HEAP allows students to explore health careers
Lowcountry middle school students talked to professionals and students on MUSC’s campus as part of a special program to expose students to careers related to the medical field.
TTC
community outreach program coordinator Lottie Otto, left, talks to Alice
Birney Middle School students during the April 2 HEAP career fair at MUSC
Wellness Center.
Eighth-graders from Marrington, Haut Gap, Sedgefield, Alice Birney, and McClellanville middle schools participated in the April 2 event.
Since 1995, MUSC has been an active partner in the Higher Education Awareness Program (HEAP), which is managed by the South Carolina Commission for Higher Education. The program is designed to prepare eighth-grade students for higher education opportunities.
“The career fair and program were well received and provided students with some great exposure to health care professions and options for college planning,” said Angie Anderson, MUSC HEAP coordinator and Office of Diversity. “The program is a pipeline for these kids to focus on opportunities to help them reach their goals. It also taught them to become aware of the state’s health care disparities.”
This year’s program experienced many firsts. It was the first time area HEAP institutions, MUSC and Trident Technical College (TTC), teamed to introduce students to career planning in various health-related fields. It was also a first hosting an event in gathering students from throughout the Tri-county.
The event featured a program of speakers, from MUSC student support programs to the students themselves. Current students from TTC, MUSC’s Partners in Wellness, and MUSC’s colleges and programs in medicine, dental, pharmacy, nursing, graduate studies, and health professions shared experiences and answered questions from a crowd of 240 students.
“This has been an awesome experience,” said Lottie Otto, TTC Community Outreach Program coord-inator, of this year’s event. “It serves as a catalyst and reminder for minority students to consider the many jobs in the medical field. It also reminds young students to stay focused on their studies and goals.”
HEAP is designed to guide students towards statewide post-secondary
education through student/parent planning programs and interactive activities
with participating statewide colleges and universities. The program serves
approximately 52,000 students in more than 250 S.C. schools each year.
Friday, April 16, 2004
Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated
as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations
for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South
Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107
or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst
Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu
or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community
Press at 849-1778.