The Pennsylvania Action Coalition Cohort of Exchanged Learning (PA-ACCEL) Mentorship Program is thrilled to invite nursing students and new-to-practice nurses to the highly anticipated 2024 Nursing Student Professional Development Week. This virtual event will span from Monday, April 22 to Thursday, April 25, offering an enriching experience designed to empower nursing students across Pennsylvania to increase students' confidence in their professional development and readiness to succeed in their transition to the nursing profession.
Event Details:
- Dates: Thursday, April 22, 2024, to Thursday, April 25, 2024 (Refer to the agenda below for session details)
- Who Can Attend: Nursing students (undergraduate, graduate, doctoral) and new-to-practice nurses
- Location: Zoom (Virtual Event)
- Cost: Free of charge!
- Attire: Business Casual or Business Professional
*Registration will remain open through April 25th!
*IMPORTANT INFORMATION*
- After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with a customized Zoom link. Please use this Zoom link to join all the sessions scheduled throughout the week. Your Zoom information should not be shared as each link is customized for individual participants.
- Attendees are required to register only once to access all the sessions throughout the week.
- We kindly request participants to join each session using the email they registered with.
- If you have additional questions or trouble joining sessions, please email Zaharaa Davood at or Namaijah Faison at
- Will sessions be recorded? YES
AGENDA AT A GLANCE
| Monday, April 22 |
| 2:00 - 3:00 PM |
The Intersection of Nurse Leadership and Community Health |
| 3:00 - 3:30 PM |
Break |
| 3:30 - 5:00 PM |
Career Trajectory Panel I |
The Intersection of Nurse Leadership and Community Health
- Whether you're a nursing student eager to embark on your professional journey or a new-to-practice nurse seeking to amplify your impact, this panel provides invaluable insights and discussions tailored to your aspirations in leveraging nurse leadership for positive community health outcomes. Discover key programs like Nurse-Family Partnership and Mabel Morris Home Visiting Program, showcasing their impact on nurturing healthier communities through nurse-led interventions. Delve into the essence of Nurse Leadership and reasons why nurses should actively step into leadership roles to shape the future of healthcare. Dive into policy engagement and explore opportunities like AmeriCorps. Join this session designed for nursing students and new-to-practice nurses to empower you to make a lasting impact in the nursing profession and beyond.
Career Trajectory Panel I
- A panel of nursing professionals with different nursing backgrounds. Panelists will share information about their careers and how students can get involved in their field/specialty.
| Tuesday, April 23 |
| 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM |
Career Trajectory Panel II |
| 12:30 - 1:00 PM |
Break |
| 1:00 - 2:30 PM |
Mental Health, Wellness, and Professional Resilience Panel |
Career Trajectory Panel II
- A panel of nursing professionals with different nursing backgrounds. Panelists will share information about their careers and how students can get involved in their field/specialty.
Mental Health, Wellness, and Professional Resilience Panel
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Format: Rapid-fire presentations followed by panel
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This session will explore strategies for maintaining mental health, promoting wellness, and cultivating professional resilience in the nursing profession.
| Wednesday, April 24 |
| 9:00 - 11:00 AM |
LEAD Professional Development & Speed Networking |
| 3:00 - 4:30 PM |
Empowering Future Nurses: Strategies for Professional Growth and Impact |
LEAD Professional Development & Speed Networking
Students will learn about professionalism, strategic career mapping, networking, and how to continue professional development after graduating. This session also includes a Speed Networking activity for students to practice elevator pitches with nursing professionals. We encourage students to have a 30-second elevator pitch prepared BEFORE this session. Instructions and materials will be sent closer to the session date.
STUDENTS: Need help crafting your elevator pitch? Please email Zaharaa Davood at for resources courtesy of the LEAD Professional Development Program!
What is the LEAD Professional Development Program? The LEAD Professional Development Program is an innovative program Villanova University's M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing created for nursing student career development. The program prepares students to be accountable for their career path and increase their proficiency through experiential learning activities.
Empowering Future Nurses: Strategies for Professional Growth
| Thursday, April 25 |
| NEW SESSION ADDED! |
| 10:00 - 11:00 AM |
Acing Your Interview: Proven Strategies for Success |
| 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM |
Time Management and Navigating Nursing School |
| 12:30 - 1:30 PM |
Break |
| 1:30 - 2:30 PM |
Personal Finances |
Acing Your Interview: Proven Strategies for Success
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This session provides learners with information to be successful in a nursing interview. From preparation before to professional comportment during the interview, the learner will garner tips to increase skill and confidence. Content includes creating résumés, cover letters, and professional portfolios and preparing for common nursing behavioral interview questions.
Time Management and Navigating Nursing School
Personal Finances
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Students will learn about various personal finance tips such as budgeting, investing, student loans, retirement, etc.
Sponsorship
Nursing Student Professional Development Week will offer enriching professional development sessions to empower nursing students and new-to-practice nurses across Pennsylvania. By becoming a program sponsor, organizations gain a unique opportunity to promote their services to a wide audience of nursing students and professionals throughout the state. Sponsorship tier details are provided in the packet below.
To secure your sponsorship or for any inquiries, please email PA-AC Senior Manager, Zaharaa Davood at or PA-AC Project Coordinator, Namaijah Faison at .
Sponsorship Levels
Gold Sponsor $5,000
- Organization name or logo on all marketing materials including the PA Action Coalition’s website, promotional emails, and a transitional video that will be played to participants in the waiting room between sessions.
- The option to share a short promotional message created on PowerPoint slides that will be displayed on the video played to participants in the waiting room between sessions.
- Acknowledgement of your organization during the opening and closing remarks each day.
- Opportunity to do an introduction during the opening or closing remarks on a day of your choice. (2 minutes).
- Four custom social media posts on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn during the month of April.
Silver Sponsor $2,500
- Organization name or logo on all marketing materials including the PA Action Coalition’s website, promotional emails, and a transitional video that will be played to participants in the waiting room between sessions.
- The option to share a short promotional message created on PowerPoint slides that will be displayed on the video played to participants in the waiting room between sessions.
- Acknowledgement of your organization during the opening and closing remarks each day.
- Three custom social media posts on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn during the month of April.
Bronze Sponsor $1,000
- Organization name or logo on all marketing materials including the PA Action Coalition’s website, promotional emails, and a transitional video that will be played to participants in the waiting room between sessions.
- Acknowledgement of your organization during the opening and closing remarks each day.
- Two custom social media posts on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn during the month of April.
Download Sponsorship Packet
Thank You to Our Current Sponsors!
- The Independence Blue Cross Foundation
About the PA-ACCEL Mentorship Program
Building a mentorship program has been a long-time goal of the PA Action Coalition's Nurse Diversity Council (PA-NDC). In 2020, the PA-ACCEL Mentorship Program began as a pilot program in partnership with Lincoln University's Department of Nursing to bolster Lincoln’s nursing students’ capacity to be successful in nursing school and in their transition to professional nursing practice. With support from the Nurse Diversity Council and funding from the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action Nursing Innovations Fund award and the Independence Blue Cross Foundation, the PA-ACCEL Mentorship Program continued to flourish. It expanded to encompass two additional cohorts, providing valuable mentorship opportunities for junior and seniors nursing students at Lincoln University.
This year marks an exciting chapter for the Pennsylvania Action Coalition Cohort of Exchanged Learning (PA-ACCEL) Mentorship Program as we are supported by a grant from the Independence Blue Cross Foundation to extend the reach of our mentorship initiatives for nursing students enrolled in their Healthcare Scholars Program. This scholarship initiative supports up to 36 first-year students, covering the entirety of their 2-year or 4-year degree programs at nursing schools participating in the Nurses for Tomorrow grant program. The PA-ACCEL Program Support Team is working with the Independence Blue Cross (IBC) Foundation to build out a mentorship program to enhance the educational journey of nursing students by providing tailored mentorship experiences, fostering meaningful connections, and contributing to their overall professional growth.
