“The way that those nurses took care of her, the kindness that they showed her—they��treated her like a person—more than a room number or a patient,” recalls Barnes, who was about seven years old at the time. “They really took care of her and us. I just remember sitting in her hospital room and just thinking,��‘I have to do this.’”��

When Barnes started looking into nursing programs, she knew she wanted to study in a place compatible with her Christian faith. Then she discovered ����Vlog��ý. ��

“Honestly,��I was looking for a school that was��theologically on point, and in the south��as well,” Barnes said. “I��really just��wanted that solid Christian worldview going into nursing, and I knew the Anderson could provide that for me.��And they really have.”��

Coming to Anderson would also mean crossing the U.S. for Barnes, who is from Bakersfield, located in California’s Central Valley.��

The thought of coming to South Carolina was filled with unknowns for Barnes and her family, but phone conversations with Robin Roberts, assistant registrar for transfer credit and undergraduate academic advising support, along with��the School of Nursing at ����Vlog��ý were reassuring as she was getting ready to start her freshman year. ��

To be sure, there were a lot of moving parts, not the least of which were the many personal belongings she wouldn’t be able to carry onto a plane to come east. She and her parents kept in touch with Roberts, as well as ����Vlog��ý Director of Postal Operations��Scott Taylor to help sort things out in preparation for coming to AU.��

Taylor��remembers when he first met Barnes and her parents, arriving in a rental car at the campus post office’s loading dock. ��

Taylor greeted Barnes, saying, “You’re my favorite freshman.” ��

Quizzically, she asked “Why is that?” ��

In a humorous tone, Taylor responded, “Because you’re the first one to pick up all your packages.” ��

Not long into the first semester, Barnes emailed Taylor asking if he had a position for her at the post office. Taylor responded that he did. Looking back, he feels Barnes has been a good hire, and nearly four years later continues to cheerfully pass on care packages and other items from home to students, among her other postal duties.��

“What’s��so neat about her is just her heart—number one, because of her love for Jesus, which makes her have��a good work��ethic, just the way she treats people,” Taylor said. “She��deals with my cash��drawer… and I don’t have to worry��if��she’s making change or whatever she’s doing. She’s pleasant to the students and faculty and staff,��and,��just the way she treats people, just how friendly and outgoing her personality is.”��

About Taylor, Barnes said, “He’s so kind and so supportive.��I’ll��be working and��say to him, ‘I��have��a test coming up. He’ll��tell me,��‘School is more important than your job.’ It’s great to have people who are understanding that are around you, who’ll go the extra mile.”��

Barnes also feels that Roberts went that extra mile to help her settle in, even measuring a dorm room for her. ��

Four years later, as Barnes prepares to graduate this December, she can’t imagine ever going anyplace else. She’s made a lot of great memories at Anderson. She loves to do photography of all kinds, but especially loves portrait photography. No doubt she��will return home with thousands of photos to remember her Anderson friends by.��

“I love hanging out with the people.��Sometimes��my friends and��I��will��have movie nights, and that’s��something super sweet and just simple,” she said, adding that Roberts gave her a place to stay for a night or more after Hurricane Helene and also a recent ice storm. ��

And she can’t say enough about her professors.��

“Every single professor that��I’ve��had has been so��incredibly supportive, which I think differs from other nursing programs… Our professors are more like,��‘yeah,��it’s��gonna��be hard, but��we’ve��all been��there��and we want you��to succeed,’��so they give us all the tools to succeed,” Barnes said. “They genuinely care about each and every student.��It’s��not like��they’re��just��teaching a class.��They’re teaching students that they care about��providing real life situations and��real information that we can use.”��

Barnes appreciates real-world hospital nursing experiences in partnership with AnMed and Prisma. She has worked at clinicals for Hope Missions, helping homeless individuals with simple things like foot care, helping them seek medical attention if needed and being a listening ear. She also was impacted by a service learning project hosted by Family Promise of Anderson—a homeless simulation, where she literally spent the night outdoors in a makeshift cardboard shelter, sacrificing personal comforts to get a feel for the everyday realities of people living on the streets. A fun experience for Barnes has been working with the Rainbow Gang in their day program, doing life with those who have various disabilities.��

Her career plans after graduation are to return home to California to pursue a nursing career there.��

“I’m��currently applying for nurse��residencies back at home,” Barnes said, wanting to be close to her family.��“Hopefully��I’ll��be working somewhere in��pediatrics, if��I’m��not,��that’s totally okay. I love anything and everything nursing, I just would like adore a pediatrics job.��We’ll see what happens. I’m still, still working on it, praying about it.”��

��

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As Chair of the AAPA Student Committee, Alyse will help lead efforts to connect and support PathA students, promote professional and leadership development, and encourage student engagement within the AAPA and the profession.��

For Alyse, the opportunity is centered on representing students and ensuring their perspectives are heard.��

“Being selected as the AAPA student committee chair means I get to represent all PathA students and bring their voices to the national AAPA stage,” she said. “I believe I can bring a fresh and innovative perspective to both new and ongoing initiatives, with a focus on making the Student Committee more relevant and meaningful to PathA students in their everyday lives.”��

One of Alyse’s primary goals is to create stronger connections among PathA students across North America.��

“My main goal during my term is to create a specialized platform where PathA students across the United States and Canada can connect with each other; where students can ask questions, share experiences, and build relationships,” she said. “The Pathologists’ Assistant field is relatively small within medicine, so having a strong professional network can be really valuable for career growth. If we can start building those connections while we’re still students, I think that can help our profession grow and create more opportunities for collaboration in the future.”��

Alyse’s selection builds on leadership experience she developed during the didactic phase of ����Vlog��ý’s Pathologists’ Assistant program, when she served as the student representative for her cohort.��

“Serving as the student representative for my ����Vlog��ý PathA cohort prepared me for this national leadership role by teaching me the importance of always going back to the people I represent before making a decision. I learned that making a decision is often the easy part; finding a solution that everyone can support is much more challenging.”��

That experience also shaped the leadership approach she plans to bring to the AAPA Student Committee.��

“Being a student representative also allowed me to build strong relationships with my classmates and understand what they value and need from their leadership. I plan to carry that same approach into my role as Student Committee Chair. I want to continue seeking input from both my cohort and other students, listening to their ideas and concerns, and using their feedback to help shape the direction of the committee. I know I won’t have all the answers, and I think one of the most important parts of this role will be making sure students feel heard and that the committee is truly working for them.”��

Alyse hopes her term will also make students and prospective students more comfortable seeking guidance and using the resources available through the AAPA.��

“The biggest impact I hope to have is making PathA students and applicants feel more comfortable asking questions and, just as importantly, making sure they know where to go to get those questions answered. Being a student can be difficult. You can feel like you are at the bottom of the food chain, nervous about your future, and like you are expected to know more than you actually do. I want students to know that feeling this way is normal and that they are not alone.�� By creating a space where students can communicate, I hope to show students that the Student Committee and AAPA are there to support them. I want students to see these resources as something they can turn to throughout school and continue using as they enter the profession.”��

Her vision extends beyond her term as Chair to the continued growth and recognition of the Pathologists’ Assistant profession.��

“Ultimately, I want to help build a stronger sense of community within the PathA profession. I want to help build a profession that is as well-connected, recognized, and strong as other mid-level professions, such as Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners. I would consider that a meaningful impact of my time as chair.”��

For Alyse, the appointment also provides an opportunity to represent the Pathologists’ Assistant program and the students who helped shape her leadership experience at ����Vlog��ý.��

“I’m also excited about the opportunity to represent ����Vlog��ý’s PathA program. As a newer program, I want to show that our students are just as driven and competitive as those from more established programs.”��

Her progression from serving as a representative for her ����Vlog��ý cohort during the didactic year to representing PathA students nationally reflects how leadership opportunities developed within the program can extend into the profession.��

As Alyse begins her term as AAPA Student Committee Chair, she brings with her the experiences, relationships, and leadership skills developed at ����Vlog��ý while providing the University’s growing Pathologists’ Assistant program with representation on a national stage.��

��

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The camp, held June 15-17 at ����Vlog��ý, showcased what it takes to become a nurse, spotlighting the fundamentals of nursing, patient safety and medical terminology. Campers were further introduced to health assessment, vital signs, and importantly, communicating and collaborating as a team. In essence, Camp Nurse Life was designed to give participants a real-life view into the world or nursing, incorporating activities in the skills and simulations areas of the ����Vlog��ý School of Nursing. ��

Dr. Cindy Cross, associate dean of the ����Vlog��ý College of Health Professions and chief nursing administrator, sees nursing as a calling to fulfill God’s greatest commandment to �ĜLove your neighbor as yourself,” found in Mark 12:31. ��

“Everything that makes a great nurse—compassion, presence, advocacy, and courage—flows from this commandment,” says Dr. Cross. “Nurses are neighbors honoring those in need with unwavering compassion and resilience while being steadfast in service and nursing excellence. Nursing excellence is providing the best possible care to all who needed it. Nursing excellence is a true act of love.” ��

Assistant Professor of Nursing Cindy Swaney and Dr. Cross developed the camp to help high school students who are investigating the nursing profession learn the skills involved working in the field. It’s also an opportunity for high schoolers to get a taste of college life. Students in the camp got to meet with the Office of Admission staff. They also experienced lunch in the ����Vlog��ý Culinary Center, where they were joined by students attending other camps on campus.��

Before Camp Nurse Life was done, the students took a class for CPR certification, courtesy of the American Heart Association. Dr. Cross commented that learning CPR is something they can take with them and potentially save the life of a friend, a family member, or somebody they encounter in need.��

Dr. Cross and Swaney say that enrollment goals of the camp have been exceeded, and that the camp resonates with the ����Vlog��ý pillar of Great Purpose.��

“In the��beginning, we only did 20 spots, and that filled up the��first��week. Every week we upgraded that number. Finally, we��had��to��cap��it at 45 because we only��have��48 seats.��So��43 out of the 45 showed up on Monday and that same 43��has continued��today,” Swaney said. “We’ve��been��concentrating on communication and teamwork. They’ve gotten to see the simulation. Everybody got a stethoscope in their bag; we’ve learned how to use the stethoscope��to hear��respirations��and we even had an experience in the emergency room.”��

“My personal goal of the camp was to make it informative,” Dr. Cross said. “They are getting a birds-eye view of what we do so they can make an informed decision if nursing is really for them.”��

Lexi Burriss, a rising senior from Pendleton, feels God has led her to pursue a nursing career. She enthusiastically recommends Camp Nurse Life to others.��

“I’ve been loving all the communication and the teamwork aspects of this,��because as a nurse, you are��going to��be caring for a patient by yourself, but maybe you need someone to help you transfer (a patient)��or you need advice from somebody,” said��Burriss. “Teamwork is a big part of��nursing��and I love how��they’reincorporating that.”��

With many family members working in healthcare, Ben Broome, a rising senior from Rock Hill, was encouraged to take part in the camp by his sister, who is a nursing major at Anderson. ��

“The sim labs have been cool to see and I learned how to give a manual blood pressure,” Broome said. “The professors and ladies running this camp have been helpful and hands-on with us trying to make sure we’re making the right decision in choosing nursing.”��

When Amelia Freel, a camper from Middleburg, Florida and a rising senior, was seeking a nursing camp, family members in the Anderson area suggested she look into what AU offered. ��

“Growing up, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do,” Freel said. “I learned in church that I really wanted to serve others like Christ… I wanted something where I could impact people more than just working a regular office job.”��

Dr. Cross continued, �ĜWe were so excited to see so many students come from so many different places. We hope that we have sparked an interest in them becoming nurses, and that they walk away with an understanding of what it truly means to be a nurse. Nursing to me is a calling to love and specifically love our neighbor.” ��

College of Health Professions Dean Dr. Donald Peace said, “Our inaugural Summer Nursing Bootcamp has made a significant impact, welcoming 43 enthusiastic attendees��who gained valuable insights into the nursing profession. Our dedicated nursing faculty and staff have done an outstanding job delivering an exceptional,hands-on experience that exceeded expectations and fostered meaningful connections. This initiative not only highlights the strength of our program but also positions us to identify and inspire the next generation of AU nursing students.” ��

Dr. Cross is grateful to clinical partners from AnMed and Self Regional hospitals, whose nursing staff members met with the campers to��offer insights into nurse-patient interactions not possible otherwise.��

 �ĜI’m thankful for each student who��came, each faculty member who has poured into them. And we are looking forward to doing it again next year,” Dr. Cross said.��

For details on future camps, email cswaney@andersonuniversity.edu.��

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Entering medical school is a highly competitive process, and fewer than half who apply are admitted. Fewer still are able to finish.����

For those wanting to pursue a career in medicine, the cost and the rigor of medical school can be daunting. That’s why ����Vlog��ý and AnMed, along with sponsorship from South Carolina Upstate AHEC (South Carolina Area Health Education Centers), established a partnership in 2022 which created an intensive two-week camp offering resources and advice to South Carolina undergraduate students to become better prepared to enter medical school.����

Earlier this year, the was awarded a $50,000 grant from , the philanthropy of Corporation, to support the Upstate Pre-Med Bootcamp—for the second year in a row.

The additional grant funds enabled the participants to receive stipends and assistance with the expenses associated with taking the MCAT. It also enabled the camp��to provide lunches for its participants, camp alumni volunteers, and the physicians who volunteered their time to serve on panel discussions. One of the camp organizers, Dr. Carrie Koenigstein of the ����Vlog��ý College of Arts and Sciences, is grateful for this grant, commenting that financial constraints can prevent students from participating in opportunities like the Upstate Pre-Med Boot Camp. She commented that, even though the camp is offered to them for��free, students still lose time from their summer jobs and have to provide their own transportation and any food not covered by the camp activities.��

This year’s camp, now in its fifth year, benefited 24 college upper classmen from across South Carolina. The group represents a multiethnic population of individuals from urban and rural areas.�� ��

In its four-year existence, the��Upstate Pre-Med Boot Camp��has opened the door of medical school for many students, helping them to stand out as candidates while instilling in them much-needed confidence.��

“This camp has been eye opening, inspiring, and has fueled my fire for my career,” said Ashka Raval, a Clemson University student. “I was feeling very down about myself after the past semester, but being able to see what I fell into love with medicine for made me fall in love with it again.”��

The Upstate Pre-Med Boot Camp, which took place in May on the ����Vlog��ý campus, offered students hands-on experiences not often encountered outside of medical school—at no cost to them.����

“Pre-Med Boot Camp was an amazing opportunity that made the dream of becoming a physician more real and attainable,” said ����Vlog��ý student Zoe Calloway. “Keeping the camp free and accessible has greatly helped me and my peers get a taste of medicine and has deeply grown my passion for the field.”��

At this year’s camp, students shadowed AnMed medical professionals in multiple specialties, learning the day-to-day of a medical practice while working alongside other medical school-bound students.������

“This program connected me with some amazing people that I never would have met otherwise,” said Adrienne Williams from USC Beaufort. Tommy O’Quinn of Erskine College concurs, commenting, “This camp has given me both applicable skills in a medical setting and extremely valuable information about med school applications and what the next years of my life will look like as I go down the path of becoming a physician.”����

The��Upstate Pre-Med Boot Camp��gives students a realistic glimpse into the day-to-day life of a physician while offering valuable interaction all the way. Also valuable are skill-based workshops that cover suturing, reading EKGs, intubation, catheterization, joint injection, and working in the cadaver lab on the ����Vlog��ý campus (cadaver labs are rarely encountered anywhere outside medical school).����

The camp gave Kadine Beckford of Benedict College her first hands-on medical experiences.����

“I have never shadowed, sutured, intubated or been in a cadaver lab,” Beckford said. “The camp helped me to be better prepared for and more sure of my passion and determination to pursue my dream.”��

����Vlog��ý student Stella Miller said, “Doing the SIM lab was extremely helpful because it gave me a sense of actually being a physician interacting with a patient instead of just observing when shadowing.”��

There were also discussion panels with physicians, current med school students, and representatives from the admissions committees from the four South Carolina medical schools.������

“This camp not only helped me learn how important a physician’s life is but also helped me prep and be ready for the future,” said Khushi Jain of the University of South Carolina, whose older sister, Rashi Jain, attended the 2025 camp and came back this year helping with the camp as a volunteer.��

Logan Bamonte, who attended the 2025 camp, also returned this year to work as a camp intern. She feels the Upstate Pre-Med Bootcamp was a game changer and is happy to help other medical school-bound students.��

“This camp gave me the opportunity to connect with other pre-med students across the state and form lasting, supportive relationships. It also gave me the confidence to continue pursuing medicine when I was still considering switching paths,” Bamonte said. “I think this program is so impactful, so I was thankful to get the opportunity to return to the camp as an intern and play a role in creating a supportive environment for more students.”��

����Vlog��ý student Emily Priest said, “I came into the experience with a fire for healthcare, but the experiences and connections have shaped my motivation into a clear direction so I can pursue my goals with confidence and the necessary tools to be successful. I would make the decision to participate again in a heartbeat and hope that many more people can share in this unique adventure.”��

Applications for the 2027 camp will be accepted from fall 2026 through mid-January, 2027. Information about the��Upstate Pre-Med Boot Camp��and an application can be found online here.��

��

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The students spent three weeks before spring break learning about the microscopic characteristics, functions and locations of the four main tissue types found within the human body—connective, nervous, muscle and epithelium.����

Three students whose projects scored high talked about their projects.����

Colleen Heuser was drawn to display ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium—a tissue found in the upper respiratory tract that traps inhaled debris. Heuser’s painting on canvas represents the tissue after H&E (Hematoxylin and Eosin) staining, a technique allowing pathologists to examine tissue and identify cell types. Goblet cells are depicted as the lighter purple, oval shapes with purple dots within them and hairlike projections known as cilia.����

Heuser enjoyed tapping into her artistic side as she went to work on her project.��

“It basically connects this aspect that I personally enjoy doing and it allows me to visualize and truly understand and grasp the different components that are included in this type of cell, Heuser said.��

“It was a little out of the box,” admitted Aaliyah Thomas. Bouncing the idea off her father, she came up with a way of visualizing skeletal muscle tissue, the most common type of muscle tissue, which is responsible for our voluntary movements. She was working with her father, whom she considers to be very creative, imagining how she might demonstrate how the tissue appears. She came up with a“sweet” discovery. Examining a microscopic view, they concluded that the elongated cylindrical cells arranged in parallell bundles (fascicles) resemble Mike and Ike and Hot Tamale candies.��

“Once I saw his vision… When I saw a way to explain it to him and teach it to him, it came all together for me,” said Thomas, who wants to enter forensic pathology.��

“I like to do art in my spare time,” said Gracey (Olivia) Hefner, whose project is a sculpture depicting cortical bone tissue. Cortical bone functions as the dense, outer, hard layer which provides structural support, protection for the inner portions of the bone, and provides strength to resist various forces. “I’m a very visual person. I can remember things better if I see them physically or can recreate them physically. A lot of my assignments, I’ll draw out because it just helps me understand it better.”��

“I got a Styrofoam base and painted it black so that the wire would stand out when you look at it. Then I took some wire and made different sized rings to represent the different units of cortical bone, because they’re not all the same size, they’re different depending on where you are in the body,” Hefner said. “I would connect them with a different color wire to kind of separate out the different parts, so you would be able to see them more clearly.”��

The projects are on display through the remainder of the semester at the Holdredge Bearwood Center of ����Vlog��ý at 3031 N. Highway 81, Anderson, South Carolina.��

The Pathologists’ Assistant program is hosted by the ����Vlog��ý School of Clinical Laboratory Sciences.��

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The Council provides advice and counsel to the Board of Governors and is responsible for electing the Board and its Chair. Through the Council’s support, the Board steers the national organization and carries out ACHE’s mission to advance its members and healthcare leadership excellence.

Dr. Peace began his term on Feb. 28, 2026, during the Council of Regents meeting held in conjunction with ACHE’s Congress on Healthcare Leadership. ��Peace will represent ACHE’s membership in Region District 2.

Board certified in healthcare management as an ACHE Fellow,��Dr. Peace serves as Dean of the College of Health Professions and Professor of Healthcare Administration and Human Services at ����Vlog��ý, a role he has held since 2015. With over 49 years of experience as a clinician, healthcare executive, and educator, he has served at leading institutions including Ty Cobb Memorial Hospital (now St. Mary’s-Lavonia, GA), St. Francis Hospital (Columbus, GA), Athens Regional Hospital (now Piedmont Health-Athens), Georgia Baptist Hospital (Atlanta, GA), AnMed Health, and academically at South University (Savannah, GA), and ����Vlog��ý (Anderson, South Carolina).

A Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), Dr. Peace currently serves as Regent for his second three-year term (2026-2029) (2019-2022) and on the South Carolina Chapter Board of Directors. He previously served as President of the SC Chapter of ACHE as well as multiple committees of the board. He serves the ACHE on the national level on the Editorial Board of Healthcare Executive professional publication as well as other national committees.

Dr. Peace is a Board Chair of Hospice of the Upstate, Anderson, SC and serves on the AnMed Health Ethics Committee. He recently completed ten years of service on the Anderson United Way Board where he served on multiple committees as well as Chair of the Board.

Dr. Peace holds a Ph.D. in Human Services (Health Care Administration) from Capella University, an M.S. in Administration (Health Services) from Central Michigan University, and undergraduate clinical degrees from Columbus State University and Thomas Edison State College.

About the American College of Healthcare Executives
The��American College of Healthcare Executives��is an international professional society of 53,000 healthcare executives who lead hospitals, healthcare systems and other healthcare organizations. ACHE’s mission is to advance our members and healthcare management excellence. ACHE offers its prestigious FACHE^®��credential, signifying board certification in healthcare management. ACHE’s established network of 75 chapters provides access to networking, education and career development at the local level. In addition, ACHE is known for its magazine,��Healthcare Executive, and its career development and public policy programs. Through such efforts, ACHE works toward its vision of being the preeminent professional society for leaders dedicated to improving health.��The Foundation of the American College of Healthcare Executives��was established to further advance healthcare management excellence through education and research. The Foundation of ACHE is known for its educational programs—including the annual Congress on Healthcare Leadership, which draws more than 6,000 participants—and groundbreaking research. Its publishing division, ACHE Learn, is one of the largest publishers of books and journals on health services management, including textbooks for college and university courses.

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Pictured at the presentation of a $50,000 grant from��Power:Ed��to support the Upstate Pre-Med Bootcamp program at ����Vlog��ý, from left to right: Ray Jones, Thornton Kirby, Neil Grayson, Ann Skinner, Trey Simon, Dr. Renee��Mognahan, Dr. Stoney Abercrombie, Tim Self,��Gautum��Ghatnekar, Claire Gibbons, and Willie Jeffries.��

This is the second grant award from��Power:Ed��in support of this��program.��

Camp co-founder and Associate Dean of Natural Sciences at ����Vlog��ý, Dr. Carrie Koenigstein,��said, “The goal is to keep talented students from falling through the cracks. Some might realize they do not want to be physicians, so the partners can connect those students to alternate paths such as dental, physician assistant,��pharmacy��or physical therapy schools.”������

Dr. Koenigstein is proud of the project because of the connections students make.��

“Mentorship is vital to all students, but especially those who are the first in their family to strive to become a physician,” she said.��

The experience helps confirm career choices before students invest in another eight years in training,��possibly incurring��debt. Funding increases access for low-income students by providing stipends to cover out-of-pocket expenses such as travel and make up for lost wages. Students who complete the program receive ongoing career guidance and��assistance��paying for application costs, such as the MCAT.��

Participants will engage with ����Vlog��ý faculty at the Center for Medical Simulations and access the University’s cadaver lab to��observe��and learn.��

A unique feature of the annual event is the participation of veteran physicians, current medical��students��and a dozen bootcamp alumni who encourage pre-med majors to explore opportunities.����

Nationally only 16��percent��of��freshmen��pre-med students go on to apply to medical school;��fewer��than half of those are selected. First-generation students, underrepresented��populations��and students from rural high schools are less likely to become physicians. The��AnMed and ����Vlog��ý Pre-Med��bootcamp gives students exposure to a teaching hospital and networking introductions.����

“We appreciate this generous grant through��Power:Ed��as it helps talented students gain insight into the application process leading up to medical school, the journey to licensure and what it means to be a doctor,” said Renee Monaghan, MD,�� associate dean for the MUSC AnMed Clinical Campus. “Our alumni, many now currently in medical school or in other health-related post-graduate training, are proof that this camp is making a positive impact to the state.”����

South Carolina is expected to have a deficit of 3,000��doctors by 2030 with the greatest need: primary care physicians. Since its��inception��in 2022, the bootcamp has served attendees from 24 colleges and universities across the state.����

The grant spurred ����Vlog��ý to��identify��nearby college pre-med advisors and invite them to form a group. Upstate AHEC will ensure advisors have up-to-date information on scholarships, fee��waivers��and resources. All four of the state’s medical schools take part in the Upstate camp.��

“Power:Ed and SC Student Loan are proud once again to support this innovative program to help diversify and strengthen the Upstate’s medical talent pipeline. It’s crucial for students to find the right career pathways for them before incurring debt,” said Power:Ed Executive Director Claire Gibbons.��

In FY 2025-26��Power:Ed��will award $1,300,000 in grants to South Carolina education and career readiness organizations. In��this its��third quarter,��Power:Ed��has awarded seven grants (including this grant to AnMed)��totaling $270,000.��Grants are administered quarterly, and the next grant funding deadline is April 1, 2026.����

About��Power:Ed��

Founded in 2019,��,��the philanthropy of��,��is dedicated to creating opportunities for South Carolina’s youth and adults by supporting low-income,��underrepresented��and first-generation students; improving access to college and degree completion; and creating pathways to quality workforce opportunities. Organizations serving middle school through post-college talent who are interested in applying for a grant or partnering with��Power:Ed, should visit��.����

About AnMed Foundation��

AnMed Foundation helps ensure that the people served by AnMed have access to quality health and medical services. Its mission is to inspire generous charitable giving that strengthens and sustains exceptional health care throughout the area. Guided by core values of compassion, innovation, integrity,��accountability��and collaboration, AnMed was named one of the nation’s “Great Community Hospitals” by Becker’s Hospital Review. Learn more at��.��

About ����Vlog��ý��

����Vlog��ý is a “more selective,” comprehensive Christian university offering bachelor’s,��master’s��and doctoral degrees on campus and online. It is South Carolina’s largest private university. ����Vlog��ý is the #2 private university in South Carolina, according to Niche.com, is among U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Regional Universities South,” and is on the publication’s “Best Value,” “Best Schools for Veterans,��“Best��First-Year Experience” and “Best Online Programs” lists. Anderson is a five-time Apple Distinguished School and on the honor��roll��of the prestigious Great Colleges to Work For® program.����

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The Elite Therapy Solutions Physical Therapy Student Tuition Assistance Program is designed to support ����Vlog��ý students who are passionate about advancing their education and career in outpatient and orthopedic physical therapy. This program aims to recognize academic excellence, commitment to the field, and a drive to make a positive impact on orthopedic rehabilitation.  ��

The program is open to all ����Vlog��ý��physical��therapy students and covers the full cost of tuition for Year 3 of the ����Vlog��ý��physical��therapy program. Students will be required to work for Elite post-graduation and participate in the Elite residency program. The amount to cover third-year tuition will be dispersed directly to��AU’s��physical therapy school in the form of a forgivable loan with full forgiveness at the end of year 3 of employment.  Residents see an outpatient and orthopedic caseload and are provided with a full competitive salary, a comprehensive benefits package and student loan repayment options. Elite’s residency program has a 100% pass rate for the Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) exam. Students should apply during their first or second year.   ��

Eligibility Criteria ��

• Must be currently enrolled as a Physical Therapy student at ����Vlog��ý. ��

• Demonstrated interest in outpatient and orthopedic physical therapy through coursework, clinical experiences, or extracurricular activities. ��

• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. ��

• Strong record of professionalism, leadership, and community service. ��

• U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status.   ��

Selection Process ��

Applications will be reviewed by the Elite Therapy Solutions Student Committee in collaboration with ����Vlog��ý’s Physical Therapy Department. Selection will be based on academic achievement, demonstrated commitment to orthopedic physical therapy, leadership potential, and overall application quality. ��

How to Apply ��

Interested students should request information from and submit all application materials electronically to Matt Walker at mattheww@elitetherapysolutions.net with the subject line: “Elite Therapy Solutions Physical Therapy Student Tuition Assistance Program Application.” For questions or more information, contact the ����Vlog��ý Physical Therapy Department or Elite Therapy Solutions’s Scholarship Coordinator. ��

For application you will need: ��

1. Current academic transcript. ��

1. Two letters of recommendation from a faculty member or clinical instructor. ��

1. Personal statement (500–1,000 words) describing your interest in orthopedic physical therapy, career goals, and how this scholarship will help you achieve them. ��

1. Resume highlighting relevant experiences in physical therapy, leadership, and community service. ��

About Elite Therapy Solutions ��

Elite Therapy Solutions is a leader in orthopedic rehabilitation, dedicated to fostering the next generation of physical therapists through educational support and professional development opportunities. The organization is proud to partner with ����Vlog��ý to encourage excellence in orthopedic physical therapy.  ��

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Hope Missions’ Foot Washing Clinic officially launched recently in partnership with ����Vlog��ý nursing majors. The idea for the clinic, according to Zoe Hale, COO of Hope Missions of the Upstate, came out of��observing��how many of the people seeking their help were coming to them on foot.��

“One of the things that poverty takes away from people are our choices, and then if you’re homeless as well, you get fewer and fewer choices, so just to have people spending one-on-one time with you and taking care of you and listening therapeutically is really important,” Hale said.��

According to Monica Morehead, MSN, RN, instructor of community health nursing and mental health nursing, the clinic is a great example of all four pillars of ����Vlog��ý—Great Academics, Great Faith, Great Hospitality, and Great Purpose—a great fit for Hope Missions as they provide a vital ministry of service and dignity.��

Each week, a different group of students would conduct the clinic on Wednesday and Friday throughout the fall semester. As the students washed the feet of Hope Missions’ guests, they had opportunities to interact with them one-on-one and, in many cases, pray for them.��

At the same time, the students learned the importance of a thorough foot assessment of individuals who may be prone to neglecting their own foot care—monitoring for��blisters, open wounds, swelling, discoloration, ill-fitting and worn-out footwear. Students practiced their therapeutic communication skills, made referrals for��additional��foot care, and provided clean socks, and occasionally new shoes.��

A priority for Hope Missions, Hale points out, is offering resources especially for their diabetic guests. She notes that often a side effect of diabetes is that people��can’t��feel their extremities and are unaware of��major issues��with their feet.��

“Foot washing is grounded in hospitality of our biblical heritage and is humbling for the giver and the receiver,” Morehead said, citing the example of Jesus in John 13:1-5 where He washed the feet of each of His disciples.��

The Foot Washing Clinic, according to Hale, benefits Hope Missions’ guests receiving needed attention and assessments, while at the same time giving the nursing students a fresh perspective on helping others who have needs further complicated by living in poverty.��

For student Gracelyn Padgett, the Foot Washing Clinic was transformational.��

“Sitting face-to-face with new friends, washing their feet, and listening to their stories opened something in me that I didn’t even know needed��opening,” Padgett said. “So often,��I’ve��learned that God leads me into places that look��scary at first glance, only��for me to realize those places are exactly where I am meant to be. Serving the guests at Hope Missions��didn’t��just touch me, it reshaped me… Jesus met the sick, the poor, and the overlooked with friendship and love. Moments like this remind me of how important it is for us to love people the same way.”��

An important takeaway for student Khoa “Alex” Pham is that although technology and procedures he and his classmates are learning are important, effectively caring for others is only complete when treatment is given out of a loving, compassionate heart.��

“Their story and their feet together can show the whole situation of what they are going through in life, and it makes us think about how we can care for them and extend more help to our guests,” Pham said. “Talking with them and being with them in that short moment allows you to learn so much about them.”��

The clinic also touched student Annaleisa Wile’s heart and changed her perspective��of the homeless, poverty and basic human rights.��

“I was blessed to have the opportunity to not only wash the feet of 10 individuals, but more importantly learn about their circumstances, hardships of homelessness, and the needs that they currently have. The foot washing clinic taught me that being homeless is not a choice, but a result of unfair circumstances to those who need the most support,” Wile said. “Without this clinical, I would not have learned to see these individuals as people who are in these circumstances not by choice and to advocate for their basic needs in whatever ways possible.”��

“The opportunity that I had to attend Hope Missions and participate in the foot washing clinic will forever hold a special place in my life,” said student Regan Powell. “Our class has been blessed to be able to act in a way that pleases God and��assists��our community. To be the hands and feet of Jesus��impacted��myself and my peers from this new involvement.”��

College of Health Professions Dean Dr. Donald Peace praised the efforts of the��School of Nursing��serving��with Hope Missions.��

“The foot washing clinic is��a both��spiritual and therapeutic service for those in need within��our community,” Dr. Peace said. “I see the foot washing��clinic ��as��an opportunity to provide profound healing,��humility��and dignity to those needing help, blending faith fundamentals with clinical care.”��

According to Hale, the students saw 93 different individuals.��

“We did a debriefing after each group just to get an understanding if there are specific conditions they observed that they were concerned about. In all, we did 26 very specific referrals as a result of having the foot clinic,” Hale said. “We found it very useful in terms of paying attention to health, but we also found it very useful in just delivering a safe setting for our guests to interact with the nurses and enjoy spending time with them.”��

“We often consider ourselves as servants of Christ and messengers of his kingdom. In this clinical, we are living out that message that the table is open for all, all are welcome, and worthy of His love and care,” Morehead said, adding that the Foot Washing Clinic fills a need for individuals with chronic and complex medical conditions to ensure their health and safety as they live unhoused. “Our feet support us and carry us everywhere. Ensuring our feet are warm, clean,��dry��and healthy is important to everyone and easily��neglected,.��This is a skin assessment that is��frequently��missed or neglected on patient admissions at the bedside in many community settings.”��

“This mission is essential to the College of Health Professions and our School of Nursing,” Dr. Peace continued. “As you can imagine, this type of service develops compassionate, holistic practitioners dedicated to community wellness.”��

The Hope Missions staff is thankful for this partnership with ����Vlog��ý and looks forward to seeing this partnership continue to bless their guests and the students. Hope Missions’ website is��.��

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According to Pathologists’ Assistant Program Director and Assistant Professor Julie Bostick MHS, PA (ASCP) CM, HTL, since the program launched in 2022, there have been 15 graduates, all of whom were successfully placed in jobs. She adds that 13 students are in the second year of clinical rotations across the U.S., and an additional fourteen students are currently in the first didactic year on the Bearwood campus, home of the School of Clinical and Laboratory Sciences.��

“Completion of a successful site visit in April of 2025 allowed the accreditors to experience the great hospitality that AU has to offer its students. They saw firsthand evidence of the great academics presented to our students, as well as the great purpose our Path A program guides our students toward,” Bostick said. “It is the prayer of our program that, through our team’s great faith in Jesus, our students will leave better than when they began and seeds that have been planted at AU will grow and flourish in their careers.”��

Bostick praised faculty and staff members Amy Nelson, Hannah Reilly, Vanessa Furtick, Nenna Igwe and Katie Wolfe-Burleson for their role in this accreditation achievement. ��

Dean of the ����Vlog��ý College of Health Professions and Professor of Health Care Administration and Human Services, Dr. Donald Peace, said, “I am profoundly pleased with Professor Julie Bostick and her team’s masterful navigation of NAACLS accreditation, culminating in five-year initial approval for our Pathologists’ Assistant program. Their patience and deep grasp of this accreditation organizations rules and regulations have yielded this triumphant milestone.”��

The Pathologists’ Assistant program is offered through the ����Vlog��ý College of Health Professions. Details about the program can be found online here.��

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