In continuation of our mission to become informed global citizens and care providers, the Global Engagement Nursing Committee is excited to announce that the College of Nursing has received two global grants.
“SUCON Expansion of Nicaragua Collaborations: Partnering for Community Health”
Lead Writer: Karen Cowgill
Editors: GG Salvatierra, Kathy Camacho Carr, and Jennifer Fricas
Brief Summary: The purpose of this project is to broaden and deepen the activities of the SUCON short-term, faculty-led education abroad course in Nicaragua to provide a richer experience for our students and a more meaningful contribution to the Nicaraguan communities where we work. This proposal would take the summer program in Nicaragua to a new level of experiential learning by involving students and faculty in a real-world project in which they would work in cross-cultural partnership with Nicaraguan students, faculty, clinicians, community activists, and community members to assess and address healthcare issues. This project would not only strengthen existing partnerships, but also would bring new partnerships (UPOLI, PATH) and programs (community needs assessment, interdisciplinary public health interventions) to the S.U. Nicaragua Convergence Center.
“Ensuring Sustainable Partnerships in Nursing”
Lead Writer: Jennifer Fricas
Editors: Anne Hirsh, Linda Frothinger, and Kathy Camacho Carr
Brief Summary: The purposes of this project are three-fold. First, we seek to grow a pool of highly educated, knowledgeable and motivated faculty to sustain mutually-beneficial relationships with international partners. Second, we aim to honor our partners by hosting international scholars and visitors from agencies with whom we have a history of working in their home country. Third, we seek to assure quality programming by taking steps to systematically collect, analyze, and implement changes from program evaluation data and thorough student re-entry support. Institutionalizing program sustainability through well-documented policies and procedures (student re-entry support, program evaluation, annual succession planning, course director training, reciprocal engagement with international partners) is a best practice in global engagement.