USF Nursing Students Elizabeth Williamson and Shannon Smeltzer Receive Student of the Month Community Service Awards

Two University of South Florida College of Nursing students receive the Student of the Month Community Service Award for July, 2013. The recipients included undergraduate  students, Elizabeth Williamson, and Shannon Smeltzer. 

COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENTS

July 2013 Undergraduate Student recipient: Elizabeth Williamson

Ms. Williamson has spent time volunteering with the veteran population, the community as well as at the USF College of Nursing. She has attended community health clinicals at Bay Pines VA, where she completed a service learning project by educating the staff in the primary care clinics about motivational interviewing, stages of change, and tobacco cessation while also assisting to teach four tobacco cessation group classes for veterans. Ms. Williamson also participated in a community health fair at Mount Calvary SDA Church where she assisted with blood glucose, blood pressure, and BMI screenings. Ms. Williamson has also had the opportunity to give back to the USF College of Nursing by volunteering as a patient during the health assessment check-offs for semester one undergraduate students, encouraging the semester one students to keep working hard and offer them support. After working with veterans this summer, both at Bay Pines and at the wheelchair games, she has a better understanding and appreciation for their health needs and the community has benefited from increased health knowledge that she provided through her community service.

July 2013 Graduate Student recipient: Shannon Smeltzer

Shannon Smeltzer spends time each week at the local Council on Aging as well as teaching a preschool class at her church. She also frequently educates physical education to children. Shannon feels that her community service is a good reflection of her values and beliefs. Shannon believes that “serving is a calling to make some difference in another person’s life” and enjoys helping others to the best of her ability as a teacher, volunteer, and leader.