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Sorority celebrates future nurse’s mentoring project

Omicron Chi Chapter of Chi Eta Phi Sorority Inc. celebrated its future nurse’s mentoring project with a reception on June 8. Omicron Chi chapter is the Charleston Chapter of the international organization for minority, professional nurses and nursing students. 

The chapter partnered with Burke High School in August 2001 to initiate a service project that was developed to help decrease the nursing shortage and to recruit minority nurses to the nursing profession. The primary purpose of the project is to identify potential nursing students and to serve as mentors and role models for them. 

Students particpating in the program include Korey Brazelton, left, Brittany Holmes, second from left, Sharon R. Dayse,second from right, and Porcher  Wilkins, right. With the students is Southeastern Regional Director Mae Della Perry, R.N.

Five students participated in the initial program. They participated in monthly interactive meetings with mentors from the sorority. They received information on topics that included options for nursing school, career options in nursing, clinical nursing opportunities, and also participated in share days in clinical areas.

This project will continue in September at the start of the new school year. The group will continue to work with students from Burke High School and interested students from Stall High School in North Charleston. Nurses from the Tri-County Black Nurses Association will partner with Omicron Chi and serve as mentors.

The reception that was held at MUSC on June 8 honored the students and all who helped to make the project successful. A special acknowledgement was provided to Jodi Bateman from Burke High School and to the mothers of the students. 

Speakers provided greetings from the nursing and political community. The distinguished guests in attendance were: Jimmy Gallant III, mayor pro-tem, city of Charleston; Jodi Bateman, School to Careers, Burke High School; MaeDella Perry, Southeastern Regional director, Chi Eta Phi Sorority Inc.; Marilyn Schaffner, MUSC administrator for Clinical Services; Marian Larisey, dean of the College of Nursing, Charleston Southern University; Mary Brown, president TriCounty Black Nurses Association; Wendell Gilliard, city councilman; and S.C. state representative, David Mack III.

The students who participated in the program were Nicole Washington, Korey Brazelton, Sharon R. Dayse, Brittany Holmes, and Porcher Wilkins. Sharon Dayse, a senior, who will begin nursing school at South Carolina State College in Orangeburg, S.C., received a book scholarship from the sorority in honor of Charlotte Pembroke, deceased founding member of the chapter. 

Omicron Chi mentors are Carlon Mitchell, R.N., Sheila D. P. Miller, R.N.,  Glenda Harris, R.N., Margaret Morgan, R.N., and MUSC nurses Brenda Gumm-Carey R.N., Christine G. Nelson, R.N., Florence M. Simmons, R.N., Alicia Commodore, R.N.