Planting the Seed of a Nursing Career in Underrepresented Groups

Many young people don’t realize the doors that a nursing career can open. The field has evolved from a historic focus on bedside assistance and physician support to being an integral element of our entire health care system. To address this issue, Columbia Nursing is involved with several “pipeline” programs designed to interest underrepresented high school students in pursuing careers in nursing. One such program is conducted in partnership with the Jewish Home Lifecare Geriatric Career Development (GCD) program, with locations in the Bronx and Manhattan. Our students teach basic nursing skills to high school students in the program.

Some 19 local high school students recently visited Columbia Nursing for a day of demonstrations and panel discussions with our faculty, alumni, and students.

“Our goal in working with pipeline programs like GCD is to plant a seed about the world of nursing into the minds of these students,” said Associate Dean for Diversity and Cultural Affairs Vivian Taylor, EdD. “We want to show them the rich resources and satisfaction a career in nursing can bring them—whether they go on to a clinical, academic, or research nursing track.”

In a participant survey, many students reported feeling inspired by the demonstrations and panels they saw. 

"Coming here inspired me to work very hard. I loved everything about today, and I hope one day I can be a part of the Columbia family."

"Today's discussions made me think about what I will do in the future."

"I'm very interested in working in the medical field now."