Breaking the Myths of Nursing Summer Camp
For students in grades 9–12
Program Objective
Breaking the Myths of health professions is designed to provide underrepresented high school students with an up-close experience of the reality of nursing, dentistry, medicine, optometry, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant, and other health programs. Activities include educational hands-on opportunities taught by health professionals, faculty, staff, and current students. Financial support is available for students experiencing financial hardships. Daily lunch and snack breaks are included.
Sponsored by Indiana University School of Nursing, Indiana University School of Dentistry, Indiana School of Medicine, Indiana School of Optometry, Indiana School of Health and Human Sciences, and Eta Chi Chapter of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc.
Developing Future Nurse Leaders Mentoring (DFNL) Program
DFNL started in fall 2012 to provide an opportunity for future nursing students to be linked with nurses and nursing students dedicated to building their foundation to become a future nurse leader. Students along with their mentors meet four times a year. Students are a part of the DFNL program from high school through nursing school.
IU School of Nursing participated in creating a non-credit course, First-year Seminar, in fall 2012 for students taking college courses at IUPUI (now known as IU Indianapolis) for dual credit. The First-year Seminar is team taught by representatives from IU School of Nursing, IU School of Medicine, IU School of Dentistry, and University College. It includes a teacher from Crispus Attucks Medical Magnet High School (CAMMHS). Retention improved overall due to this non-credit seminar and CAMMHS students reported that it helped with time management and study skills.
The school supports the attendance of underrepresented minority students and their mentors to attend the Institute on Teaching and Learning Conference. The purpose of the institute is to provide scholars with the skills necessary to succeed in graduate study and to prepare them for success as faculty members at colleges and universities.
Several programs are available to promote overall success for all nursing students. Students who are facing specific challenges in their courses have access to peer tutoring and mentoring with the director of Diversity and Enrichment through the Academic Support Assistant (ASAP) Program. While these services are available to all students, IUSON developed these programs to address the unique needs of underrepresented and/or first-generation college students.
Career Connections is strong component of IUSON’s commitment to enhancing diversity in nursing education and practice. This program offers mentorship and support to any underrepresented students interested in the PhD program.
The IU Health American Assembly for Men in Nursing (AAMN) organization, formed in fall 2011 at IUSON, is the only AAMN chapter in the state of Indiana. It has been instrumental in the recruitment and retention of men in nursing as well as creating an awareness of men in nursing.
The Diversity and Enrichment Council is composed of administrators, faculty, students, staff, and alumni, as well as community partners. The group meets twice each academic year to discuss diversity as it relates to student recruitment, enrollment and retention, graduation, and partnerships.
The LaVern V. Sutton Award was established in honor of LaVern V. Sutton for her outstanding accomplishments as minority and foreign student advisor in the School of Nursing from 1985 until 1995. The purpose of the award is to support leadership potential in students of color, increase diversity among mentors, and thus provide appropriate care to an increasingly diverse population.
The Thomas Shanklin Diversity & Enrichment Award was created in recognition of Shanklin’s leadership at the School of Nursing in promoting learning experiences about Native American culture. Projects receiving support must be related to the overall goal of the Diversity and Enrichment Advisory Council to increase awareness and knowledge of cultural diversity. Preference is given to projects focusing on Native American culture.
The Sequoia Award award is presented to an IU School of Nursing faculty member who has demonstrated an effort to increase nursing students’ knowledge and understanding of the larger community we serve. (In some cases, there are multiple recipients.) A special presentation is made the year following receipt of the award.
The Special Ambassador Award award is given to an IUSON faculty member who makes exceptional contributions to impact international students by facilitating their successful completion of the program. A special presentation is made the year following receipt of the award.
The Diversity Scholar Research Program (DSRP) scholarship is offered by the IU Indianapolis Center for Research and Learning and the IU School of Nursing. The award is made to academically talented underrepresented nursing students to facilitate the success of the next generation of nursing researchers and scholars. The IUSON recently supported two underrepresented undergraduate students through the DSRP. These students received financial support and academic mentoring from IUSON faculty.
The Davis-Sams Distinguished Visiting Professorship is named in honor of Anne Mitchem-Davis, the first African American graduate of Indiana University School of Nursing (1953) and Dr. Lauranne Sams, the first African American faculty member hired (1958). Established in 1999 as part of the school’s 85th anniversary celebration, the Davis-Sams Distinguished Visiting Professorship provides an opportunity for a distinguished leader in nursing to spend 2-3 days consulting with faculty, lecturing to students, and engaging with the larger community. Davis and Sams were leaders within Indiana University School of Nursing, so it is appropriate that this visiting professorship honors them as pathfinders, as it annually brings to campus a nurse leader who is a pioneer in the field of nursing.
Indiana University School of Nursing received $50,000 to support students in the school’s Accelerated BSN track who are traditionally underrepresented in the field of nursing and are pursuing second careers in the field. New Careers in Nursing (NCIN) is a program of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). Five IUSON students each were awarded a $10,000 NCIN scholarship. In addition to a $10,000 scholarship, NCIN scholars receive other support to help them meet the demands of an accelerated degree program. All NCIN grantee schools maintain a leadership program and a mentoring program for their scholars, as well as a pre-entry immersion program to help scholars learn study, test-taking, and other skills that will help them manage the challenges of an accelerated program.
