The organization that brought back Penn's historic Nursing Ball three years ago has a new board and new plans. Student Nurses at Penn, a student-run organization that represents Penn's Nursing students, held elections last Monday for the coming year. Incoming president and Nursing junior Jen Palledino explained that SNAP "works to unify the Nursing School. We have social events and community service events." Palledino said that for the coming year, the new board is planning several blood drives, a Valentine's Day community service event at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the third annual Nursing Ball. Members of SNAP attend annual state and national conventions to meet other student nurses across the country. At the conferences, Penn Nursing students also meet with registered nurses to learn about job opportunities and health issues that include postpartum depression and nontraditional birthing methods. Incoming Vice President and Nursing sophomore Noele Kasper said that the new board is currently planning fundraisers in order to send SNAP members to the national convention this April in Phoenix, Ariz. SNAP also runs a peer advising program, which pairs freshmen and incoming BSN/MSN students with upperclassmen. Kasper explained that the new board has planned trips to local Philadelphia sites and joint community service projects for the peer advisers and their advisees. The advising program -- which will now be run by Nursing sophomore Jill Siegrist, second year BSN/MSN student Erin Carpenter and first-year BSN/MSN student Sharon Gottesman -- also helps to inform Nursing students of how to win research grants. Additionally, Palledino said that SNAP will be participating in the MS Walk this April -- which raises money for multiple sclerosis research and programs -- as well as volunteering at Ronald McDonald House and holding CPR certification. SNAP also runs a program known as Lifesavers, which will now be organized by Nursing freshman Kelley Martin, that will hold an organ donation and cancer awareness campaign. SNAP member and Nursing senior Laura Breyfogle is the president of Pennsylvania's student nursing organization. Breyfogle is one of the first members of SNAP to hold a position on the state board. SNAP seeks to create relationships with other health-related organizations and encourages healthcare-related community service. Any Nursing student can attend SNAP meetings and participate in elections. Nursing junior Meghan Capasso is SNAP's new secretary/treasurer, and Caroline Cantillion is the new public relations/events chair.
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