2006 Intern

Project title: Creating educational materials to help teens “stay quit” – “Addiction is not tradition: helping your child quit smoking.”

· School/program/major? UNC-CH, Nursing

· Expected graduation date and degree? July 30, 2006, BSN

· Where did you grow up? Baltimore, MD

· Who have been the primary role models in your life?

My family, my boyfriend Craig, and friends

· Where you see yourself in 10 years? I’m not sure where I’ll be, but I hope to be a nurse practitioner working in the community with a nice little family of my own.

· Title of your project this summer? An evidence-based anti-smoking brochure for Native American families in North Carolina. I haven’t decided on a title yet, but I’m thinking maybe, “Addiction is not tradition: helping your child quit smoking.”

· Tribe and/or organizations that you worked with this summer? Although I wasn’t working within the community this summer, Shannon Fleg has been my mentor and in working with her on the brochure I’m working with the State of North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs, the North Carolina Health and Wellness Trust Fund, and UNC-CH.

· Brief description of your project(s) this summer? As I said, I’m working on an evidence-based anti-smoking brochure for Native American families in North Carolina

· Description of one person you met this summer that models positive work being done in American Indian communities to address health disparities? Both Anthony and Shannon are great examples of positive role models for work being done to address Native American health disparities by educating students in the health professions.

· One major hurdle that you encountered in your work this summer?

The major hurdle has been that this summer has been my last semester of classes, so I haven’t had as much time to devote to the project as I would have liked.

· Something you learned about yourself this summer?

I can’t wait to utilize my nursing practice in the community in the near future, and possibly in an American Indian community.

· Something you learned about American Indian communities this summer? I learned more about the actuality of health disparities in American Indian communities and how individuals within those communities perceive the disparities and are working to address them. I also learned about the distinction between tribes and the benefits of funding that comes with federal recognition.

· What advice/recommendation would you give to future NHI volunteers? I think having an open-mind and a strong interest in learning about the American Indian communities are the most necessary traits to have