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Madison's student nurses

Making a difference

2007-08 Nursing Student Association

2007-08 Nursing Student Association

Living their motto

JMU nursing majors live and work by the motto: “Being a nurse means making a difference in people’s lives.” This year, members of the JMU Nursing Student Association, led by president Kristina Kirby (’08), made the rounds in campus, community and global volunteer service. Above and beyond rigorous and cutting-edge classroom studies, the 2007-08 Madison’s Nursing Student Association promoted good health by hosting its annual Senior Prom, which involves more than 350 older adults throughout Harrisonburg and surrounding counties. NSA members also sponsored a Spring Fling for disabled children and their families, hosted a concert that netted $1,500 for the Make a Wish Foundation, hosted a Special Olympics Fall Festival for athletes and sang Christmas carols at local nursing homes.

‘JMU’s Nursing Student Association is definitely in the business of making a difference.’--Vicki Martin, Ph.D., RN, NSA adviser

The group also participated in the Valley Health System’s communitywide disaster drill in Winchester, Woodstock and Warrenton during the academic year. NSA also “adopted” a family of five (expecting twins!) to provide gifts and food, and they donated mattress pads, pillows and sheets for men and women serving in Iraq. Madison’s NSA members community support always includes Relay for Life, a local Breast Cancer 10K run, the March of Dimes fundraisers and an annual blood drive.

Award-winning efforts

NSA members’ community service and recruitment efforts have been recognized on the state level by the Virginia Nursing Student Association. The NSA was honored with the Most Active Constituency Award at the 2008 VNSA convention. The group has taken this “most coveted” award six of the last seven years and has earned the state’s Community Service Project of the Year award five times. Whether taking a free blood pressure or boosting the self-esteem of a Special Olympian, Nursing Student Association members commit hundreds of hours of volunteer service to Madison and the local community.