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Caring to
Commit
Student Volunteers Make a Difference in the Community
“I beam with pride that 29 School of Nursing students were eligible for the IPSA award this past spring and
I look forward to this becoming a trend in semesters to come.”
Nicole Koppi
IPSA Head of Program Evaluation
From devoting more than 600 hours of community service in the greater New Orleans area, to providing time and talent in leading campus organizations in collaborative initiatives, the students in the LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing have proven to be a major influence in the Interprofessional Student Alliance (IPSA). IPSA supports the many exceptional LSU Health Sciences Center student-run community outreach projects that address health disparities in underserved communities in the greater New Orleans area.
“Nursing students make up over a quarter of all currently active students in interprofessional organizations
on campus,” explains senior Michelle Wydra. “For our students, participating in IPSA means taking their personal time to volunteer, so that shows a true commitment to interprofessional collaboration.”
This past year, IPSA volunteers have been instrumental in a number
of student-run projects that have supported adults, children and families throughout Louisiana. Some of the initiatives students have helped with include educating public school
children about reproductive health, sta ing health care clinics at local shelters, teaching cooking and nutrition education in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank and partnering with the Louisiana Children’s Museum to host a special museum event for children with disabilities and their families.
In acknowledgment of their dedication, a total of 63 School of Nursing students earned the IPSA Award of Interprofessional Distinction this past spring and fall. Two additional School of Nursing students were awarded the inaugural IPSA Leadership Award: Nicole Koppi and Vanessa Shields.
“I beam with pride that 29 School of Nursing students were eligible for the IPSA award this past spring and I look forward to this becoming a trend in semesters to come,” says Koppi, who started participating in IPSA during her freshman year and who now is the IPSA Head of Program Evaluation.
“I absolutely love the opportunity to be involved in community service that allows for direct patient care, and be of service to those in need in the New Orleans area.”
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