Better health and wellness for people across the lifespan began with simple conversations and health screenings offered by students from Lander University’s College of Nursing, Human Performance and Health Sciences during a recent community health fair.
The event, in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Public Health, offered blood pressure checks, flu vaccines, information on stress prevention and other health screenings. Students also distributed cold-weather clothing and coats, and non-perishable food items, donated by Lander faculty, staff and students, for those in need.
“This event provides valuable hands-on experience for students preparing for careers in health care,” said Dr. Claire Maire Mensack, assistant professor of public health at Lander. “We are bringing the classroom to the community to promote public health and wellness in Greenwood.”
Talking to the public and listening to their health concerns give students “a frame of reference to connect what they are learning with what they may encounter in the future,” Mensack said. “Without these opportunities, students won’t have real-world experience until they graduate.”
Students Put Learning into Action
Public health major Roselord Harrigan said, “This directly correlates with what is happening in the classroom. It is good to see how Dr. Mensack and the rest of the public health team got this together. It helps us to become more confident and achieve things we wouldn’t get to do in class.”
Emily Montgomery, a nursing major, said the health fair gave her the chance to talk to people one-on-one about the importance of regular blood pressure screenings. “Here you are out in the public … enhancing what you've learned.”
Admitting the experience put her out of her comfort zone, “it’s definitely like a good skill to have,” she said, noting that she has the chance to help people understand how they can prevent hypertension and reduce their risks for stroke and cardiovascular diseases. “It’s a great way to stay on top of your health.”
Chelsea Driver, a senior majoring in public health, said, “This event brings the community together. We get to see people that we have seen in everyday life, who may be struggling, and they can come here and get help that they might not get elsewhere.”
Planning for the Future
Public health major Hannah Miles, a senior from Columbia, said public health was a perfect fit for her interests in a career focused on helping people. “By sharing information on health promotion and disease prevention, we can help people become healthier and live healthy lives. I love that we can apply what we learn in the classroom to practical experiences, like this event.”
Miles has had an internship at Crossroads Center for Women in Greenwood through her public health education. “Maternal health is one of my interests, and I have had the experience of working with women through my internship at Crossroads. Maternal health is a broad field, and I am looking at options for my career through this internship.”
Providing care in a way that will impact the lives of others, Aleesha Brown said she hopes to work for a nonprofit organization when she graduates. “I want to have a career where I can help people and educate them about preventive care.”
A senior public health major from Clemson, Brown said, “Dr. Mensack embodies what public health does to improve health for all citizens. I want to make a difference, too.”