Student organizations within the College of Nursing provide leadership opportunities, personal growth, networking, and so much more for our students. The skills gained from these organizations are carried with students into their nursing practice. 

Student Nurses Association
Laura Tautkus:

The goal of SNA is to promote professionalism in nursing while advocating for wellness in families across Columbia and beyond. We focus on professionalism, leadership, and advocacy while participating in initiatives at the university, state, and national levels every year.

SNA events and activities include the Midlands Heart Walk, running the first aid tent at Special Olympics, Health Checks on Greene Street, volunteering at the Children's hospital, and hosting our very own soldier care package drive.

Last year we launched a new mentor-mentee program within the College of Nursing where lower-division students have the opportunity to match with a mentor in upper-division. We plan to build on this program and have a more organized system of picking mentors/mentees and increase student involvement.

To adjust to COVID-19, SNA has made plans to accommodate our members and their safety. We still plan on hosting regular monthly member meetings but will enforce social distancing and face coverings at all times. Members will have the opportunity to attend the meeting in person or to watch it live-streamed on Zoom. This way, we are reaching multiple audiences all at the same time. SNA will still be having guest-speakers at our meetings, to include specialty nurses. Since many community service opportunities that members regularly have the option to attend to gain points toward their graduation cord have been canceled, we have been creative in offering online options. For example, we provided points to members who donated masks/meals to healthcare workers on the frontlines. We also offered points during our "virtual" blood drive, where members could donate blood in their hometown at their local American Red Cross. We participated in a cool initiative during the spring semester called the "6-Feet-Closer Gratitude Challenge." Members could send a quick personal thank you video to essential frontline workers who are working endless hours to keep us safe. Adjusting to COVID-19 has allowed us to become more creative and to think outside of the box.

Men in Nursing
Brendan Kreag:

Men In Nursing seeks to promote men's role in the College of Nursing community and the nursing profession as a whole. In our inaugural semester, we strive to help our members facilitate the bridge between academic success and post-baccalaureate occupational goals and provide tangible student leadership opportunities.

While we are proud to be a co-ed organization, we take particular interest in developing a sense of community within the underrepresented male nursing student demographic. We hope to provide an environment our male members can relate to and learn from to enhance their experience as nursing students at the University of South Carolina.

We are currently formulating a tentative schedule for the Fall semester to include social events that support local businesses in the Columbia community while also coinciding with the university's COVID-19 guidelines. Such events may have a percentage night for the organization at Publico in Five Points, excursions to the School of Medicine to speak to graduate program directors, and hosting events within the College of Nursing for lower division students to converse with upper division students. We are discussing similar ideas with the hopes of integrating our organization into the College of Nursing community to provide opportunities for our members to grow socially and academically with their nursing school colleagues.

Chi Eta Phi
Lea Swinton:

Our two main goals are to 1). Create a community between nursing students and professional nurses. 2). Serve the community by raising awareness of different health concerns. 

Having organizations like Chi Eta Phi on campus is an integral step to providing a safe space for black students. At UofSC and many other predominantly white institutions where nursing students' cohorts often contain less than ten African American students compared to the 100+ others, it is extremely easy to feel out of place. This can lead to constant doubt and wondering if you're even cut out for nursing school. Having Chi Eta Phi meetings and events where mostly everyone looks like you and people rally behind you with support helps to remind you that you belong.

Chi Eta Phi encourages leadership very early on. During the intake process, everyone has to fulfill an executive role within the intake group. It lets everyone figure out their strengths before advancing into an executive role for the whole chapter. There are many opportunities and events in newsletters, group chats, and emails that provide opportunities to better ourselves, our education, and our community. There are national and regional conferences that you can get the chance to attend and learn from.