UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Julia Chan, a rising fourth-year in the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing, was recently elected as the Breakthrough to Nursing Director for the National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA). As the Breakthrough to Nursing Director, Chan will join two other students on the NSNA board of directors to head a committee focused on increasing diversity in the nursing field. Together, the team will work to create monthly and yearly themes that revolve around resolutions founded in the previous year by the organization.
Chan said her goal is to improve cultural competency among student nurses and to support minority populations. She said she hopes to expand this reach to include increased support for the LGBTQ+ community as well as people with disabilities.
“When people think about minorities, they usually think about racial and cultural aspects, but I’m looking at more than that,” Chan said. “Since there is a nursing shortage right now, letting people know that there are opportunities out there for them is crucial.”
When Chan began her campaign for the new role in January, she said she felt the support from both the Student Nurses’ Association at Penn State (SNAPS) and her fellow state board members, including when she spoke about her goals to a variety of constituents at NSNA’s Nashville convention.
“I would like to thank my peers and faculty for supporting me throughout this entire journey,” Chan said, explaining her gratitude for the opportunity to bring her passion for diversity, equity and inclusion to the national level. “Being able to be an advocate and a voice for others is really important to me so I’m grateful I get to do that.”
Serving as the Breakthrough to Nursing Director is not Chan’s first experience holding a leadership role in her community. Growing up in Hong Kong, Chan worked with children and parents in her community, where she saw a wealth gap between populations. Along with some policies she though were unfair, Chan said this motivated her to create positive change. According to Chan, her minors in human development and family studies and child maltreatment and advocacy studies will help her achieve this goal.
Since arriving at Penn State, Chan has been heavily involved in the SNAPS and currently serves as the THON Family Relations Chair. She previously served as the THON Hershey Chair. At the state level, she led nominations and elections the for 2021-22 school year for the central region’s board.
This summer, Chan is completing an externship at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). After graduation next year, Chan said she hopes to potentially continue working in the NICU, as well as continue her education through a master’s in public health with the possibility of pursuing a doctorate further in her career.