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GRANTS & AWARDS
The Power of Possibilities As the morning sun brightened the Klein Dining Hall on February 28, about 90 scholarship recipients from a wide variety of disciplines, program directors, and donors gathered for the first Power of Possibilities Recognition Brunch.
President Jon Jay DeTemple kicked off the brunch, asked students to rise, and remarked, “I stand with our students to welcome everyone and to say, thank you for your generosity.” He explained that students wanted to honor those who provided scholarship gifts and gifts that enhance our campus, student life, and academic programs. “These are the gifts that have created the Power of Possibilities for each of these students.”
In recognition of the International Year of the Nurse, speakers included Yahquia Jones ’20, recipient of the Nurses for Tomorrow Scholarship funded by the Independence Blue Cross Foundation. Jones thanked Foundation President Lorina Marshall-Blake, exclaiming that coming to Harcum “was the best decision of my life” because nursing is a calling that “gives you purpose.”
Program Director Kathy Koar introduced Harcum alum and Mount Laurel Animal Hospital’s Sarah Stowman ’15, and Banfield Pet Hospital Practice Manager Rose Dolin. Both hospitals are part of Harcum’s Veterinary Nursing Partners Program, developed by Koar. Partner practices offer student scholarships.
Veterinary Nurse Stowman said that growing up, she was a “horse girl,” whose days centered around going to the stable. “With the Harcum Grant, I was able to attend my dream school. As a direct result, I now have my dream job.”
Dolin described distinctive traits of Harcum students. “The education they have received through Harcum’s vigorous Veterinary Nursing Program has set the bar so ABOVE: Trustee Kevin Dow talks with Sarah Stowman ’15 as she prepares to deliver her inspiring remarks. BELOW: Yahquia Jones ’20 with Rev. Lorina Marshall-Blake.
high, they are strong performers from the second they enter our hospitals.”
Senior Vice President and CFO John Hayden noted the event’s goal of a HUG—Holding an Uplifting Gathering— and KISS—Keeping it Simple and Sincere. “Scholarships provide access to education, they advance healthcare, help to develop business leaders, promote the arts, meet needs such as the nursing shortage, or help the underserved. Thank you for donating and for caring.”
Connecting in
the Digital Realm
by Mark Hostutler
Personal attention is the hallmark of instruction at Harcum College and one of the many reasons a Harcum education is so valuable.
Phillip Klein Award Winner Julian Crooks gave online sewing lessons to Fashion students.
Thus, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of schools across the commonwealth, Harcum’s leaders acted swiftly and efficiently to ensure that, during the college’s transition to online instruction, student learning would not skip a beat.
“All faculty worked hard to keep students engaged, motivated, and on track to complete their courses,” Dr. Julia Ingersoll, Executive Vice President at Harcum College, said, noting that the college loaned laptops to students who did not have access to a computer.
Fashion Design students received online sewing instructions and online critiques of their clothing lines. Occupational Therapy Assistant students are completing their field work needed for graduation and certification through telehealth clinical rotations. Early Childhood Education students designed online classrooms. Photography students experimented with new software and shot pet portraits from home. Students in the Dental Hygiene and Fashion Merchandising programs have completed collaborative video projects.
Also, guest speakers have addressed classes via Zoom, and award ceremonies were held virtually to recognize outstanding graduating students in selected programs.
“I am especially proud of the telehealth program developed and delivered by the Occupational Therapy Assistant program that paired college students and adults with autism,” said Dr. Ingersoll. “As a result of COVID-19, adults with autism had lost access to social therapy programs.
“Harcum College students delivered diverse and engaging programs online. The programs were designed to develop and maintain occupational skills. The adults who received online programming, and the caregivers who participated in and learned from the programming, are grateful for this creative collaboration.”
The college held its first-ever Virtual Commencement to showcase each graduating student.
“There is a deep commitment from the Student Life team and Harcum community to recognize, honor, and celebrate our graduates and to effectively support our graduates’ future endeavors by facilitating virtual opportunities to interact with potential employers and four-year colleges/universities,” said Ed Kovacs, Harcum’s Dean of Student Life.
“Throughout the pandemic, we have remained committed to and connected with our students, reminding them of all the campus resources and supports available.”
As for prospective students, Rachel Bowen, Harcum’s Vice President of Enrollment Management, and her team have been finding creative ways to work with applicants. Virtual information sessions through Zoom enable future students and their families to meet with admissions counselors, program advisors, and even alumni from their program of interest, all at one time.
“Our goal is to provide that one-on-one attention in a way that conveys what Harcum is about,” said Bowen. “I couldn’t be prouder of our enrollment team. They are truly going above and beyond to make sure they connect with their students and keep them on track. We have also been providing our own institutional scholarship called the Harcum Cares Scholarship to help those who may need additional financial assistance during this difficult time.”
Mark Hostutler is the editor of VISTA Today, an online news journal that shares the positive stories shaping Chester County, Pennsylvania. He is a veteran of the newspaper industry, having been a sportswriter at the Delaware County Daily Times, and has freelanced for numerous publications throughout the country.
Ed Kovacs
#HarcumHelps
Inspiring Stories of Hope During Isolation
by Amy Shumoski
The global pandemic left so many people isolated, without jobs, and feeling seemingly helpless. It also brought out the best in many of us, allowed us to form new connections, and embark on hobbies and interests that would make an impact on those around us.
Harcum’s core value of commitment to community service and its mission to provide outstanding life preparation, were never more evident than during this changing and unsettling situation. Members of the Harcum family stepped up and met challenges to support those around them during these unprecedented times.
Leo Doyle, an adjunct instructor in the Criminal Justice program, not only transitioned classroom lectures to an online format for his students, but he also served the Ridley Township community as a police officer. He brought first hand knowledge of working the front lines to his Policing & Police Practices class. He remarked, “I’m so motivated by my students’ interest in criminal justice during these uncharted times.”
Jaelyn Ruiz models one of her masks.
Fashion Design students Jaelyn Ruiz and Deja Mayberry used their sewing skills to make hundreds of masks for those in need. Both students recognized the mask shortage and knew their skills could be put to use in a positive way to solve a problem. Ruiz joined a sewing group at her church and used donated supplies to craft masks she gave to nursing homes and hospitals in the Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton area. Mayberry contributed hers to healthcare workers at Einstein Hospital. “The whole experience was really fun because I was doing something I enjoy. I couldn’t just sit and watch when I knew I was able to help, even if it was just locally,” commented Mayberry.
The Occupational Therapy Assistant program was afforded the opportunity to make a new partnership because of the pandemic. They created a telehealth day program with consumers from Lehigh Valley Adult Services. This program provided occupation based services, delivered via a telehealth format, to adults who were not able to attend their in person day program due to the coronavirus. It also allowed our OTA students to gain the time they needed to complete their fieldwork responsibilities and graduate on time. More importantly, it allowed our
students to build meaningful relationships with consumers.
One such relationship was summed up eloquently by one of the consumers, “Nicole”, who sang Rascal Flatts “Bless the Broken Road” to our OTA students Haley O’Donnell and Oksana Malanachak, to thank them for their work. After singing the song, Nicole pointed out, “You see, the virus was the broken road that led me to the OT students.” Not a dry eye in the Google Hangout room.
“Our students, faculty, and program quickly adapted to the need of providing occupation based activities in an alternative format. This will serve the program well as we meet challenges to identify traditional fieldwork experiences for our students due to the continued impact of the pandemic. Much credit goes to faculty members Christa Eck, Nikki Lynn, Lynne Rockwell, Kristy Meyer, and Nancy Beck for supporting our students in these programs,” reflected program director Jim Foster.
Vicki Tobin ’03, a PTA, worked the front lines at SHANICE BROWN helped Einstein Medical Center. She performed all therapy treatdeliver food to Chester residents. ment sessions for COVID patients bedside with full PPE. “At times the rooms could be very hot, so sweating was a norm. Unfortunately, we experienced the death of multiTwo Physical Therapist Assistant program graduple patients. Despite being scared of the potential conseates, Jennifer Novik ’13 and Irina Chudnovskaya ’19, quences of being exposed to COVID and how that may worked together at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. affect our families, we continued to give the best quality of They first met when Novik was Irina’s clinical instructor. care to our patients. Now co-workers, Novik remains in a mentorship role.
At times it was physically and emotionally challenging, Chudnovskaya had started in PPMC’s skilled nursing unit, but the most important thing was that we supported each but was eager to get her feet wet on the acute-care side of other. We had to stagger our lunches to maintain social the hospital so she stepped up big-time to volunteer for distance within our department, but we were still able to be the COVID team of therapists. This, at a time when many in each other’s company, providing laughter and air hugs. people and therapists were unsure of just how contagious To all of us that was the most important thing—support or deadly the virus could be. from our colleagues, knowing that we are not alone in Novik recently reached out to the program’s director, this, knowing that we had an outlet to share our feelings, Jacki Kopack, and the director of clinical education, Shaun concerns, and fears.” Madary, to say that “being a PTA is perhaps the best part of the pandemic” for her. After two other careers, she is grateful to have a fulfilling job where her “To all of us that was the most co-workers help lift her up when she gets down. Chudnovskaya knew important thing—support from she wanted to help and be on the frontline of the COVID pandemic. our colleagues, knowing that we “I wanted to get first-hand experience on how the virus affected are not alone in this.” Vicki Tobin ’03 patients and learn about the medical side of COVID. I knew I was in a low-risk category because of my age
Mohamed Kamara
and health status and I could step-up and help the therapy team by volunteering.”
Shanice Brown, a Human Services major at the Prospect Park Partnership Site, helped to feed residents of Chester weekly through a food giveaway program. Shanice and friends set up in Memorial Park in Chester and offered grab-and-go lunches and also provided delivery for people without transportation. She instituted a curbside drop-off box for food donations, as well as organized a pizza party giveaway for two families in need. “Shanice is very active in her community and a fantastic student—making the Dean’s list for the Spring 2020 semester,” remarked Andrea B. Mathias, site coordinator.
Another Human Services major at the Prospect Park Partnership Site, Natosha Williams, was an essential worker for Mainline Healthcare and organized a drive for donations for two needy families in her community. She collected food, water, toilet paper, etc. Both families were surprised and grateful. She managed to do this while working long hours, taking care of her children, including a graduating high school senior, and keeping up with all her assignments and coursework.
Mohamed Kamara, a nursing major commented, “Studying to be a nurse at Harcum really helped me carry out my work duties more confidently during the pandemic. Like most people, I too was confused and alarmed at the rate the virus spread and the death toll continued to rise. However, I was able to focus on preventing the spread of the virus through proper sanitation routine, utilization of PPE, and observation of staff and clients in my assigned area for any sign and symptom of the virus. I believe my nursing studies helped me greatly in my contribution to the fight against COVID-19 in terms of leadership and being compassionate.”
Alice Pakhtigian, Fran Salvacion, Robyn Gleason, and Kathy Anthony, all members of the President’s Staff Advisory Council, mailed greeting cards to residents at nursing homes in Lower Merion Township. Cards of thanks to employees were also included. The members regularly plan fundraising and volunteer opportunities for the Harcum community, so this was one one many gestures to let the wider community know that Harcum is thinking of them.
The author of this feature Amy Shumoski crocheted hearts for Main Line Health COVID-19 patients. Some of Deja Mayberry’s masks (right).
