Warner Pacific University, Department of Nursing

MIKE Program is partnering with the Warner Pacific University (WPU), Department of Nursing, for an innovative training and service project for 9th graders at De La Salle North Catholic High School (DLSNC) for Fall 2021. The nursing students are joining MIKE to mentor the entire 9th grade in DLSNC’s health classes to inspire healthier behaviors.

It’s a perfect fit for the two groups of students. The schools share many similarities. Both are recognized as two of the most diverse schools in the region. Both proudly share the mascot name, the “Knights.” And both focus on providing students with an education to flourish in their future careers.

Ten nursing students from WPU’s Department of Nursing BSN Program are taking part in this partnership. Coordinating with MIKE’s lead mentors, Sang Jimmy Mai and Tiffany Blair, both of whom have mentored with MIKE for multiple years, the WPU mentors are exploring the many facets of health education to present information and skills focused on the needs and interests of the DLSNC students. They are gaining leadership and communication skills that will help build a foundation for their professional careers.

As part of WPU’s commitment to prepare their nursing students to be advocates for their patients and develop professional skills in multicultural settings, the partnership with MIKE presents a unique opportunity to infuse equity into every facet of programming. WPU strives to make college more accessible for students from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. And by understanding the significant challenges these students face, WPU is a pipeline for increasing diversity within healthcare.

The WPU mentors are taking part in many aspects of MIKE’s health education programming. They are helping shape lesson content, presenting activities, guiding discussions and inspiring younger students. Each mentor prepares for sharing aspects of the lessons with the DLSNC students, guiding them through conversations in a host of topics and serving as role models.

The DLSNC students are taking notice. As they walk through the hallways, students will exclaim, “MIKE is back,” as they notice the WPU wearing the bright blue scrubs. Inside the classroom, the DLSNC students ask questions as they participate in activities led by the WPU mentors.

During their first day in class, the WPU mentors explored identities with the students to build deeper relationships. By using plain paper bags, the students expressed their outward identities on the outside, then shared their personal characteristics on note cards and inserted them inside the bags. The activity helped the WPU mentors bond with the students as they shared how their identities are seen by others.

Future classes will include topics covering the latest impacts of COVID-19, sourcing viable information, mental health, sleep and stress, nutrition and physical activity, and many other issues of interest.