Health and Human Services News

A once in a lifetime opportunity

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Twenty-two student members of the Kinesiology Research and Career (KRC) Club had the opportunity to work a paid, 12-hour shift at the NFL draft on April 29 in Kansas City, Missouri. 

The students included both exercise and movement science and psychology majors. 

Grace Landewee, the 2022-23 Star Outstanding Senior Award winner and KRC Club president, and faculty advisor Dr. Keith McShan led students throughout the event where over 300,000 fans were in attendance. 

Students had the chance to work the field goal station, 40-yard dash station and more during the three-day NFL Draft. 

“This was a memorable experience. Being able to support young fans successfully making field goals and hearing the crowd cheer them on is one of many highlights at this year’s draft,” said Blake Hamelink, an exercise and movement science major and the club’s community relations director and treasurer. 

Students’ shifts started at 6 a.m. April 29 and lasted until 6 p.m., with other duties such as photo taking and VIP security. 

A successful trip 

The KRC Club greatly appreciates Jacob Robertson from the Kansas City Sports Commission and the McQueary College of Health and Human Services for allowing students to have this experience.  

“From the nighttime bus ride to the 4:30 a.m. wake-up call in the hotel, students were in great spirits the whole trip. I loved how students from both the psychology and kinesiology departments who had never met before this trip became friends through this experience,” McShan said. 

All in all, the trip was a major success. NFL staff praised Missouri State students for their hard work and dedication. The KRC Club looks forward to attending additional career development events in the next academic year.    

Learn more about the department of kinesiology 

Advocating for social workers

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The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Missouri Chapter recently appointed Missouri State University social work graduate student Jess Harman to its board of directors.

Harman, who’s from Topeka, Kansas, will join the board as its Master of Social Work Student Chair member. Her appointment begins July 1, 2023.

“There’s only one position available for the entire state of Missouri,” Harman said. “In the field of social work, it’s a notable position to hold.”

About the NASW Missouri Chapter

The chapter was founded in 1975 and is currently the largest professional association of social workers in the state, with over 1,400 members.

The nonprofit professional membership organization is specifically for degreed social workers and students matriculating through Council of Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited schools who collaborate to fulfill the National Association of Social Workers’ National Board’s mission at the local level.

Innovating hands-on learning

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Investing in resources to give students hands-on learning opportunities is a top priority for MCHHS.

One of the resources is the Simulation (SIM) Lab located in O’Reilly Clinical Health Sciences Center.

The SIM Lab is a controlled hospital environment with real machines and mannequins used to simulate a real-life health care experience.

“The main purpose of the SIM Lab is to give students going into health care professions a chance to interact with the health care environment before they are thrown into their profession,” said Alexis Curran, MCHHS simulation coordinator.

“We create a scenario where it may be something they will see in the hospital. This will help prepare them for patient care.”

How the lab operates

Students use the SIM lab starting in their junior year. Faculty members monitor and control the lab.

The lab has a control room. Faculty and lab techs will sit inside and observe. They’ll also control the mannequin and the cameras.

“The lab uses a recording system so students can watch in a different room and help critique each other.”

The lab has several hospital rooms to replicate different scenarios. They include:

  • Medical surgery room.
  • Clinical room.
  • Intensive care unit (ICU).
  • Maternity room.
  • Pediatric room.

Continuing to evolve

To give students more real-life scenarios, the SIM Lab continues to be upgraded and used in different situations.

“Last fall, we also started using simulated patients (SPs), which are human actors who take on a patient profile to make the scenario seem more realistic,” Curran said.

“Our students don’t perform skills like catheters or NG tubes on our SPs, but they have been a great asset for helping our students learn communication skills, and students have reacted positively to working with a live person.”

The goal for the future of the lab is to have departments within the college collaborate to give students more diverse experiences that are as realistic to the patient care setting as possible.

Learn more about MCHHS resources

Learning how to be advocates

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Two clinical instructors for the School of Social Work, Salina Bollinger and Kelly Dudley, accompanied 38 students to attend Social Work Advocacy Day in Jefferson City on March 1.   

Advocacy Day has not been celebrated since before the pandemic, which made this event extra special.  

Earning the MSSIP grant 

It wasn’t an easy feat getting everyone to the event.  

Bollinger, Dudley and Wendy Jackson, fellow clinical instructor for the School of Social Work, worked hard to apply for the MCHHS Student Success Innovation Projects (MSSIP) grant to receive well-earned funding. 

Funding was used to reimburse traveling expenses and provide a free meal for students. 

A truly immersive experience 

Bollinger and Dudley hoped students would learn much more in a hands-on environment. 

The day began bright and early. The pair, along with a few students, attended the education committee meeting of the House of Representatives at 8 a.m. 

Students then had the opportunity to go on tours and speak to elected legislators. 

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) hosted lunch. Several elected officials were brought in who also studied social work.  

“It was helpful for students to connect with people who studied the exact same thing,” Dudley said. 

Among the officials was Crystal Quade, #BearGrad from Missouri State’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program and representative for Greene County in the Missouri House of Representatives. 

The day wrapped up as students and faculty listened to the Senate and the House of Representatives sessions. 

“Apparently, students didn’t realize how much their voices matter,” Bollinger said. “Going to Advocacy Day showed students that giving their feedback to legislators does matter.” 

Jolie Keeney, a junior in the BSW program, is a testament to this powerful event. 

“Not only did I learn how to set up a meeting with a representative, but I also had the joy of exploring the Capitol with my fellow social work peers,” Keeney said.  

“Anyone can watch committee hearings on television, but experiencing it in real-time is so much better! I know that I can make a difference. This experience renewed my desire to become a social worker in the realm of policy reform.” 

An impressive turnout 

Of the 38 students, there were 32 undergraduate students and six graduate students. 

“We had no idea how many students would show up because the event hadn’t happened in several years,” Dudley said. “It was thrilling to see how many students decided to come.” 

Bollinger and Dudley will be back next year to accompany students to Advocacy Day. 

“We might recruit a few extra faculty members to help and hopefully we’ll be able to get the MSSIP grant again too,” Bollinger said. “Regardless, the opportunity will be there for students.” 

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