The Pulse
This is the affiliate logo header template.
Class of 2024: Student-Athlete Macy Sheley
Q&A with Macy Sheley, '24, graduate of exercise science with minor in public health from Savannah, Georgia
Q: Why did you choose exercise science as your major?
A: I always knew throughout college and into my future career I wanted to work in athletics as someone with a major passion for exercise. My main intent is to help athletes themselves be able to perform better. I found out about Georgia College’s exercise science program through my sister, who was also an exercise science major. I chose to add a minor in public health because nutrition is particularly important to me.
Q: And why did you choose Georgia College & State University?
A: I never even toured here. But my siblings went here, and my brother was here at the time. I was between two schools and I let the deciding factor come down to wherever I found a roommate first. Fortunately, that deciding factor lead me here.
Read the rest of the Front Page Q&A Interview by junior Kathryn Price.
Public Health Senior
Sami Dilisio, spent her spring semester as an intern at Live Healthy Gwinnett, a Lawrenceville Georgia-based local government health initiative. At Live Healthy Gwinnett the students worked on a team to encourage healthy lifestyles in Gwinnett residents by fostering healthy habits in the community like promoting a nutritious diet, increasing physical activity and decreasing stress to improve mental health.
"As an intern at Live Healthy Gwinnett, no two days of work were ever the same which was one of many aspects of the organization that I loved," Dilisio said. "I had the privilege of working with both Live Healthy Gwinnett teams; Harvest Gwinnett and Be Active Gwinnett. Harvest Gwinnett focuses on gardening, nutrition, and sustainable living throughout the community."
"Through this program, I worked to increase Gwinnett's access to fresh produce by donating crops to local food pantries, implementing healthy cooking demos and overseeing free community events that focus on sustainable living," she said.
Dilisio worked to promote health in youth through another branch of Live Healthy Gwinnett called Be Active.
Be Active Gwinnett works to promote physical activity in youth living in underprivileged regions of Gwinnett County. Interns like to attend health fairs, resource fairs, afterschool programs, seasonal events, apartment visits and more. Two of Sami's favorite events were apartment visits and after-school programs, where she would talk to children about the importance health can have on one’s physical and mental well-being.
Live Healthy Gwinnett tailors these events to children in underserved areas where that child may be living in a play desert or an area that is unsafe to play in without adult supervision. Due to these circumstances, most of the kids would get overjoyed when they saw our mobile recreation vehicle pull in because they knew that they would finally get to relax and have fun.
Overall, Sami says this internship has led her to a lot of personal growth and insight into the world of community health and subtopics like underprivileged communities, minority health, youth development, health education, environmental health, mental health and more!
Getting the opportunity to work with disadvantaged youth opened her eyes to just how many people in the community need help and are often overlooked. Sami has lived in Gwinnett practically all her life, yet she had little to no idea that so many people need resources but lack the knowledge on how to obtain them.
Overall, Sami is beyond thankful that Georgia College provided her with the tools and opportunities to succeed at her internship with Live Healthy Gwinnett.
The Transformative Impact of the ANEW Grant
Since it was first received in 2017, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) grant has awarded GCSU with more than $6 million to support the education of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN's) in various specialty fields including Family Nurse Practitioners (FNP), Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNP), Nurse Midwifery (NM), and Women's Health Nurse Practitioners (WHNP). Since its inception, GCSU has awarded degrees and post-master's certificates to over 200 ANEW scholarship recipients including three NM, nine WHNP, 55 PMHNP and 141 FNP.
Currently, the ANEW grant fully funds 37 graduate nursing students, supporting their education in various specialties:
- 11 Continuing Recipients: one NM, three WHNP and seven FNP
- 7 New MSN Recipients (Summer 2024 admits): seven NM
- 19 BSN-DNP (Summer 2024 admits): two WHNP, six PMHNP and 11 FNP
Beyond funding scholarships, the ANEW grant has significantly improved access to healthcare in rural and underserved areas of Georgia by ensuring that highly qualified nursing professionals are placed where they are most needed. By focusing on specialties like Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs), Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs), Women's Health Nurse Practitioners (WHNPs) and Nurse Midwives (NMs), the grant addresses critical gaps in healthcare delivery across the state.
Recipients of the ANEW scholarship commit to practicing in rural and underserved areas of Georgia for two years post-graduation. Many graduates have not only fulfilled this obligation but have continued their mission to serve marginalized communities beyond their required service period. Moreover, they play a crucial role as preceptors, imparting their knowledge and experience to the next generation of nursing professionals and filling a critical need in education.
The remarkable success of the ANEW grant is largely attributed to the dedication and expertise of Dr. Sallie Coke, whose relentless efforts were pivotal in securing all three installments of the grant. Her leadership has not only made a profound impact but has also amplified the grant's influence, enriching both the educational and healthcare landscapes across Georgia.
Dr. Monica Ketchie played a crucial role in the latest grant application, leveraging her extensive knowledge and expertise in Nurse Midwifery to ensure that students pursuing this advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) designation were included in the funding. Her contributions have been integral to broadening the scope and inclusivity of the grant's initiatives. Increasing the number of Nurse Midwives and Women's Health Nurse Practitioners who are able to participate will go far in addressing the peri-natal needs of Central Georgia and the entire state.
Furthermore, Darla Rich, as a grant-funded faculty member and project coordinator, has been indispensable in the implementation of the grant and tracking of the students. Her dedication ensures that the grant's objectives are not only met but exceeded, maximizing its benefits for students and healthcare communities alike.
Together, their collective efforts underscore the transformative impact of the ANEW grant, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to advancing healthcare education and accessibility throughout the state of Georgia.
In conclusion, the ANEW grant stands as a beacon of transformative change, providing not only financial support but also fostering a community of healthcare professionals dedicated to serving where they are needed most. Its ripple effects extend far beyond the classroom, resonating in the lives of countless individuals and communities across the state. As we move forward, the ANEW grant continues to illuminate paths toward a more equitable and accessible healthcare future for all Georgians.
Congratulations to Dr. Shantee Henry on securing continued funding for the HRSA Advanced Nursing Education – Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (ANE-SANE) Program. This grant will enable Dr. Henry and her team to continue offering Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner training to Registered Nurses in Georgia and nationwide. The initiative, which began as Dr. Henry's DNP project at Georgia College, will provide approximately $490,000 per year for the next three years to support the training, certification, and continuing education of new and existing Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE's). This is the third time Georgia College has received funding for this initiative and brings the project total to over $3 million. Congratulations Dr. Henry and thank you to Kadian Leslie, Chandra Cheatham, and Donna Douglas from the office of Grants and Sponsored Projects for all of their assistance!
Class of 2024: DNP Betters Quality of Life for PTSD Survivors
Dr. Avis Simon, commander in the Nurse Corps at the Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command at Camp Lejeune, wants to help individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. She already has a plan in place designed to identify it early in military members and veterans.
Recently, she successfully defended her Doctor of Nursing Practitioner project at Georgia College & State University titled "Effectiveness of an Educational Intervention on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Screenings for Healthcare Providers in Ambulatory Settings.”
Recently, she successfully defended her Doctor of Nursing Practitioner project at Georgia College & State University titled "Effectiveness of an Educational Intervention on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Screenings for Healthcare Providers in Ambulatory Settings.”
Simon’s project addresses the screening and diagnosis of PTSD in veterans early on, which is crucial for improving their healthcare outcomes.
PTSD is a mental health problem that’s challenging for veterans and healthcare providers' ability to recognize, diagnose and successfully treat.
Simon experienced second-hand PTSD at Camp Lejeune. It spurred her interest in improving the lives of military members, veterans and their families.
“I’ve served in the Navy for 30 years,” she said. “I've been to several bases and seen PTSD in the rarest form.”
As part of her project, Simon worked with military healthcare providers, military members and veterans to get their insights on PTSD. She viewed the process at Camp Lejeune’s clinic firsthand.
Simon is passionate about diagnosing PTSD early. Her husband suffered from it when he returned home after serving in Iraq, and she saw how healthcare providers downplayed it.
“It was frightening,” she said. “I took him to the emergency room at WellStar. And they said, ‘He’s just depressed.’ So, they gave him medicine after medicine.”