College of Nursing, Literacy Center form health-focused educational program

For Augusta University students pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing, the Population Health course is an opportunity to apply newly acquired skills in specific community interventions. AU’s College of Nursing has several community partners that have developed through this course, and this summer, they added the Dr. Paulette P. Harris Literacy Center to that list.

In early July, nursing students set up health stations inside the Harris Literacy Center and engaged with the community through a health-focused educational program. The stations covered a range of topics from physical, dental, vision and nutritional health.

Two college nursing students sit at a table with several tomato plants in plastic cups. The tomato plants were handed out to local grade-school students to encourage healthy eating habits. — AU nursing students Michaela Moore, left, and Julia Iverson, right, handed out tomato plants to local grade-school students to encourage healthy eating habits. [Nina Siso/Augusta University]

Local grade-school students were screened for vision and color blindness, taught the proper techniques for brushing and flossing and educated on the skeletal system. They were also given a tomato plant to take home as a way to encourage healthy eating.

“We wanted to make sure these kids aren’t living their lives with any deficits,” said Ben Puhalovich, a student in the Master of Science in Nursing program. “Ultimately, we want to fill in their gaps of knowledge in the hopes of leading a healthier future.”

“Their presence underscores our shared mission to foster lifelong learning, advance health literacy and support the well-being of individuals and families in our community,” said Betsy A. VanDeusen, PhD, director of the literacy center.

The community nursing class serves as a way for students to get involved locally and to demonstrate the impact that nursing professionals have on community health.

“This experience has shown me the importance of community nursing,” said Jamie Price, an MSN student. “If you know the needs of your community, you can implement resources to help the structure and overall well-being of others.”

A male college student sits at a table with a young girl, helping her read. — Ben Puhalovich, a nursing student, helps a young learner with a vision exercise. [Nina Siso/Augusta University]

“One of the biggest things I’ve learned about nursing is that we are heavily education-driven,” said Puhalovich. “I think one of our biggest roles and responsibilities is to educate the public so that we can reduce the rates at which people come into hospitals. We can get one step ahead by using that kind of primary prevention tactic.”

The Harris Literacy Center, part of AU’s College of Education and Human Development and housed within the HUB for Community Innovation Augusta, is a vibrant community space committed to improving literacy and educational opportunities across a person’s lifespan. The center offers instructional support for people ranging in age from children to seniors, with programs including literacy tutoring, GED classes and arts-integrated learning experiences.

The literacy center is familiar with promoting holistic, community-centered learning through interdisciplinary partnerships with health sciences programs like public health, medicine and occupational and physical therapy. Recent initiatives, including the MCG Literacy Initiative and the “Literacy is Health” book giveaways, support the center’s connection between literacy and health outcomes.

“We help with traditional literacy, reading and writing, as it’s instrumental to opening the doors for education, but we also help with digital literacy, like teaching computer skills for the ever-expanding world of technology that we are more and more reliant upon,” said Sam Klein, the center’s business operations specialist. “This event is such a fantastic example of how important health literacy is. Kids grow into adults and must navigate the health care system we have established. The skills they learn today are instrumental to them leading long, healthy lives.”

Two college nursing students sit at a table in a modern library. Their table has materials for children that talk about skeletal health. — Kippen Wallace, left, and Jamie Price, right, shared information on skeletal health. [Nina Siso/Augusta University]

Rebecca Rule, assistant professor in the College of Nursing, is a champion of developing the college’s community partnerships. Under her leadership, students have enjoyed partnering with local organizations like Augusta Training Shop and GAP Ministries. Rule was recently invited to speak at the Office of Community Engagement’s 2025 Excellence in Community Engagement Awards’ annual Pancakes and Partnerships celebration.

“Community clinicals allow students to think outside of the box and provide nursing care outside of the hospital walls,” said Rule. “In community work, it’s important to learn about the operations, gaps and preferences of the community. Once the information is obtained, it’s compared to local, state and national data so that students can tailor their intervention to the specific needs of the organization.

“The center has a remarkable impact on our community, and we are fortunate to partner with an agency that is part of the Augusta University family,” Rule continued. “I loved witnessing the ‘Ah-ha’ moments from our students this semester, and I am tremendously proud of their work.”

The College of Nursing and the Dr. Paulette P. Harris Literacy Center plan to continue this partnership for future community nursing courses in the spring and summer semesters.