*This article was originally featured on the official Randolph-Macon College website (www.rmc.edu). Click here to view the original publication.

Randolph-Macon nursing major Anna Turk ‘26 remembers the joy she was met with when she arrived on site for her clinical hours at SOAR365. “One of the participants was yelling my name and giving me a hug!” she recalled.

The warm welcome she received was a result of relationships formed over a semester where Turk and other nursing students collaborated with the team at the SOAR365 Adult Day Support program, which serves adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, on clinical prevention approaches.

This unique experience working with adults with disabilities was part of Turk’s spring semester in NUIP 375 Population Health Immersion, a hands-on course in which nursing students engage with a vulnerable population under the direct supervision of faculty. This clinical experience broadens their experiences as they consider the role of social determinants of health as it relates to preventive health services and health promotion.

Beyond mastering the technical skills and knowledge needed to excel in the field, the Randolph-Macon nursing curriculum also strives to equip its graduates with clinical experiences that prepare students to provide care to diverse individuals and populations.

“Our program’s curriculum is focused on developing the next generation of nurse leaders who are prepared to practice innovatively within the evolving healthcare environment of the future,” said Dr. Cindy Rubenstein, the Director of RMC’s Department of Nursing.

SOAR365 was a site of Population Health Immersion for both semesters of the 2024-2025 academic year. 

“We had our first group of students in fall 2024 and they were fabulous—such a great experience for our participants and staff, but I think such a rewarding and great experience for the students as well.” said Liz Harris Baker, SOAR365’s Director of Volunteer Engagement. “When it came to coming back in the winter of 2025, I think it was a no-brainer win-win for both organizations.”

The programming administered by the students spanned a variety of needs. Some days, clinical activities were focused on safety lessons, like the importance of sunscreen, hydration, and nutrition, or building life skills like budgeting. Other clinical activities were focused on developing therapeutic relationships and focusing on communication through activities such as easter egg hunts and dance parties. A crucial focus for the RMC students was to make sure that all the participants were included, regardless of their disability.

“You did have to learn how to talk to people with disabilities. Some people could only converse with their hands or certain noises, some could talk to you,” explained Turk. “But it was all about thinking fast. What am I going to do that makes them feel more seen and heard?”

Harris Baker commended the students for their creativity and adaptability.

“This past semester, they implemented a lot of chair exercises, which I think is great because we have some participants who do have more limited mobility,” Harris Baker said. “The students were really creative in adjusting their activities to make it fit for every single participant. Whether they did it in a chair, whether they did it standing up, whether they were dancing, the students met them exactly where they were, which I think really stands out.”

For both the RMC nursing students and the SOAR365 participants, possibly the most powerful result of the clinical experience was forming genuine connections with each other.

“I’m most grateful for getting to know these people. These are individuals that I never would have encountered in my daily life.” said Gaines Ballard ’26, reflecting on his expanded perspective. “No matter who the person is, they’re always coming from some background that you don’t know.”

At the end of the semester, the students received hand-written thank you notes from the participants, a heartfelt recognition for their hard work and the relationships they formed. Both Turk and Ballard still have theirs hanging in their dorm rooms. “The fact that I’ve been able to connect with the participants and they gave me this sign of their gratitude, it really warms my heart,” Ballard said.

Ultimately, the experience will serve to make RMC graduates better nurses.

“You create these relationships, and nursing is all about trusting your nurse, that she’s going to give you the right care, the right medication,” Turk reflected. “I think building the trust with the participants has changed my perspective of nursing.”