Several dozen Quinnipiac students recently welcomed 75 students from Stratford, Connecticut to the North Haven Campus as part of the 10-week initiative for a day of interactive clinical skills and reflection.

The high school students — who were primarily sophomores — were paired with Quinnipiac students from their major of interest, including:

• Diagnostic Imaging
• Nursing
• Occupational Therapy
• Physician Assistant
• Physical Therapy
• Social Work

The students emailed each other weekly in a purposefully designed strategy to help the high school students to:

• Develop knowledge of skills required for specific careers
• Make informed academic and career decisions
• Form a network of professionals

The Quinnipiac students benefited by making connections between the business and educational communities.

Among the topics discussed this semester:

• The importance of being punctual
• How individuals analyze data and make informed ethical decisions
• The importance of confidentiality in the workplace
• The importance of handling stressful situations successfully
• How to find effective solutions in difficult situations
• How to adapt successfully to new situations
• Identifying ways of being flexible in the workforce
• How to use time wisely
• The importance of holding leadership roles
• How the economy has impacted job-retention rates in the students’ desired career
• The continuous learning process in the students’ desired career

“I am more confident than ever that I would like to pursue a career in occupational therapy,” Daelynne, a sophomore at the Frank Scott Bunnell High School, said. “Today was really awesome and I love the variety of opportunities to use real-life scenarios inside and outside of the classroom.”

Her mentor, Anna D’Amico ‘17, will earn a bachelor’s of science in nursing on Sunday afternoon before beginning work in the oncology department in Boston.

Stephanie, also a sophomore from Bunnell High School, is interested in going into neonatal nursing. She said one of the things she is most nervous about college is the workload, but she said her mentor has given her the confidence to know that with good time management, she can definitely manage her studies and have time to be with friends and get involved with school activities.  She said she was very impressed with the Quinnipiac students’ close relationships with their professors.

Victoria Botti ’17, who was Stephanie’s mentor, has been involved with the eMentoring program for two years. She said she decided to get involved because she loves to help people — and because she wished she had a mentor in high school.

“I think it’s great to have someone close to your age to talk with about questions you may have or things you might worry about,” she said. She will begin a residency after Commencement on Long Island in a cardiac unit.

Cheryl Hewitt, career coordinator at Stratford High School, has been participating in this program for five years. 

“The program is highly beneficial for the high school students and I believe rewarding for the college students as well,” she said. “Quinnipiac has been a wonderful partner.”