September 2009
Vol 2, Issue 9



NC-HCAPnews
a monthly update from the
NC Health Careers Access Program
at Chapel Hill

The Director's Corner
For more than a decade, health professions pipeline work has been my passion. During my tenure with NC-HCAP, I have enjoyed working with students committed to becoming health care professionals and colleagues committed to helping them achieve their goals. The added bonus is that I have been able to so right here at UNC, my alma mater.
 
After 14 years at UNC, I leave to begin serving as the Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs at Langston University. Although I am excited about this new venture, I will truly miss this great institution, an outstanding organization, wonderful colleagues and fantastic students.
 
I want to thank all of you for your unwavering support. We have been able to do what we do because of your belief in our mission and your desire to see our state grow a more diversified health care work force.  It has been my pleasure to serve you, the university and the state at large. Homecoming will mean even more to me now.

Patrena N. Benton, Ph.D.
Director


From the Interim Director:

I am excited to serve as Interim Director for NC-HCAP and hope to follow in the footsteps of administrators who have provided outstanding leadership over the years.
 
On behalf of the NC-HCAP team, we thank you -- students, alumni, colleagues and friends -- for allowing us to be a part of your lives. We look forward to a continued relationship.
 
Paula Borden
Interim Director



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

NC-HCAP News

NC-HCAP Staff Updates
Paula Borden, associate director and college outreach coordinator, has been named interim director for the organization. Effective September 1, 2009, she follows Dr. Patrena Benton, who was recently named the associate vice president for academic affairs at Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma.
 
Additionally, Borden has been selected to participate in the 2009 BRIDGES Academic Leadership for Women program which will be held September 11 - November 1 at UNC. This year's theme is "Personal and Professional Journey of Transformational Leadership." BRIDGES is an intensive professional development program for women in higher education to strengthen their leadership capabilities.

Jessica Levitt has joined the NC-HCAP team as a program coordinator. As such, she will assist with fiscal management, coordinate with the university's Unified Business Clusters (UBC) and assist with programmatic planning for pre-college and college initiatives. She is the co-advisor for the NC-HCAP Health Careers Club. Before joining NC-HCAP, Jess spent three years as a financial aid counselor for the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design in Denver, CO. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in art history from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

Koyah Rivera has been appointed to the admissions committee of the Global Public Service Academy for Health program at Duke University. GPSA is a summer program for high school sophomores and juniors interested in careers in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, biomedical engineering, dentistry and related fields.

NC-HCAP 2.0
NC-HCAP now has a home on Facebook. Be sure to check us out and become a fan!
Pre-college Initiatives
Schedule a Health Careers Information & Enrichment Workshop today!
Are you looking for a way to get your students geared up for college while exposing them to one of the fastest growing career fields in North Carolina? If so, this free workshop is a must!

Each workshop is highly interactive and focuses on small group and cooperative learning activities while providing students with general information about health careers and educational programs as well as academic enrichment activities. 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 Careers Day on 'the Hill' to be offered twice this fall

 
North Carolina high school students interested in becoming health professionals now have two opportunities to participate in NC-HCAP's Health Careers Day on "the Hill."
 
The program, designed to expose high school students to various health careers and to provide access to college preparation information, will be held Saturday, October 17 from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and Wednesday, October 28 from 10a.m.-4:30 p.m.
 
Featured disciplines will be medicine, dentistry and nursing, and the UNC undergraduate admissions office and NC AHEC Program will also present.
 
For more information about this event, contact Koyah Rivera, our pre-college outreach coordinator at (919) 966-2264.

 
College Initiatives
NC-HCAP Health Careers Club membership drive
The NC-HCAP Health Careers Club is accepting new members for this academic year.

HCC members have the opportunity to participate in graduate/health professional seminars and panel discussions, receive academic and career counseling, secure shadowing experiences, and give back to the community through Health on the Block and other service learning projects.

The club is open to all undergraduate students at UNC. Please have students interested in joining contact the membership chair at [email protected].


New Health Careers Club officers inducted
HCC officers
Front row (l to r): Tyela Smith, Crystal Barnes, Heather Venant;
Back row (l to r): Imani Fuller, Franklin Diaz, Brittany Macon
Not pictured: Maria Miranda


Officers for the 2009-2010 year were inducted at the club's recognition celebration in April. Congratulations to the new executive board!

President - Crystal Barnes
Vice President - Franklin Diaz
Secretary/Treasurer - Brittany Macon
Historian/Reporter - Maria Miranda
Parliamentarian - Heather Venant
Membership Chair - Tyela Smith
Programming Chair - Imani Fuller


2010 SEP Program
Do you know an undergraduate student interested in becoming a health professional - one in need of an academic and enrichment boost to become a more competitive applicant for graduate/health professional school? Then SEP is just what the doctor ordered.
 
SEP is an eight-week academic enrichment program for undergraduate underrepresented minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged students who plan to pursue careers in the health care. 
 
The 2010 SEP Program will be held Saturday, May 15 - Friday, July 9.
 
The online application will be available October 1. If you are interested in hosting an SEP informational session at your school, please contact Paula Borden at [email protected] or (919) 966-2264 today.


SEP Photo Gallery
See what our SEP scholars experienced this summer! They were busy with classes, tours of local health professional schools and research facilities, seminars, and much more! We've documented it all on our photostream at Flickr.com.


Center News

UNCP students perform health care internships
Ten students participated in NC-HCAP's Clinical Health Summer Program at UNC-Pembroke. The six-week program is for aspiring health professionals to gain experience and examine health careers by interning in a variety of health care settings.

2009 participants and their placements  were:
Avon Banks III -  Sophomore biology major, Southeastern Regional Medical Center's (SRMC) Dr. Arthur J. Robinson Clinic, Lumberton, N.C.;
Olivia Bird - Sophomore chemistry major, Walgreen's Drug Store, Lumberton, N.C.;
Jarrod T. Bullard - Junior biology major (biomedical emphasis), Robeson Family Practice, Red Springs, N.C.;
Cynthia Correa - Sophomore, Robeson Health Care, Lumberton (N.C.) Center;
Michelle Hammonds - Junior biology major (biomedical emphasis), Pembroke Pediatrics;
Chelsey Locklear - Sophomore biology major, Waters Drug Company, Pembroke;
Melinda Locklear - Junior biology major (biomedical emphasis), Scotland Healthcare Systems, Pembroke Family Practice;
Leslie Lovette - Junior biology major, Scotland Health Care Systems, Laurinburg, N.C.;
Iner Lowery - Senior chemistry major, Southeastern Regional Medical Center, Lumberton, N.C.; and
Jannaka Oxendine - Junior biology major, Robeson Health Care Corp., Maxton (N.C.) Medical Center.

Read more
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 Dr. Patrena Benton, director, at [email protected] 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
[email protected]
http://nc-hcap.unc.edu

For editorial comments or questions, contact Renee Harris at [email protected].