In a collaborative service-learning course with nursing students and faculty from Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing, students in RMC’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program traveled to the Mountain Mission School (MMS) in Grundy, Virginia. The purpose of the trip was to provide nursing students with a population health cultural immersion experience in the Appalachia region. The experience also included serving with the Remote Area Medical Volunteer Corps (RAM), a non-profit provider of mobile medical clinics that delivers free dental, vision, and medical care to under-served and uninsured individuals.

RMC students Gabby Crouch ’23 and Anjelyn Carter ’23—members of the college’s inaugural nursing class—traveled to the region along with Dr. Cindy Rubenstein, director of the BSN program. 

Culture, History, Social Structure
“This was an opportunity for nursing students to experience the role of social determinants of health on Appalachian health and explore the culture, history, social structure, and economic aspects of the region,” says Rubenstein. 

The nursing students had a guided tour of a former coal mine to learn about the history of coal mining; visited an operating coal mine to learn about the industry changes and impact on occupational health and the community; and gave health promotion presentations to elementary students. They also accompanied the MMS children and teens to a RAM clinic for their first dental cleanings and talked with community members about the challenges and opportunities in the region.

A Lifelong Interest in Nursing: Anjelyn Carter ’23
“Being part of the first nursing class at RMC is a privilege,” says Carter, who gave a presentation at MMS to fourth- and fifth-grade children about bullying. “I created a poster board with information on what kindness means and how to identify bullying,” she explains.  “The children were then given a written pledge that consisted of scripture for them to recite, with a place for them to write their names signifying that they would contribute to being kind.”

Carter, a member of the RMC’s Black Cultural Society, has known she wanted to be a nurse since she was a child. 

“I grew up with a boy who experienced frequent seizures,” she explains. “I did not know much about his condition; that’s one reason why I decided I wanted to become a nurse. Years later, my grandmother was diagnosed with leukemia. She too was in and out of hospitals. When I accompanied her to appointments, I met many of her nurses, nurse practitioners and doctors. The way these healthcare professionals took care of my grandmother gave me confirmation that I wanted to pursue a career in nursing.”

Gabby Crouch ’23: Leader, Scholar, Athlete
At MMS, Crouch met with second- and third-grade students and shared steps they can take if they or someone they know is being bullied. 

“I also painted the kids’ hands and they got to leave their handprints on a canvas board with the words ‘Be Kind’ in the middle,” says Crouch, a Spanish and biology minor. “I chose nursing because my best friend—my mom—is a nurse. It is an absolute honor to be a part of the very first class of nursing students at RMC.” Crouch is also a member of the Leadership Fellows program, the swim team and Delta Zeta sorority. 

A Unique Opportunity 
Says Rubenstein, “As nurses, our students will have a unique opportunity to use their talents to improve the lives of others—whether that is globally or locally. It is important for us to realize that there are people in need in every community and often they do not have a voice to advocate for themselves. I hope that our students will develop their voice to advocate for those in need.”