Student volunteer alumna Kandace Ryans is now an LPN working at Internal Medicine of the Piedmont. Ms. Ryans worked as a student volunteer for many summers during high school.
(Greenwood, SC, March 13, 2013) – Self Regional Healthcare is now accepting applications for high school and college student volunteers for the summer. Student volunteers work an average of 50 hours during the course of the summer, or about 10 hours per week. “Each student will receive a broad exposure to the healthcare industry, which is often an eye-opening experience for them, said Sandra Williams, Director of Volunteer Services.
“Some students who have gone through the program become interested in a career in the healthcare field,” said Mrs. Williams. “However, even if they choose to pursue another career track, they receive a great deal of real-world experience of what it is like to work at a job and the expectations an employer will have of them when they start working. The experience also is a great extra-curricular activity on college applications.”
Greenwood native Kandace Ryans is an alumna of Self Regional’s student volunteer program. She now works as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) at Internal Medicine of the Piedmont, after earning her LPN and CNA degrees from Piedmont Technical College.
Ms. Ryans worked five summers as a student volunteer, beginning the summer after her eighth grade year, and fondly remembers the people and time spent in service.
“When I was in school, my dad would ask me what I wanted to do when I grew up, and I would say ‘I like helping people,’ ” she said. “He encouraged me to try the summer volunteer program at Self, and I really liked it. I spent time working in Medical Records, in the Nursery (NICU), up on different nursing floors, and I met a lot of different people and really had a lot of fun.”
When she was older, Ms. Ryans balanced the demands of a summer job working at a local ice cream shop with cheerleading activities at Ninety-Six High School, but still continued volunteering at the healthcare system.
“I can still remember some of the nurses who really spent extra time with me to show me a procedure or how to take care of a patient, and I remember thinking: that’s what I want to do,” Ms. Ryans said. “I really got a lot of exposure to different careers while I was a volunteer and it helped me make that decision to become a nurse.”
Ms. Ryans said she encourages students to consider the program because it teaches the importance of the work ethic needed for a job, and the vast opportunities available for someone interested in working in the medical field.
“Our student volunteers go through orientation, and learn a tremendous amount about what happens on a daily basis at the medical center,” said Mrs. Williams. “We work with them to find out their interests, and as much as possible, use that information to make sure we expose them to the areas they are interested in the most.
“When the summer is over and they are looking back on the experience, the universal sentiment seems to be that they really enjoyed the opportunity to help people.”
Applying to the Student Volunteer Program:
Self Regional accepts 30 students each summer for the summer volunteer program.
Here is the application criteria:
- Applicants must be a full-time student, at least 15 years old and in the 9th grade with a minimum of a “C” average.
- Student’s counselor will be contacted by Volunteer Services for a recommendation for the applicant.
- During the course of the summer (June 11-July 25), student volunteers are expected to complete 50 hours of service, an average of 10.5 hours per week. The department will work with the student on placement and rotation throughout different departments and scheduling.
- All applications are due by April 12, 2013
- Download our application forms here: Student Volunteer Applications
or visit your high school guidance office.
