More than two dozen nursing students from the UCF Orlando and Daytona campuses participated in the National Student Nurses’ Association 70th Anniversary Convention in Salt Lake City.
Earlier this month, 26 nursing students from the Traditional BSN and accelerated Second Degree BSN programs along with two faculty advisors flew across the country to represent the University of Central Florida at the National Student Nurses’ Association 2022 convention in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was the first face-to-face convention gathering nursing students from across the United States since 2019, and the UCF students shined.
“The energy in the opening ceremonies was palpable, and the students came eager to learn,” said Brian Peach, assistant professor and faculty advisor for the UCF Student Nurses’ Association (SNA) at UCF Orlando. “Our students left the convention energized and so proud to enter the nursing profession.”
“Nursing school is very demanding, and the nursing profession is also demanding and facing new challenges every day,” adds Instructor and SNA UCF Orlando faculty advisor Kate Dorminy. “This convention addressed working in a pandemic with empowerment, highlighted innovative healthcare resources, and emphasized the joy of nursing.”
“It was an incredible opportunity that renewed the students’ passion for the profession, and helped them remember why they want to be a nurse.”
Among the Highlights:
Junior BSN student and SNA at UCF Orlando president-elect Kaitlyn Yu took center stage to sing the national anthem at the start of the convention.
Seniors Liza Brown, Caroline Porter, Vanessa Iturri, and Savannah Duke (not pictured) saw their resolution, “In Support of Education About Post-Intensive Care Syndrome,” pass unanimously – after also passing unanimously at the state level.
Senior Monique Csenteri from SNA UCF Orlando won the grand prize for Project InTouch, outperforming nursing students across the country in recruiting 83 new members to the national organization and earning a free trip to the convention.
Senior Caroline Porter, president of the Florida Nursing Student Association, led her first state caucus, fostering collaboration among the representatives from nursing programs throughout the state.
Three SNA officers from UCF Daytona showed off their knowledge and educational excellence and won the U-World NCLEX Board competition – answering the most practice questions correctly for the national RN licensure exam.
Collaborations and Connections with Pennsylvania
After two years of meeting virtually in a unique collaboration, the UCF Orlando SNA chapter finally met in person with colleagues from the Villanova University SNA of Pennsylvania.
Brian Peach, SNA faculty advisor at UCF Orlando, is an alumnus of Villanova. His former advisor – and current Villanova chapter advisor – Carol Weingarten proposed the idea of a joint meeting in 2021 and the UCF Orlando chapter board jumped at the opportunity.
“Over the past two years, our students have formed a relationship with their peers at Villanova, enriched each other’s meetings with new ideas, and discovered they have so much in common including the fact that both are among the top chapters in their state,” said Peach.
There’s also another strong connection. One of the Villanova SNA leaders is Ally Dorsey, a cousin of former beloved UCF instructor and SNA advisor Joyce DeGennaro.
“The moment when the students greeted each other and took a group picture, is one I won’t soon forget,” he said. “It was wonderful to see students from my alma mater and this school I love being a part of as a faculty member come together in mutual admiration.”
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