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The Lasso | twulasso.com
Wednesday, August 26, 2015 | 3
Feature | Nursing
TWU Nursing student travels to Peru More than just hospital experience, TWU nursing student takes healthcare beyond the typical setting Nadiyah Suleiman Page Editor nsuleiman@twu.edu TWU’s Center for Global Nursing Scholarship recently coordinated a Cultural Immersion Trip to Peru that enabled Nursing students and faculty to experience Peruvian culture while simultaneously expanding their knowledge of Nursing. The trip started with a forum held at the Peruvian Ministry of Health that celebrated the International Day of Nursing. Several Peruvian, American, and Cuban nursing leaders attended the event, hosted by Peru. Faculty presented research that was considered to be the most useful for Peruvian nurses. TWU students were also given a chance to present their Population/Patient, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome projects at conferences. These poster presentations covered a wide variety of topics, but the main focus for the entire trip was Women’s Health. Nursing Faculty Advisor Dr. Allison Huff-
News | Houston
Photo Courtesy of Brittney Koruthu
Brittney Koruthu jumps for joy on her Peruvian adventure.
Photo Courtesy of Brittney Koruthu
TWU Houston Nursing student Brittney Koruthu poses with fellow students.
man stated: “We’re hoping to facilitate nursing students to become exceptional citizens in a global society, become more aware of what’s happening outside of the U.S., and take what they learn and bring it back home.” The trip also included several hands-on learning opportunities such as community work at hospitals and high schools. Senior Nursing student
Brittney Koruthu said, “There was one community outreach day when we were in a rural town called Chiclayo. Through this, were able to get more personal interactive experiences with the community based on the group we were assigned to. For example, my group traveled with Dr. Huffman to an all-girls middle school where we got to teach the girls about hygiene.”
Koruthu presented her own PICO project at the conference and was able to use the experience to complete her Capstone for the Nursing Honors Program. Not only was she able to excel academically and professionally, but she also became enriched with Peruvian culture. Koruthu stated: “We met many other nursing students and nurses who taught us about the healthcare
system. It was interesting to compare and contrast their way of life with ours.” According to Huffman, despite the difference in culture and language, everyone was able to actively participate in conversation because specific students were chosen based on their Spanish speaking abilities. Koruthu enthusiastically said: “I would strongly encourage students to utilize this opportunity! I would advise students to keep an open mind when learning about other cultures and make strong connections with the professors, students
and other people they meet while on the trip.” Students were able to utilize scholarships made available through the Education Abroad Program to help ease the cost of the trip. Koruthu also commented: “I definitely believe I have become more culturally sensitive as a person and as a nurse. Also, this trip has inspired me to continue traveling the world, suing my career to impact others while also being impacted.”
New Pioneer Center opens on Houston campus Due to the success of the Denton center, TWU opened a new facility for Houston students Emily Nickles Page Editor enickles@twu.edu After the positive feedback and impact of the Pioneer Center on the TWU Denton campus, coined the “one-stopshop for academic success,” the university has opened a new Pioneer Center on the TWU Houston campus. It opened its doors to students the week before school began. The official ribbon cutting ceremony and celebration will be held sometime in the fall. The Center is located on the tenth floor of the Houston building in an open layout suite, Room 10300. The Center has a front lobby and desk area similar to Denton, and provides three rooms for holding study groups, workshops, and coaching sessions — decked with all the same technologi-
cal abilities. In addition, the physical space will be open the hours the building is open. According to Pioneer Center Executive Director Joshua Adams the intention was to provide the same services to Houston and Dallas as well, but while being 100 percent virtual (where mostly workshops would be broadcast), students did not receive the benefits of the other resources the Center offers. Adams shared: “It was a collaborative decision, we [had] identified the need from the different populations. Students were interested and excited about having a physical Pioneer Center in Houston, the faculty were interested as well as staff. So we thought it was a wonderful opportunity.” As Executive Director, Adams will be traveling between the campuses in addition to managing Center activities and services on all three cam-
puses. Recent TWU graduate Shaunon McClellan, has been hired as Academic Resources and Referral Specialist for the Houston campus. McClellan just received her Bachelors of Science in Health Studies this past May. Her job will consist of coordinating most workshops and events coming up. In regards to what she sees the Center becoming, McClellan shared: “I am hoping that students will find the Pioneer Center a welcoming place, where they can come in and study, find services, and a sense of support that will enhance their overall academic experience, by helping them reach academic excellence during their time here at Texas Woman’s University.” Dr. Adams referred back to what McClellan has been doing
to inform students since the space opened: [“Shaunon was actually there last Monday, so we have been involved in all the orientation events on campus, Houston’s orientations run primarily this week… [so] she was invited to speak at some of the events. This next week, we’ll be doing some Meet & Greets, kind of like open house type events over the week or so.”] The last Meet & Greet event in the new space ended Tuesday afternoon. McClellan observed some of the responses she’d been getting up to this point: “During this week we have had several students come in and view the space. So far, they have given good feedback and look forward to using the space to study.” Students returning to classes
this fall, who have come in and visited, have stated that it is much needed, due to the lack of study rooms available for students to use. I anticipate a high volume of students coming in to use the Pioneer Center.” As far as what the Pioneer Center offers to students as a service, Adams shared: “I think the overall Center is incredibly valuable to our students because what we’ve been able to build physically, but also in terms of our programs and services is really kind of a onestop-shop for student success. A student can come in with any needs, challenges, even successes if they want to take their academic life or skills to the next level. They can utilize the Pioneer Center, and we’ll be there to support them”
Graphic Courtesy of Pioneer Center
Open carry
TURN A PASSION FOR CAREGIVING IN T O S OME T HING HE ROIC. S TAT.
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laws, Pauley referred to a BestColleges.com ranking of campus safety and suggested that the law would not change that ranking: “We were recently rated as one of the top safest universities in the United States.” Pauley explained her views on students’ rights to carry concealed firearms: “It is a matter of personal choice. One person may feel the need and one person may not. It is their choice.” As the bills have already been signed into law, no opposition towards it will prevent the public “open carry” or “campus carry” laws from going into effect. That the laws will change the way TWU and other Texas campuses operate goes without saying; until the laws go into effect, the full extent of these changes remains unknown.
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universities to opt out of the law by designating the entire campus a “gun-free zone.” TWU and its Department of Public Safety will be tasked with upholding the law once it goes into effect. DPS Chief Elizabeth Pauley said in an email: “It is the law, and it shall be enforced according to the law.” She said of the university’s approach to the law: “The University takes the law seriously, and we will put a plan in place that fits the law and the University within the law.” She added: “Anytime a new law is initiated there is always training, both operational and procedural.” DPS officers will be appropriately trained before the law goes into effect. When asked how campus safety might be affected by the