Joy Baker serving student nurse group

2015 Nov 5

Joy Baker was elected to office during the Kansas Association of Nursing Students state convention held late last month in Wichita. Baker, a senior from Topeka, Kansas, is historian and newsletter editor.

At the same meeting, Emporia State's Department of Nursing brought home four major awards -- the School of Excellence Award, the Image of Nursing Award, Break-through to Nursing Award and the Community Health Award. Their state successes followed the department's receiving the Stellar School Award at the national association's convention earlier this year.

"This past year has been full of amazing accomplishments for our nursing program," said Linda Adams-Wendling, department chair and professor of nursing. "... (W)e are so very proud of them. It is truly a great day to be a Nursing Hornet."

The Department of Nursing has been named one of the top programs in the nation and No. 1 in the State of Kansas by CollegeAtlas.com and U.S. News & World Report, respectively.

Keri Jarvis, assistant professor of nursing and lead advisor for the Emporia State University Kansas Association of Nursing Students (E-KANS), said the student nurses make time to volunteer in health-related activities such as the diabetic health fair, the Heart Chase and other special events, where they have the opportunity to help improve the health of the community while also garnering additional experience in performing nursing functions as part of the volunteer work.

"They don't have to do this, but they do," Jarvis said. "The motivation behind it isn't 'What award can we win?' but the motivation is 'How can we help others?'"