Alumni Reunite for Good Cause

Nursing alumni from the College of Arts & Sciences gathered for a fundraiser dinner in early December. Sue Steen, adjunct assistant professor of nursing, and Lynn Zdechlik, former adjunct assistant professor of nursing, hosted the event to support CURE Children's Hospital in Mbale, Uganda. CURE is one of the primary visit sites for the nursing department’s Uganda study abroad trip and is a not-for-profit teaching hospital specializing in surgical treatment of neurological conditions like hydrocephalus, spina bifida, and brain tumors. As a Christian medical organization, CURE provides not only physical care, but also spiritual care for patients and their families through counseling staff.

Steen, Zdechlik, and Associate Professor of Nursing Dave Muhovich, who also attended the fundraiser, have led the Uganda trip multiple times, and many of the nursing graduates in attendance are also alumni of that study abroad experience.. The group enjoyed an evening of fellowship, reminiscing about their experiences in Uganda and the  impact on their nursing practice. “What we learned from this [fundraiser] experience is that studying in Uganda touched our students’ lives forever,” says Steen.

The deep connection to Uganda was also evidenced by the sum raised for CURE that night. “We have been so amazed and touched by the generosity of our grads,” says Steen. “We know they have student loans and other important ways to spend their money. We were shocked to raise nearly $4,000.”

Steen plans to make the CURE Hospital fundraiser an annual event. For more information, email Sue Steen.