Inspiring young minds about education

The importance of staying in school and meeting goals through education was the message on February 4th for 20 sixth grade boys from the Delaplaine McDaniel School in south Philadelphia. The energetic students, their teachers and chaperones were hosted on campus by volunteers from the College of Nursing’s chapter of the Student Nurses’ Association of Pennsylvania (SNAP-Villanova), and members of Villanova's football team along with Allison Venella who is coordinator of Student Services in Athletics. SNAP’s faculty advisor, Carol Weingarten, Ph.D., R.N., ANEF, associate professor, facilitated the day while senior Kaitlyn Singlemann and sophomore Sarah Gross coordinated the SNAP volunteers. Both nursing students are SNAP's special liaisons to Athletics and chair SNAP's projects with the McDaniel School.

This initiative was a natural extension of existing relationships. SNAP and the football team already co-sponsor and collaborate on service projects, such as those with middle school children and the Andy Talley Bone Marrow Donor Drive. The College of Nursing has an existing relationship with the McDaniel school as it is a site for health promotion practica for senior students as well as other SNAP volunteer activities. This was the first time McDaniel students visited Villanova. Their questions spanned a variety of topics, including how long it takes to graduate from college, how Nursing’s clinical simulation models work, where the football team plays and whether or not basketball players walk around the campus.

There was palpable excitement when the boys toured the Pavilion and Davis Center and learned about the lives of student athletes. Their excitement was just as high with hands-on experience in the College’s clinical simulation lab. Each student had an opportunity to feel pulses and check oxygen levels of the computerized human patient simulators as well as explore how nursing students learn to take care of patients. After the academic portion of their tour, the visitors enjoyed having lunch with members of SNAP and the football team and visiting the University Shop.