SNAP into Action with the Student Nurses Association

By Zachary Gotthardt
SC Staff Writer

Among the majors on campus, nursing is easily one of the most competitive. Within this difficult field, there is a group of students capable of remaining academically proficient while helping both the campus and community.

The Student Nurses Association of Pennsylvania (SNAP) is a pre-professional association for nursing majors and students interested in the field of nursing. Led by professors Paulette Dorney and Robin Gallagher, the club strives to prepare its members for their future careers in nursing.

“The goal of SNAP is to facilitate unity, leadership, and active preparation within the student body,” said SNAP secretary Danielle France.

She continued, “We achieve this goal by organizing community service events, social networking, and promoting professional growth through educational experiences.”

With the notorious difficulty of the major, having a network of colleagues is invaluable for the nursing students.

According to France, “Some benefits to being a part of SNAP are networking and getting to know other nursing students, to be a part of community service events, to participate in leadership activities, and to promote professional growth.”

Networking can extend beyond the campus community. France said, “We are also lucky enough to send two students to the National Student Nurse Association Convention in Phoenix, AZ, this semester, where they will network with other students, faculty, and nursing leaders from across the USA.”

Senior members are also able to guide less experienced members through what to expect as a nursing student, how to apply for internships, externships, and jobs, and how to fundraise efficiently.

“As a senior nursing student, I have been able to offer advice to the underclassmen at these meetings and answer any questions they have about moving forward in the nursing program,” says France.

As a club rooted in medicine, SNAP has taken an active role in the fight against breast cancer.

“An event we participate in annually is the Pink Light Walk for breast cancer. We have SNAP members host a table that provides knowledge on breast cancer,” says France.

She continued, “We taught individuals how to perform self breast examinations and provided informational pamphlets and stickers for anyone interested.”

The senior members of SNAP will perform the pinning for all graduating nursing majors this May.

Membership in SNAP is not just work and resume building; they have an exciting spring semester planned.

“This semester we have a Senior Citizen Prom on April 19 hosted in the Keystone Room on campus. It is a wonderful event we have been doing for years for all the senior citizens in the area,” says France. This event will be held in collaboration with the ESU Dance Team, who will perform at the event.

In continuation of their work with breast cancer awareness, SNAP is hosting a “Shave for the Brave” event, where students and community members can donate their hair to cancer patients. Guests are also encouraged to donate to St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which works toward finding a cure for childhood cancer.

In the future, the club hopes for these to become annual events. They also aim to develop new and improved ways to prepare ESU’s nursing majors.

“We also hope to have more leadership activities and opportunities for the members themselves. Some things we have been discussing are inviting speakers to our meetings to talk with the students on topics that we can all relate to in the nursing field,” said France.

At the student level, SNAP is run by president Danielle O’Connor, vice president Jennifer Newton, treasurer Andrew Doerr, and secretary Danielle France. The club meets biweekly in the DeNike Center for Human Services. Anyone interested in the field of nursing is encouraged to join.

Email Zachary at:
zgotthar@live.esu.edu