The Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance held its 2014-2015 Inter-Institutional Interprofessional Education Student Pilot Project Recognition Ceremony on April 9, honoring the efforts of college students from various local universities to work with non-profit organizations serving the Nashville community. Second Harvest Food Bank in Nashville hosted the event.
Students from Belmont University, Lipscomb University, Meharry Medical College, Tennessee State University, Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center participated in the Pilot Project, forming teams that created deliverables for community partners. Those included St. Luke’s Community House, Street Works and Urban Housing Solutions.
Dr. Consuelo Wilkins, MD, MCSI, the Executive Director of the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance, commented at the ceremony’s opening, “This is so important to the future of health, the future of well-being in general, that we learn how to be teams as we take care of individuals.”
In all, six teams worked to produce tangible products, which ranged from pamphlets to instructional videos.
Teams 1 and 2 combined their efforts to work with St. Luke’s and produce a quick reference guide on medical topics related to aging and medication calendars for individual use. Team 1 members were Damien Cuffie of Meharry Dentistry, Ryan Ber of Meharry Medicine, Jessica Lampley of Lipscomb Pharmacy, Nicole Wright of Belmont Occupational Therapy and Lorelei Phillip of Vanderbilt Hearing and Speech Sciences. Team 2 members were Yvonne Lee of Meharry Medicine, Raymond Romano of Vanderbilt Nursing, Michael Triplett of Tennessee State University Social Work, Melissa Tucker of Vanderbilt Hearing and Speech Sciences and Veronica Rubio of Vanderbilt Nutrition.
Team 3 worked with Street Works to create a booklet providing information to people living with HIV about coping and living with the disease. The team members included Steffie-Ann Dujon of Meharry Medicine, Veronica Thaanum of Vanderbilt Nutrition, Elizabeth LoChiatto of Belmont Nursing, Cassandra Stewart of Meharry Dentistry and Victoria Harris of Tennessee State University Social Work.
Team 4, working with Urban Housing Solutions, produced a resources and information packet specifically geared toward the Neely Meadows community, where residents described a disconnect from their surrounding area. Team 4’s members were Chris Hardy of Meharry Dentistry, Marissa Wertheimer of Vanderbilt Nutrition, Christina Eskew of Meharry Public Health and Kristal Patel of Vanderbilt Nursing.
Team 5, also working with Urban Housing Solutions, published a Community Council Guidelines booklet, which specified the purpose, roles, responsibilities and goals of community meetings within Urban Housing communities. Team 5’s members were Leshaun Clayton of Meharry Medical, Rian Cho of Meharry Dentistry, Monica Lawrence of Tennessee State University Social Work, Sahar Torabi of Lipscomb Pharmacy and Ali Alcott of Belmont Nursing.
Team 6 produced a video for Urban Housing Solution’s use as an orientation for new residents, professional development for staff, potential collaboration and funding and to inform others within the community who may be unaware of the organization’s resources. The team’s members included Joshua Mitchell of Belmont Nursing, Jane Owens Robbins of Belmont Occupational Therapy and Kiara Savage of Vanderbilt Hearing and Speech Sciences.
Afterward, Dr. Wilkins closed the ceremony by praising the students’ efforts and saying, “I think we could not have imagined the Pilot going this well.”
Click here to view a highlight video of the event.
Photos by Paxton Montgomery
Team 1: Damien Cuffie of Meharry Dentistry, Ryan Ber of Meharry Medicine, Jessica Lampley of Lipscomb Pharmacy, Nicole Wright of Belmont Occupational Therapy, Lorelei Phillip of Vanderbilt Hearing and Speech Sciences
Team 2: Yvonne Lee of Meharry Medicine, Raymond Romano of Vanderbilt Nursing, Michael Triplett of Tennessee State University Social Work, Melissa Tucker of Vanderbilt Hearing and Speech Sciences, Veronica Rubio of Vanderbilt Nutrition
St. Luke's Community House: Ryan LaSuer, Chief Programs Officer
Team 3: Steffie-Ann Dujon of Meharry Medicine, Veronica Thaanum of Vanderbilt Nutrition, Elizabeth LoChiatto of Belmont Nursing, Cassandra Stewart of Meharry Dentistry, Victoria Harris of Tennessee State University Social Work
Street Works: Ron Crowder, founder
Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance: Dr. Consuelo H. Wilkins, MD, MSCI, Executive Director
Team 4: Chris Hardy of Meharry Dentistry, Marissa Wertheimer of Vanderbilt Nutrition, Christina Eskew of Meharry Public Health, Kristal Patel of Vanderbilt Nursing
Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance: Dr. Consuelo H. Wilkins, MD, MSCI, Executive Director
Team 4: Leshaun Clayton of Meharry Medical, Rian Cho of Meharry Dentistry, Monica Lawrence of Tennessee State University Social Work, Sahar Torabi of Lipscomb Pharmacy, Ali Alcott of Belmont Nursing
Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance: Dr. Consuelo H. Wilkins, MD, MSCI, Executive Director
Team 6: Joshua Mitchell of Belmont Nursing, Jane Owens Robbins of Belmont Occupational Therapy, Kiara Savage of Vanderbilt Hearing and Speech Sciences.
Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance: Dr. Consuelo H. Wilkins, MD, MSCI, Executive Director
About St. Luke’s Community House
St. Luke’s Community House helps low income working families, seniors and individuals in West Nashville achieve their potential and prevent problems that threaten the stability of families and community.
About Street Works
Street Works’ mission is to prevent the spread of HIV disease and provide care and supportive services for those infested and affected through outreach, education and advocacy in communities of greatest risks.
About Urban Housing Solutions
Urban Housing Solutions’ provides new opportunities for people with unique housing needs and to help revitalize and enhance Nashville’s neighborhoods.
About the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance
Founded in 1999, the Alliance bridges the institutions of Meharry Medical College and Vanderbilt University. Its mission is to enrich learning and advance clinical research by developing and supporting mutually beneficial partnerships between Meharry Medical College, Vanderbilt University and the communities they serve.
