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NC-HCAPnews
a monthly update from the
NC Health Careers Access Program
at Chapel Hill
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| The Director's Corner |
While some organizations are boasting that the summer is
their down time, we are able to boast that it is a very busy time here at
NC-HCAP. Boast? Yes, because we get to experience outstanding scholars from
across the state as they converge onto UNC's campus to participate in our
rigorous academic and enrichment SEP Program. They are eager to be exposed to
resources that will aid them in becoming competitive applicants for
graduate/health professional programs. Speaking of boasting, we are elated that
this year's class of 50 students is our largest class to date. This was made
possible due to the commitment of several university leaders who believe in the
program and want to assist the students in their pursuits. We are so grateful
for this support and we know that the scholars are as well.
NC-HCAP would like to congratulate the NC AHEC Program on
another successful Future Leaders in Health Care Conference. The AHEC Health
Careers Workforce Diversity Council should be commended on the fine job that
they not only did to make the conference a success but for the outstanding work
that they do for the students in their regions. For the first time, our Health Professions
Forum/Inspirational Speakers in Science Lecture was hosted in conjunction with
this conference and targeted a pre-college audience. It was a huge success. The
students asked thought-provoking questions to the student panelists and Mr.
Clyde Johnson provided a riveting message.
I don't know how your summer has started off, but ours has
begun with a bang!
Patrena Benton |
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| NC-HCAP Announcements |
NC-HCAP's Health Professions Forum and ISIS Lecture impacts high school students statewide
NC-HCAP hosted its 12th
annual Health Professions Forum and Inspirational Speakers in Science (ISIS)
Lecture in conjunction with NC-AHEC's Future Leaders
in Health Care Conference. Over 260 high students from across North Carolina participated in the conference held May 30
- June 1 at East Carolina University.
ISIS speaker Clyde Johnson,
assistant director of Multicultural Student Services at Old Dominion
University and former
director of Health Careers & Workforce Diversity with Area L AHEC, wowed
the crowd while offering a message filled with hope and inspiration. In an age
where folks are plugged in to everything from iPods to cell phones to Xboxes,
Johnson told students that in order to get plugged into a health career, they
must unplug from these things at times.
He encouraged them to plug in to six
key areas: their history, community, family, spirituality, education and, most
importantly, themselves. "You must plug into yourself. There are enough manmade
obstacles that you will have to overcome. You don't need to make yourself an
obstacle as well," he said.
Johnson left the podium to
a standing ovation after he shared his theory for success. "As a psychologist, I
didn't come up with any grand psychosocial theories. But, I did come up with the BAM-BAM theory: believe in yourself, apply yourself and make
wise decisions," claimed Johnson. "When you apply the BAM-BAM theory, you
can be anything you want to be."
Following Johnson's
address, NC-HCAP presented a panel of current undergraduate and health
professional students who shared their own academic challenges and successes
and offered tips for surviving college and health professional school.
Additionally, our pre-college coordinator and AHEC liaison conducted a workshop entitled:
"College Admissions 101: What Admissions Committees are Really Looking For" and
gave a medical reader's theatre presentation of "Follow Your Heart" by Richard
Selzer.
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| Pre-College Initiatives
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 Career advising sessions now available to
pre-college students
Good
news: help with college and career planning is
now available!
We are offering summer
career advising sessions for 5th - 12th grade students considering a career in
the health professions. During these sessions, students can explore health
career options, receive academic enrichment tips and strategies, identify and
apply for college/financial aid and much more. Koyah Rivera, our pre-college
coordinator and AHEC liaison, will help students create a goal-oriented Action Plan for Student
Success for the 2008-2009 school year and will serve as a resource as
they put their plan into action and move towards their objectives.
Individual advising
sessions will be held at the NC-HCAP office at UNC and are available by appointment
Monday through Wednesday between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. or Saturdays from 9
a.m. to 12 noon. Interested students or parents should
contact the NC-HCAP office at (919) 966-2264 or kdrivera@unc.edu. Spaces are filling
quickly, so call today.
HCIE Workshops being scheduled
We are now scheduling workshops for the new school year. Avoid being waitlisted - schedule your free Health Careers Information & Enrichment Workshop today! Workshop outlines and other information can be found on our Web site.
To schedule a workshop, complete the online registration form or call us at (919) 966-2264.
NC-HCAP's health professional database
As we attempt to expose students to the myriad of health career options, we are seeking health professionals willing to share his/her personal story or basic information about their chosen profession with K-12 students. If you or someone you know would be interested, we would like to add you to our NC Health Professional Database. Please contact Koyah Rivera at kdrivera@unc.edu or (919) 966-2264. |
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| College Initiatives
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SEP updateOn Saturday, May 17, 50 college students from across the state
gathered on UNC's campus for the SEP Program and took the first step toward
becoming a health professional. This is an exciting time for the
students, faculty, NC-HCAP and our university and community partners.
Classes are well under way and the students are extremely busy with their coursework, touring health science schools and shadowing healthcare professionals.
Three of our students will be chronicling
their experiences over the course of the summer - be sure to check out the blogs of Tierra Butler, Sunny Darji and Justin Kelly. And you can follow all of our students' activities through this photo journal. And stay tuned for a special SEP edition of NC-HCAPnews.
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| Student Spotlight |
Special awards presented to two NC-HCAP Ambassadors
Two students received special recognition for their commitment to NC-HCAP this year.
We are proud of their hard work and dedicated service to our organization.
 Meka Asbury was named the 2007-08 Ambassador of the Year. Hailing from Winston-Salem, Asbury is a junior at UNC majoring in
chemistry. She was recently accepted into the UNC Clinical Laboratory
Science program and plans to pursue research opportunities in
medicine. Asbury joined the NC-HCAP Ambassadors in 2006. That year,
she was the executive coordinator and served as president for 2007-08.
She will continue her involvement as parliamentarian for 2008-09.
The Ambassador of the Year award is given to an Ambassador who
demonstrates commitment above and beyond his/her position duties,
advances the mission and goals of NC-HCAP through programming and
maintains a healthy balance between academic responsibilities,
extracurricular activities and personal well-being.
 Cerina Buchanan received the Patrena N. Benton Leadership Award, the
highest honor given to an Ambassador. A native of Clemmons, NC, the
UNC junior is majoring in psychology with a chemistry minor and plans
to pursue a career in optometry. Buchanan has been a member of the
Ambassadors for three years and served as publicity chair for Health
on the Block in 2006 and vice president in 2007-08. She will serve as
president of the organization in 2008-09. She participated in the SEP
Program in 2007.
The Patrena N. Benton Leadership Award honors the accomplishments of
an Ambassador who has distinguished him/herself in the area of
leadership. The recipient of the annual award is an emerging leader of
vision, service-mindedness, superior communication skills and
organizational focus. The award was named in 2003 for Patrena N. Benton,
co-founder of the Ambassador Program and tireless student advocate/UNC
administrative leader and carries with it a monetary scholarship
donated by Benton.
Congratulations to to the following SEP alumni: Cherrelle Smith graduated summa cum laude with a degree in clinical laboratory science from Winston Salem State University. She finished at the top of her class at WSSU and has been accepted to The Ohio State University School of Medicine and Meharry Medical College. Chaz Truesdale will be participating in the Advanced Academic Summer Enhancement Program at Howard University.
Miles Blanton, who served as a program assistant for SEP in 2007, will be teaching astronomy at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.
Watch for additional announcements in upcoming issues of NC-HCAPnews. |
| Center News
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From NC-HCAP at UNC-Pembroke:
 Congratulations to Cherece Grier and Bryan Howington, UNCP alumni and former SEP Scholars, who have been accepted
into Brody School of Medicine East Carolina University. (Photo: Howington; none available for Grier)
The University of North Carolina at Pembroke and the North
Carolina Health Careers Access Program (NC-HCAP) would like to recognize the following UNCP alumni who graduated from Brody School
of Medicine at East Carolina University on May 9, 2008: Jason Lowery,
Shelly Strickland, Ashleigh T.
Johnson, Charlene Locklear, and Crystal Bullard. (Photo taken at
Graduation from Brody School of Medicine)
Since its inception, this is the largest
group of Native American students to graduate from Brody School of Medicine. They
will begin their residencies mid-June at McLeod Regional Medical Center, in
Florence and Columbia, South Carolina. We are very proud of this group of students
who will eventually
provide medical care for our rural communites in North
Carolina.
 Additionally, Chamaine Brooks graduated from UNC School of Medicine and will be completing her residency at McLeod Regional
Medical Center
as well.
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| Give to NC-HCAP
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Pave the way for a future health professional by giving to NC-HCAP.You may make a gift online or contact Renee Harris directly at rharris@unc.edu or (919) 966-2264. When using Online Giving, please be sure to choose "NC Health Careers Access Program" under the University Designation List, then select "NC Health Careers Access Program (3894) " from the Select a University Fund menu. Or, mail Check or Money Order Payable to "UNC-CH"to:
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Office of University Development
PO Box 309
Chapel Hill, NC 27514-9931
PLEASE Write In "Designation #3894 - NC Health Careers Access Program" on the "FOR" line of your check. |
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North Carolina Health Careers Access Program
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Student & Academic Services Building South, Suite 3307
CB #8010
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8010
T: 919-966-2264
F: 919-966-6109
nchcap@email.unc.edu
http://nc-hcap.unc.edu
For editorial comments or questions, contact Renee Harris at rharris@unc.edu.
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