Lone Star College nursing students will gain unique insight into health care in Canada and Mexico thanks to a prestigious Fund for the Improvement of Post-secondary Education (FIPSE) grant.

 “A FIPSE grant is one of the most competitive grants that colleges or universities can receive,” said LSC-CyFair’s Eileen Booher, Director, Resource Development/Grants Administration. “It’s particularly exciting for us as FIPSE only awards 10 grants a year and only 15% of the awards are made to two-year colleges.”   

The grant will provide funding to develop a one credit online course at LSC-CyFair that includes a two-week student exchange program between Canada, Mexico and the United States. The nursing-specific course would be eligible for transfer credit. 

The exchange element of the class will provide the opportunity to visit a variety of health care venues in the host country and will include classroom and seminar discussion as well as clinical observational experiences. Students will receive intimate knowledge of the diversity in health care delivery systems, health practices and cultural values that will allow them to compare and contrast the nursing professions in their home and host countries.

Upon returning, students will share their experiences via presentations, small group discussions and workshops with fellow students, faculty and members of the community.

Kathy Emmite, director of LSC-CyFair’s nursing programs, said the excitement about this grant is extraordinary in that the opportunities to learn about nursing and health care delivery across North America are tremendous. 

“The faculty and I are looking forward to the collaborative relationships we are developing with our partner schools,” she said.

This course and student exchange program is currently in the planning year which has consisted of phone conferences and site visits with partner universities. LSC-CyFair’s Dr. Margie Ugalde, associate professor for the Associate Degree Nursing program, was recently in Mexico visiting the Universidad de Colima and Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, and various hospitals and health care facilities where students will participate in clinical experiences.  Earlier this year, LSC-CyFair staff hosted the faculty from Canada following their visit in Mexico.

Plans are to begin the application process in Fall 2008. All students within the Lone Star College System are eligible.