Mount Saint Mary College Nursing students penned handwritten letters to encourage and empower women and girls, while enjoying a few slices of pizza, on Wednesday, November 9.
“The Pen and Pizza Write Night” event benefited the Letter Project, a female-led organization with the mission to send letters to women and girls who are in need of extra love, support, and encouragement. The letters are delivered throughout the U.S. and England.
“It was a very heartwarming experience and students felt happy to empower others who are struggling,” said Linda Kelly, assistant professor of Nursing.
This service project was part of the Mount’s recently received Nursing Workforce Diversity (NWD) grant. The Mount’s School of Nursing was recently awarded the $1.6 million, three-year grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NWD program focuses on the recruitment, support, retention, and graduation of nursing students from underrepresented groups. It increases nursing education opportunities and assists students from disadvantaged backgrounds to become baccalaureate-prepared nurses.
“The Nursing Workforce Diversity grant has a service component,” explained Kelly. “Part of the expectations for student NWD grant recipients is to engage in programming with other NWD students, attend tutoring for academic support as needed, and receive peer or professional mentoring. Another expectation is for service.”