Mount Saint Mary College’s Nursing Workforce Diversity (NWD) team and Mount Nursing student Maria Aguilar of Newburgh, N.Y. recently mentored high schoolers at the Newburgh Free Academy (NFA) West Campus.
High school students who are thinking about pursuing careers in the health professions were given the opportunity to learn more about the nursing field and the Mount’s School of Nursing.
The Mount NWD team met with a group of about 50 students, providing an overview of the nursing profession and prospects of nursing as an educational path and career. The visit was coordinated by Kylene D’Alfonso, who teaches Italian, and Lakeya Stukes, a school counselor, both from NFA West.
The recruitment, retention, support, and graduation of nursing students from underrepresented groups are the main objectives of the NWD program. It broadens the scope of nursing education and helps students with limited opportunities become baccalaureate-prepared nurses.
Through a three-year, $1.6 million Nursing Workforce Diversity grant to the Mount's School of Nursing by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the program offers nursing students ample opportunities for community service and support.
The Mount’s service-based approach to academics fits perfectly with professions like nursing. Nursing students at the Mount have access to advanced simulation labs and connections with local hospitals for clinical experience. The dedicated faculty at the Mount is devoted to supporting the success of both undergraduate and graduate students.