September  2008
 Vol 1, Issue 9



NC-HCAPnews
a monthly update from the
NC Health Careers Access Program
at Chapel Hill
The Director's Corner

It's official. School is back in session. The bright, shiny faces of the summer are falling a bit as the semester is underway for our students and their workloads increase. Our pre-college learners are not immune to this, either. The same thing is happening with my 2nd grader. She looks forward to Fridays, only to be disappointed when she realizes that Mommy still expects her to do work on the weekends.

How can we turn these droopy faces back to smiles as if every day were a summer day? I believe that we can do so by continuing to encourage students to see every learning opportunity as one for growth. We must also take every chance we have to remind them that we believe in them. With the high school drop out rate climbing and the educational disparities gap widening, we must keep all students focused and energized throughout their academic pursuits.

Continue reading this edition to learn more about our new pre-college initiative and important dates for future programs.

Patrena Benton



In This Issue
Director's Corner
Pre-college Initiatives
College Initiatives
NC-HCAP Centers
Join Our Mailing List!
Quick Links

Pre-college Initiatives
Health Careers Day on "the Hill:" NC-HCAP launches new on-campus pre-college initiative

North Carolina high school students interested in the health sciences have a new opportunity to discover how to break into the health care field: NC-HCAP's Health Careers Day on "the Hill."

The inaugural event will be held Saturday, October 18 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. The program is designed to expose high school students to various health careers and to provide access to college preparation information.

Two hundred AHEC participants from across the state will converge on the UNC campus to hear from representatives from UNC's schools of medicine and pharmacy and the Deparmtent of Allied Health Sciences. The admissions office and the Office of Multicultural Affairs also will present.

For more information about this event, contact Koyah Rivera, our pre-college outreach coordinator at (919) 966-2264.
College Initiatives
NC-HCAP forms new Health Careers Club
NC-HCAP has established a health careers club for students with a common interest in health care. The goals of the club are to promote awareness and interest in all areas of the health professions; to promote campus and community service projects; and to assist members in becoming competitive applicants for health professions programs. The health careers club is open to all undergraduate students at UNC. Students interested in joining the HCC should contact Paula Borden, our associate director and college outreach coordinator, at (919) 966-2264.

HCC officers
Left to right: Latorya Hill, Crystal Barnes, Cerina Buchanan, Meka Asbury, Maria Miranda, Chatinney Conway
Not pictured: Kevin Gray

2008-2009 Health Careers Club Officers

Cerina Buchanan - President
Major: psychology  Minor: biology
Health Career Interest: pediatric optometry

Kevin Gray - Vice President
Majors: biochemistry and economics
Health Career Interest: medicine, public health, health policy

Maria Miranda - Secretary/Treasurer
Major: political science
Health Career Interest: medicine

Latorya Hill - Historian/Reporter
Major: international studies  Minor: Spanish for the professions
Health Career Interest: nursing

Meka Asbury - Parliamentarian
Major: clinical laboratory science
Health Career Interest: medicine

Crystal Barnes - Membership Chair
Major: psychology
Health Career Interest: occupational therapy

Chatinney Conway - Programming Chair
Major: exercise sports science
Health Career Interest: nursing, fitness trainer


SAVE THE DATE
2009 Health on the Block
The NC-HCAP Health Careers Club will host the 6th annual Health on the Block community health fair on April 4, 2009. The fair offers complimentary health screenings and other important health-related information to the Chapel Hill-Carrboro community.
 
2009 Science Enrichment Preparation Program
 The 2009 SEP Program will be held Saturday, May 16 - Thursday, July 9. If you would like to support a deserving student for 2009, please contact Patrena Benton at pbenton@unc.edu. If you are interested in hosting an SEP informational session at your school, please contact Paula Borden at pborden@email.unc.edu.
NC-HCAP Centers

white coats2Three receive white coats
Three UNCP alumni received their symbolic white coats at the 2012 Medical Students White Coat Ceremony at Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University on August 15: Tala Smith, Bryan Howington (former SEP student) and Cherece Grier (former SEP student).


CHSP 2008UNCP students perform health care internships

NC-HCAP's Clinical Health Summer Program is for future health professionals to gain experience and examine careers.

This summer, 10 UNCP students performed six-week internships in a variety of health care settings.

"The summer internship is a time for outstanding students to find themselves and their place in health care," said Sylvia Johnson, HCAP director at UNCP. "The students get practical experience, exposure to real-life situations and the opportunity to make valuable contact with health care professionals by which mentor relationships could form." Read more

2008 CHSP Participants:
Morgan Schultingkemper, Susana Lopez, Courtney Sykes, Victoria Locklear, Andrea Laza, Michelle Godwin, Crystal Hunt, Ethan Chavis, Jordan Strickland and Erin Hunt
Give to NC-HCAP
Pave the way for a future health             professional by giving to NC-HCAP.

You may make a gift online or contact Patrena Benton, director, at pbenton@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.
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.