difficult to earn a graduate-level degree or deter people from pursuing higher education altogether. Even with student loans, graduate school requires additional costs and commitments that surpass what traditional funding can provide, causing students stress, anxiety, and often depression. The combination of these aspects could cause students to withdraw from the program or contribute to failing grades, which would result in dismissal from the program of study.
Through a series of fundraising events, we hope to secure funding so that we may be able to provide financial assistance, resources, and experiences that enhance professional development. Each year, we plan to host two events and one signature gala, at which students will be celebrated and presented with a Lagniappe Award. As native New Orleanians, we use the term lagniappe to describe things given as a gift or a bonus, so we felt it was only right to use this term as a way to honor our culture within our organization.Even though we are beginning our mission locally, it is our hope that one day we can expand to providing scholarships nationwide.

Testimonials

"As an SRNA, Neaux La Made's scholarship allowed me to focus on my degree and not my debt."
-Ken-'Ja Copper, SRNA Louisiana State University

"The journey towards higher education is a pursuit filled with challenges, opportunities, and transformative experiences. An integral part of my academic journey has been the 'Neaux La Made Scholarship', a beacon of support that has significantly alleviated my financial burdens and paved my pathway towards success." - Jasmine Williams, SRNA - Louisiana State University