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An open letter from Lucille Young-Talbot, MPA, Coordinator Somerset County MRC, spring 2004.
COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
20 Grove Street, P.O. Box 3000
Somerville, New Jersey 08876-1262
(908) 231-7155 FAX (908) 704-8042
healthdiv@co.somerset.nj.us
TDD (908) 231-7168
Raritan Valley Community College
PO Box 3300
Somerville, New Jersey 08876
May 20, 2004
Dear Ms. Moog,
On behalf of the Somerset County Health Department, this letter serves as a vehicle to convey the success of a recent project undertaken by students at RVCC.
The Somerset County Health Department received a three-year grant from the Office of the Surgeon General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to establish a Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) to enhance Somerset County’s bioterrorism preparedness and response efforts during a public health emergency or disaster.
Coincidentally, about the same time, RVCC received a grant from the Community College National Center for Community Engagement to fund initiatives aimed at promoting homeland security and emergency preparedness.
After reading about the county’s grant, simultaneously and without knowledge of each others efforts, both a professor in Marketing and Business and a 2nd year nursing student contacted myself as the MRC Coordinator to discuss how we could partner together to enhance the county’s efforts.
The nursing service-learning group had been charged with the task of researching various topics on chemical and bioterrorism threats and developing strategies on homeland security measures for specific populations, which fit in well with the goals of the county’s grant.
The marketing students were charged with developing a strategic plan to market services for a non-profit organization including developing an action plan to implement a project. The timing of this initiative was perfectly coordinated with the start up MRC project recruitment efforts.
As a result, students and faculty at RVCC are better informed about the MRC and planning efforts in the county. In addition, the graduating class of nurses have a new perspective on the roles they can play as nurses in public health initiatives. The marketing students project resulted in a viable product to be utilized in future recruitment efforts.
Additionally, they are now aware of these efforts and can continue to inform the communities in which they work and reside.
In closing it was a pleasure working with the students and their faculty overseeing these efforts. We look forward to continued growth as this partnership serves as a public health model for effective collaboration between the college community and the county health department.
Sincerely,
Lucille Young-Talbot, MPA
Coordinator Somerset County MRC
Raritan
Valley Community College
http://www.raritanval.edu/servicelearning/ol07.htm
Last updated 7/26/06 by AKA
http://www.raritanval.edu/servicelearning/ol07.htm
Last updated 7/26/06 by AKA