The UConn Nursing Learning Community held its annual banquet on April 21, celebrating 25 years of supporting undergraduate nursing majors.

The banquet kicked off with opening remarks by the Nursing House Director Denise Morris, MSN, CMSRN. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Annette T. Maruca, Ph.D., RN, PMH-BC, CNE, CCHP, followed with a speech about the impact of the Nursing Learning Community (LC) and its role in nursing.

“Over the past 25 years, this community has evolved alongside the role of health care and education. It has adapted to new technologies, new teaching approaches, and the changing needs of students and patients alike,” said Maruca. “Through all of it, the community has held steady to its core values while continuing to grow. That balance, honoring where we come from while embracing what comes next, is a hallmark of a strong learning community.”

The UConn Nursing LC is designed for first and second-year undergraduate nursing students by providing a supportive network as they navigate their coursework and college life. Through guided courses and co-curricular activities, it offers students an increased level of contact with faculty, staff, peer mentors, and professional organizations. They also gain invaluable information about the Elisabeth DeLuca School of Nursing program and the nursing profession as well as academic support.

Those in the LC live together in the Nursing House, located in the Northwest Quad on the Storrs campus. In the Nursing House, there are two resident assistants, two floor mentors, and two class mentors. In any given year, there are about 50 students who get accepted.

The Nursing LC meets twice a week. These 50-minute sessions, hosted by Morris, are designed to help nursing students balance their academics and social life, while also equipping them with the necessary tools they need to succeed in their classes and the nursing profession itself.

“The nursing house was an amazing experience that completely bridged and sealed any worries I had about coming to UConn. From the moment I moved in, I felt that the people on my floor and the people in charge of the LC were there to support and be with me at any hardship I encountered,” said nursing student Gavin Beauregard ’28 (NUR). “Denise Morris, the LC director, means the most to me out of anything that this learning community has provided. She showed me what it means to care while not being too serious; she showed me what it means to be a nurse.”

Morris has served as Nursing House director for four years, and as a nurse, she knows firsthand how important a supportive community is.

“As a nurse and being in this profession, we’re a community in our own sense. We touch people’s lives when they enter this world and when they exit. We’re the most trusted profession. With all of that, we need to band together as one to keep each other uplifted and to make sure we keep going,” said Morris.

Morris describes the LC as a collective network where she’s not only helping the students, but they are also helping her. Her goal is to give students the experiences and resources that she feels all college students should have.

“We help each other by being in the same community of a supportive network. If they have any concerns, I try to help and get them connected with the right areas on campus,” said Morris. “They learn about the UConn Student Health and Wellness, academic achievement centers, how to access Supplemental Instruction, and I bring them to the Women’s Center, The Benton, and the Innovation Zone.”

The Nursing House also hosts events, like the banquet, to get the community together outside of the classroom. At the start of the semester, there’s a welcome party where students get to know one another. There are also game nights that occur throughout the semester.

As the Nursing House celebrates 25 years, Morris is reminded of her guiding principle that she has brought into the Nursing LC: unity.

“I like being able to help them stay in a community with a no one left behind mindset,” said Morris. “They look out for each other, and this special community is now a part of their identity.”

To learn more about the Nursing Learning Community and Nursing House, visit: Nursing House | Elisabeth DeLuca School of Nursing | University of Connecticut