Community Engagement

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure: Athens

A Community Health class project for Athens School of Nursing students becomes a day of honor and remembrance during Breast Cancer Awareness Month with this 5K run/walk on OHIO's campus.

The event was developed by nursing students and their Community Health faculty member to benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation in Columbus. They choose to do a benefit for breast cancer awareness as a means to encourage yearly screenings for those living in rural southeastern Ohio. Money raised helps those in this community who are in need of education and low-cost screenings.

American Red Cross Blood Drives

The School of Nursing BSN Student Organization regularly coordinates blood drives on the Ohio University Athens campus with the American Red Cross to help the region in meeting the needs of providing life-saving medical treatments through blood donations. A yearly friendly challenge between the OHIO School of Nursing and the Bowling Green State University Nursing School has become a major two-day blood drive event during which more than 50 units of blood are collected daily by the Red Cross with Ohio University School of Nursing student volunteers. The "Bloody Nursing Challenge" event has been won by the OHIO School of Nursing each year from its inception.

Botswana Pillowcase Project

During the Ohio University study abroad trip to the African nation of Botswana in June 2014, students and faculty from the School of Nursing met fellow Ohioans Dr. Jeremy Slone and his wife, Amanda, who run the only American Pediatric Oncology practice in Africa and care for the pediatric oncology patients in the capital city of Gaborone. They graciously allowed the Ohio University entourage to spend part of one day with them making rounds and visiting the pediatric patients at Princess Marina Hospital. Sadly, the children were still without the simple comfort of pillows.

Upon returning from the study abroad trip, School of Nursing Assistant Professor Eliza Harper enlisted her OHIO family to join together and help these children with a simple act of kindness - donating pillowcases. The goal was to collect 100 bright and cheerful pillowcases before returning to Botswana in June 2015. In the spirit of giving, several School of Nursing students and faculty members participated in sewing pillowcases for this project. As a result of the seamstresses' efforts and others who donated purchased items, the goal on collecting 100 pillowcases has been exceeded! This effort has now become an annual tradition for the School of Nursing.