Media Contact
Kenya King
Director
Public Relations and Marketing Communications
Perimeter College
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DECATUR, Ga. — A new partnership between nursing students at Georgia State University’s Perimeter College and New Life Community Alliance (NLCA) is creating opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience while expanding access to vital health education and screenings for residents in south DeKalb County.
Through a newly established collaborative agreement, Perimeter’s nursing program is working with the alliance to enable nursing students to provide health education and screenings at community health fairs hosted by the organization.
On a recent Saturday, Perimeter College nursing students set up stations at the alliance’s service site, transforming a large open space into a hub of health education and support. Students shared critical information about nutrition, diabetes and prostate health with attendees, while also offering blood pressure and vision checks and distributing resources on stress relief.
The outreach is especially meaningful in a community where many residents face significant barriers to healthcare access. Most attendees at the event were underinsured or uninsured, with some experiencing homelessness. According to the NLCA, in the area where the organization serves residents “the unemployment rate is 2.6% higher than the state average, the high school dropout rate is 21.5%, 24.8% of the children live in poverty and 48% of families are financially unstable.”
For students and faculty, the experience demonstrated the real-world impact of community-based care.
“The impact was palpable,” said Anne Cadet, an assistant professor and clinical placement coordinator for Perimeter’s nursing program.
“The collaboration of services was greater than what I even imagined it would be.”
Cadet recalled several impactful moments from the day, including a 71-year-old woman who received her first-ever mammogram through a mobile unit provided by the DeKalb County Board of Health. In another instance, nursing students identified dangerously high blood pressure in a male attendee and helped connect him with a medical referral for follow-up care.
Community health professionals working alongside the students say outreach events like these are essential.
“An aware community is a healthy community, so it’s imperative that we be in the community,” said Jacqueline Williams, a clinical nurse coordinator with DeKalb Public Health.
For the students, the experience reinforced why they chose careers in nursing.
Amber Miller, one of 27 Perimeter students participating in the health fair, worked with fellow student Darolyn Fulmore to create a trifold poster highlighting best practices in diabetes management. Both will graduate from Perimeter in May and said they are grateful for the opportunity to serve the community.
“It’s just nice to see how many resources are available to the community,” Miller said, noting the range of services offered at the fair — from health education and screenings to clothing, food and grooming assistance.
“Events like these give people some of their dignity back,” she added.
The partnership is just getting started. Perimeter nursing students will return to the alliance for another health fair April 11, which organizers hope will draw even broader community participation.
Brandi Whitney, NLCA’s health program services coordinator, said the organization is excited about the possibilities with Perimeter College.
“We hope this is a long-term, multiyear relationship that helps us connect the community needs of our neighbors with student learning and exposure,” Whitney said.
With the collaboration now underway, leaders from both organizations say the initiative highlights how partnerships between educational institutions and community organizations can strengthen public health while preparing the next generation of nurses to serve where they are needed most.
— Story and photo by Kysa Anderson Daniels