The University of Toledo Student Nurses’ Association took home honors for the Chapter of the Year at the Ohio Student Nurses’ Association convention in October.
To win the honor, a chapter applies for the award and is then reviewed by a board of directors. A chapter should be active on campus, promote professional development, and display student success to win the award.
“Toledo is the most active chapter in the state and that helped us win,” said Amanda Nuckols, president of the UT Student Nurses’ Association chapter.
Showing off the certificate the UT Student Nurses’ Association received in October were, from left, Stacy Barnes, Amanda Nuckols, Adviser Denise Oancea, College of Nursing Interim Dean Kelly Phillips, Adviser Karen Tormoehlen, Max Pulfer and Morgan Rethman. Nuckols is the president of the chapter, and Barnes, Pulfer and Rethman are executive board members of the organization.
The professional student organization has a strong presence on UT’s campus, offering a variety of student social activities, community outreach and professional development for students to network with nursing employers.
In fact, November was one of the chapter’s busiest months. In a single week, the group collected more than 700 items for the Cherry Street Mission’s Thanksgiving baskets; held an apparel sale that sold more than 200 items; made eight dozen cookies for Veterans Day that were given to a branch of the American Legions, the nation’s largest wartime veterans service organization; planned a surprise party for one of the group’s advisers who was retiring; and created busy blankets — small quilts made with squares of material featuring zippers, buttons, netting, satin, ribbons, lace and other materials for Alzheimer’s patients to keep on their laps and fiddle with.
“It was crazy,” Nuckols said of the week and laughed. “But it all turned out really well.”
If interested in joining, Nuckols encourages people to come to meetings, which are held biweekly in Collier Building Room 2401. The schedule for spring semester will be announced early next year.
“This organization has done countless things for me,” she said. “It’s really helped me to grow, be more structured with my time, and break out of my shell.”
Pre-nursing students also are encouraged to join the UT Pre-Nursing Student Organization. For more information, contact Carol Bryan at carol.bryan@utoledo.edu.
To learn more about the UT Student Nurses’ Association and to find out the date of the next meeting in January, contact Nuckols at amanda.nuckols@utoledo.edu.
