UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - A new nursing student organization for those interested in getting involved strives to promote and enhance diversity in the nursing field here at Penn State.
The Multi-Cultural Student Nursing Association (MSNA) will accept new members and begin holding meetings this semester both at the University Park and Hershey campuses.
The idea of the organization started as a GroupMe chat started by Jessica Satterthwaite, a junior nursing student at the University Park campus.
GroupMe is a free group mobile messaging app that works on any type of phone. Many student organizations use it as a form of communication between all members, and members of the group are free to add whatever number they want to the group.
“The GroupMe had a couple freshmen I knew and some upperclassmen,” Satterthwaite said. “It helped freshmen connect with primarily sophomores that took the classes they took recently and be able to help them out.”
The group message started expanding to include other students, and with help from academic advisers, Satterthwaite was able to reach out and help more people. Today, the organization has an executive board established and are actively recruiting and added members to the GroupMe to keep them updated about meetings coming soon.
Similar to professional diversity nursing organizations such as MinorityNurse, National Association of Hispanic Nurses, inc., and National Black Nurses Association, the aim of the organization is to provide an inclusive environment to multi-cultural students in the nursing major and prepare them with resources and professional skills to succeed in the future, as well as become a part of these professional organizations upon graduation that promote diversity in the overall nursing profession.
“Right now we are trying to create a place where multicultural students can be themselves, all while connecting with other students like them,” Paola Flores-Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez is a junior nursing student currently studying at the Hershey campus. She is excited to see a multi-cultural organization that is specifically for nursing students, and hopes it will expand to every Penn State campus that offers nursing to connect all Penn State multi-cultural nursing students.
“I feel like I am leaving a legacy behind that will help so many other students,” Gonzalez said. “I became a nurse because they can be the difference between the best and worst hospital experience and I am happy to learn and meet people with similar interests.”
MSNA connects faculty and younger students so that when students enter the classroom, they already feel comfortable asking questions and getting to know the professors and their peers in the classroom.
“We have some great ideas for this organization, and I cannot wait to see them unfold,” Satterthwaite.
For any questions regarding the organization this semester and any upcoming meetings, Satterthwaite can be contacted at jls1240@psu.edu and the link to join the existing GroupMe for the organization is https://groupme.com/join_group/55070020/qchjwWv2 .