SCC Alumni Association
Nursing Chapter

Newly-Formed SCC Nursing Alumni Chapter to Hold Kick-Off Meeting in February

West Burlington –Alumni, faculty and friends of SCC’s nursing program have formed a new Nursing Chapter of the SCC Alumni Association (SCCAA). The Chapter will hold its first social and meeting on Tuesday, February 20 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Alpha’s East banquet facility in Fort Madison. Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be served during the social from 5:30 – 6:00 p.m. The chapter organizational meeting will follow starting at 6:00 p.m.

The Southeastern Community College Alumni Association invites nursing graduates, co-workers and retired nursing friends to be Charter members of the SCCAA Nurse Alumni Chapter. Participation will help support theNursing profession and encourage new nurses coming into the profession.

Diane Aliprandi, 2006 graduate of the SCC Nursing Program and nurse at Great River Medical Center, brought the idea of a Nursing Alumni Chapter to the SCC Alumni Association Board annual meeting in October. The Board unanimously supported her and moved to form the first program-specific chapter of the SCCAA. Since then, Aliprandi has received help with developing the Chapter concept from current and retired SCC Nursing Program faculty as well as from nurses employed by local health care providers.

The SCCAA Nursing Alumni Chapter will offer assistance to SCC nursing students through scholarships, mentoring, tutoring and career reality awareness. Structured events will allow nurses from different fields to share their experiences and knowledge to help future nurses make important career choices. Practicing nurses can also serve as mentors for new nurses by helping them adjust to real work experiences following graduation.

The kick-off meeting will serve to officially organize the Chapter and will include nomination of leadership positions as well as the formation of a group to plan the inaugural Nursing Alumni Homecoming in May 2007 to coincide with annual Vespers events. It will also allow attending nurses to socialize and get to know each other.

SCCAA Executive Secretary Becky Rump said this new Chapter sets a precedent for the Association. "The Nursing Program at SCC has been one of the strongest programs here at the college for a long, long time. There are countless nurses who received their education here and others who have taken CEU’s through SCC. I know that a large number of them work right here in the Great River Region practicing in nearly every hospital, clinic and care facility. There is much camaraderie among them. I think it’s great that our alumni want to keep in touch with each other and help those wanting to enter the profession."

Rump continued that the Nursing Alumni Chapter will help keep practicing nurses up to date by identifying needs for and offering contact hours. Joining the SCCAA Nursing Alumni Chapter will also provide an opportunity for working nurses to network by staying in touch with former classmates and making new friends in the field.

Another objective of the new chapter is to provide scholarship support for nurses enrolling in graduate programs to become qualified SCC nurse educators.

To join the Nursing Alumni chapter requires membership with the SCC Alumni Association (no extra fee for Chapter participation). Non-alumni are also encouraged to join. Membership information is available at https://www.scciowa.edu/information/alumni/alumapp.asp.

Persons interested in attending the kick-off meeting for the new SCC Nursing Alumni Chapter or learning more about the Chapter are asked to contact Chapter Coordinator Diane Aliprandi at daliprandi@sccnursingalumni.org, SCC Nursing Instructor Leeanne Humiston at lhumiston@scciowa.edu or by phone at 319.313.1981, or Becky Rump, SCCAA Executive Secretary at brump@scciowa.edu or by phone at 319.208.5065 by February 16.