The VCU Nursing Student/Alumni
Connector Program
Orientation Manual
MCV Alumni Association of VCU
1016 East Clay Street
P.O. Box 980156
Richmond, Va. 23298-0156
(804) 828-3900
(800) MCV-7799
magreene@vcu.edu
www.vcu-mcvalumni.org/mcvaa
Dear Connector Program Volunteers,
On behalf of the VCU School of Nursing, I would like to thank you for participating in
the VCU Nursing Student/Alumni Connector program. We appreciate the support of
our alumni and your dedication to the success of our nursing students. I believe this
program can have a meaningful impact on our students and will allow you to remain
engaged with your School of Nursing.
I’m sure you recall the anxiety that is part of the life of any nursing student. From
tests and class assignments to clinical rotations in the hospital, our students face
periods of stress and uncertainty. With a phone call, e-mail or personal visit, you can
make a difference in the lives of our students and encourage them when they need it
most. You understand, better than anyone, both the struggles and rewards of a life in
nursing.
You can also be there to celebrate with our students when they perform well on a
test, participate in their first clinical or reach a major milestone. In this way, students
will have someone to talk to about success and what it means to excel as a student
and a nurse.
Over the last decade, our enrollment has nearly doubled. While our faculty and staff
are there to support the students, we can more fully meet their needs by joining
together as a community to guide our students to success. It is my hope that this
program will grow over the coming years and further strengthen the relationships
among alumni, students and faculty of the VCU School of Nursing.
Again, thank you for volunteering for this program. This experience, I hope, will be as
meaningful for you as I believe it will be for our nursing students.
Sincerely,
Nancy F. Langston, PhD, RN, FAAN
Dean and Professor, VCU School of Nursing
Executive Director of Academic Nursing, VCU Health System
Medical College of Virginia Alumni Association
of Virginia Commonwealth University
Dear Connector Volunteers,
Welcome to the MCV Alumni Association and the VCU Nursing Student/Alumni
Connector Program. One of the foremost goals of the MCVAA Nursing Division is
to support the School of Nursing in achieving educational excellence. This pursuit
indicates a commitment by the school to provide an environment that sustains
excellence in student learning and professional development, and develops
faculty expertise in pedagogy, or advancing the science of nursing education.
The VCU Nursing Student/Alumni Connector Program is one way in which alumni
can help to create an environment that enhances student learning and
professional development. This program serves as a source of professional
support for nursing students and offers encouragement and guidance through the
challenges and milestones of their educational experience.
We are excited that you have chosen to participate in this unique program
nurturing today’s student nurses on their journey to becoming tomorrow’s
professionals.
Sincerely,
Terri Gaffney, RN, MPA
Vice President
MCV Alumni Association Nursing Division
P.O. Box 980156  Richmond, Virginia 23298-0156  (804) 828-3900 
1 (800) MCV-7799  Fax (804) 828-4594
www.vcu-mcvalumni.org
Introduction
The number of individuals opting to pursue a career in nursing has
dramatically increased over the years. “Students of different age groups,
generations, and educational and language backgrounds are finding nursing to be a
desirable, attainable profession” (Colalillo, 2007, p. 29). Following the path to
becoming a professional nurse, however, can be a long and potentially rocky road.
Numerous personal and environmental factors can influence a student’s chance to
succeed. To ensure success, “students progressing from the pre-nursing sequence
of courses to the clinical experience need transitional interventions to assist in
adaptation to the course load and clinical rotations and to begin the enculturation
into the profession” (Colalillo, 2007, p. 29). Mentoring is one example of such an
influential intervention that has the potential to positively affect the maturation of
nursing students.
Definitions of mentoring and what it means to be a good mentor vary, but
much nursing literature references the definition provided by Alleman (1987). This
definition describes mentoring as a “relationship between two people in which one
person with greater rank, experience, and/or expertise teaches, counsels, and helps
others to develop both professionally and personally” (Sawatzky & Enns, 2009).
Currently the VCU School of Nursing offers enrichment programs involving the
faculty and nursing students and supports peer-mentoring organizations such as the
Student Nurses Association. In addition, the MCV Alumni Association Nursing
Division contributes to the professional development of future professional nurses by
providing positive and supportive interactions between alumni and students through
the VCU Nursing Student/Alumni Connector Program.
The Connector program is an informal mentoring relationship between
students and alumni through which professional support and encouragement is
provided to nurture students progressing through nursing education programs. The
National League for Nursing (NLN) position statement regarding “Transforming
Nursing Education” calls for “programs and innovations that are designed to involve
students as active participants in their educational enterprise, be flexible to the
constantly changing demands and individual student needs, be accessible and
responsive to diverse student populations, and be accountable to the public”
(Colalillo, 2007, p. 28). The VCU Nursing Student/Alumni Connector Program is an
innovative means of ensuring the success of the students of the VCU School of
Nursing.
Volunteer Data
All of the volunteers in this program are alumni of the VCU, MCV or St. Philip Schools
of Nursing. The majority of program volunteers reside in the greater Richmond area.
Geographical Breakdown of Volunteers
26
50
Residents of Richmond and
Surrounding Counties
Residents of Virginia (non
Richmond)
35
Residents outside of Virginia
What Is Involved With Volunteering for the
Connector Program?
The VCU Nursing Student / Alumni Connector Program links alumni and students in a
unique, nurturing relationship while creating a stronger nursing community.
Alumni are expected to “connect” with their assigned nursing student to serve as a
source of wisdom and to offer encouragement and guidance through the challenges
and celebrations of the student’s educational journey. For example, students
completing their first day of clinical experience or facing final exams are often in need
of words of encouragement and/or opportunities to talk with a graduate who has
lived through these experiences. The alumni association and the School of Nursing
will provide alumni volunteers with a list of significant milestone dates in the lives of
the students to foster communication with them at the most appropriate times
(birthdays, first clinical rotations, first day of exams, etc.)
Students and alumni can easily connect by e-mail, telephone calls or letters.
MCV/VCU alumni who don’t reside in the Richmond area can still serve as
connectors. The MCV Alumni Association, in partnership with the School of Nursing
will provide an orientation program and structure for the relationship. This program
requires a one-year commitment, and a financial investment on the part of alumni is
not necessary.
Tips for Successful Connections
Alumni
1. Play a supportive role to the student. (Be a sounding board.)
2. Offer words of encouragement during stressful times and a friendly voice
celebrating accomplishments. Periodically check in with your student to find
out how things are going in school.
3. Communicate with the student at least monthly via e-mail, phone, or mail.
4. Alumni may choose to invite students to dinner or host them at professional
events however, this is not required.
5. If there is a personality “mismatch” with your student, please contact us so we
may be of assistance.
6. Do not call your student every day.
Students
1. Do not call alumna/us every day.
2. If there is a personality “mismatch” with your alumna/us, please contact us so
we may be of assistance.
3. Do not call your alumna/us later than 8:30 pm.
This is an exciting program that benefits experienced nurses as well as students. Not
only will alumni learn how today’s experiences differ from their days at the School of
Nursing but they’ll also gain personal satisfaction from fostering the development of
a nursing student. Finally, alumni will experience the gratification of passing on a
legacy to our next generation.
Keeping Your Online Alumni Profile Updated
The MCV Alumni Association has introduced an online alumni network designed to
help you easily keep your contact information up-to-date. The association’s Web
address is www.vcu-mcvalumni.org/mcvaa
If you have not already become a registered user of the site, we do ask all Connector
volunteers to register on our Web site. Click on the brown “Register” button in the
lower left sidebar. An initial registration process involves you creating your own user
name and password. After being authenticated, you will receive a confirmation e-mail
(within 48 hours) that will allow you to log-in and update the personal information in
your alumni profile.
Volunteer Code of Conduct
As a representative of the Connector Program, we ask all alumni to adhere to the
following volunteer expectations:
I promise to:
Complete and maintain my online alumni profile at: www.vcu-mcvalumni.org/mcvaa;
Act with integrity by responding to student correspondences in a timely manner;
Communicate honestly with students and staff;
Exercise patience with students who are at a different developmental and career
stage in their life;
Provide timely feedback to program staff about any problems or any great
experiences that you have with your student;
Encourage other nursing alumni to volunteer with the Connector program.
Tips for understanding the
Millennial Generation
The majority of the students participating in this program are 19 or 20 year
olds….members of the “Millennial Generation.” Here are some characteristics about
this generation which may help you with your conversations.
Special
Have always been treated as special and important. This generation of children has been
the most wanted. Every milestone was marked with celebrations and praise. They may carry
a sense of entitlement about them and have an expectation of frequent positive feedback.
It’s been instilled in them that they are vital to the nation and to their parents’ sense of
purpose. They feel they are here to solve world problems that older generations have failed
to solve. They may claim they want privacy, but they crave attention.
Sheltered
Highly protected as children. Grew up in a time of increasing safety measures (car seats,
baby on board signs, school lockdowns). They were rarely left unsupervised. They were
sheltered from having to take care of their own conflicts as parents advocated on their
behalf, and “spared” them from unpleasant experiences. As college students, they may
expect faculty and staff to shelter, protect, and nurture them – and resolve their conflicts for
them. Millennials are the focus of the most sweeping youth safety movement in American
history.
Confident
They are motivated, goal-oriented, and confident in themselves and the future. They expect
college to help launch them to greatness. They may brag about their generation’s power
and potential. They have high levels of optimism and they feel connected to their parents.
They are assertive and believe they are “right”. In Canada the Millennial generation is called
the “Sunshine” generation.
Team-Oriented
They are group oriented rather than being individualists. They may sacrifice their own
identity to be part of the team. They prefer egalitarian leadership, not hierarchies. They are
forming a tight-knit generation. While they are group-oriented within their own cohort, they
may “politely” exclude other generations. They do not want to stand out among their peers,
they want to be seen as part of the group. They dislike selfishness and are oriented toward
service learning and volunteerism.
Achieving
Grade points are rising with this generation and crime is falling. The focus on getting good
grades, hard work, involvement in extracurricular activities, etc. is resulting in higher
achievement levels. They see college as the key to a high paying job and success, and may
miss the bigger picture of what a college education is all about. They are pressured to decide
early on a career – and have been put on a career track orientation since grade school. Their
focus is more on the world of achievement rather than personal development. The Boomer
generation made their mark in the humanities and arts, whereas the Millennials prefer math
and science fields.
Pressured
Tightly scheduled as children and used to having every hour of their day filled with structured
activity. This generation may have lost a sense of pure spontaneous play. They may struggle
with handling free time and time management in general. In elementary, middle, and high
school, have had more hours of homework and less free time than any of the previous
generations. They feel pressured to succeed. They’ve been pushed hard to achieve, to avoid
risks, and to take advantage of opportunities. They may take on too much, and then think
others should be flexible with them when they want to negotiate scheduling conflicts. They
think multi-tasking saves time and is a smart thing to do, but aren’t usually aware of the
poorer quality of results.
Conventional
Respectful to the point of not questioning authority. They are civic-minded and believe the
government knows what’s best and will take care of them. They fear being considered nonconformist. Their clothing, music, and cultural markings will be very mainstream. They value
their parents’ opinions very highly. They support and believe in social rules, and are more in
line with their parents’ values than most other generations have been. They are trying to
invite rules and norms back into the culture.
Resource: Millennials Go To College (2003) by Neil Howe and William Strauss.
Website: www.lifecourse.com
Additional Contact Resources
If your student has advising/curriculum questions:
Kate Grant
kagrant@vcu.edu
804-828-5554
Academic Advisor
VCU School of Nursing
PO Box 980567
Richmond, VA 23298-0567
or
Susan Lipp
slipp@vcu.edu
804-828-5545
Asst Dean for Enrollment & Student Services
VCU School of Nursing
P.O. Box 980567
Richmond, VA 23219-1308
If you have questions or requests about your student match:
Michael Greene-Russell
magreene@vcu.edu
804-828-4595
Program Manager
MCV Alumni Association of VCU
PO Box 980165
Richmond, VA 23298-0156
If you have suggestions for Connector program improvements:
Terri Gaffney
or
tgaffney@gannetthg.com
Vice President for Nursing Division
MCV Alumni Association of VCU
PO Box 980165
Richmond, VA 23298-0156
Barbara Payton
bpayton@vcu.edu
804-628-0394
Executive Director
MCV Alumni Association of VCU
PO Box 980165
Richmond, VA 23298-0156
If you have questions about how you can financially support student scholarships at
the School of Nursing:
Kelly Gotschalk
kjgotschalk@vcu.edu
804-828-2993
Assistant Director of Development
VCU School of Nursing
PO Box 980567
Richmond, VA 23298-0567