Page 11 - Laker Connection Fall 2013

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through K-12 education, and are excellent students. But they can’t finish nursing school, because they can’t go through clini- cals without proper documentation.”
Odom has advocated for Clayton State University Hispanic stu- dents, even writing a letter to the Social Security Office on behalf of a male, Hispanic nursing student who did not have a Social Security Number, a requirement for licensure by the Board of Nursing. In the case of Hispanic students, there are often multi- ple disparities to overcome: language differences, legal documen- tation and financial resources, to name a few.
To assist with financial need, the federal Nursing Workforce Di- versity Grant also awards scholarships to minority students in need of financial support for nursing program costs.
“Students from diverse backgrounds often have financial diffi- culty getting in and staying in college,” explains Elicia Collins, nursing instructor and student navigator under the Nursing Work- force Diversity Grant. “The nursing profession as a whole is not diverse, so it’s important to address those issues and this grant helps retain those students.”
The grant also offers stipends to students who want to mentor classmates; study resources to help pre-nursing students get on track before entering the program; workshops and a pre-nursing foundations course to attract minority students to nursing; nursing summer camps for middle and high school students, and more.
WHAT IS YOUR DREAM?
Each student brings his or her own unique perspective to the pro- gram, but – it was clear from speaking with this group of 10 - they share a collective heart for nursing and value the learning environment that results from diversity. However different their life experiences have been and will be, they are working together towards the same goal that leads to the same profession.
“This school has students from different backgrounds, cultures, age groups, and different first professions. Some have served in the military. I was, at one time, an accountant. There is such a combination of experiences that people bring to the program and all of the classes have given me more insight into what nursing is all about,” says Babatunde Olorunfemi from Ibadan, Nigeria.
“There are so many stories that we hear - so many personal strug- gles that are often not discussed openly - but every student has that underlying dream of becoming a nurse,” says Swearngin. “They have a desire to help someone in a very vulnerable situa- tion. Yes, it is a career – and a solid one – but you must have the dream; you must love people, and have a strong desire to work very hard in school and after graduation in order to make this be- come real for you. This is not TV nursing. We are not able to
solve everything in an hour. It is hard physical and mental work, but for students and nurses it is so rewarding to know that you will have a hand in helping someone recover. It’s the nurse’s dream and our patient’s dream made real.”
by Lauren Graves
Nursing student Beth Kelly reviews an online lecture. Kelly, who was diagnosed with ADHD in her adult life, benefits from the diverse approach to learning at Clayton State University. She often takes her tests in the Disability Resource Center, a private, quiet testing environment with additional test time to achieve her best.
Makenzie St. Claire, Nicole Davis and Babatunde Olorunfemi
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