Athletics News

With 50th Season,

Tocco Cements Reputation as Soccer Icon

Kaleb Jackson, ’18, talks to head soccer coach Tony Tocco after a soccer game.

Men’s head soccer coach Tony Tocco added some more gold to an already decorated career this spring as he embarked on his 50th campaign with the team, a milestone by any standard.

This kind of longevity wasn’t even necessarily what Tocco said he had in mind when he came to Rockhurst.

“I was just in the right place at the right time,” he said. “I was at Rockhurst applying for an accounting position, and I thought the contract they offered was a little on the low side. Then the president (the Rev. Robert Weiss, S.J.) came back and said, ‘You played soccer?’”

It turned out that Gene Hart, then the University’s athletic director and soccer coach, needed an assistant. Tocco said he accepted.

“It was something I thought I could do for a couple years and get to know the student body better,” he said.

Hart would later step back from the head coaching job to concentrate on AD duties. Tocco found himself at the helm of the Hawks and never looked back.

No stranger to collegiate soccer, Tocco was part of the undefeated 1964 Saint Louis University squad, as well as a pitcher for the Billikens baseball team during its 1965 College Baseball World Series run. Coming from the city’s longstanding soccer culture, a lot of the game was already familiar. But Tocco said he had a lot to learn about coaching a team and developing a strategy.

By the mid-1980s, soccer had grown in the Kansas City area, expanding Tocco’s recruiting pool. And with some early postseason runs, Tocco said, the pieces started coming together.

“I knew what it took to become consistently good,” he said.

“Some coaches care and others are just there for the paycheck. Whenever Tocco steps on that field, though, you can tell he is there to give 110%. That’s why I have no issue giving everything I have.” – Jordan Andrews, senior midfielder

Tocco is hoisted up by his players following a game in 1987. Right: Tocco talks to players.

Through the years, Tocco said he has surrounded himself with assistant coaches and players who have worked hard to put that knowledge into practice. Giorgio Antongirolami, ’02, ’05 MBA, associate head coach and a former player for the Hawks, said Tocco sees teaching and coaching as two sides of the same coin.

“The thing that is really amazing is the passion he has for the game,” Antongirolami said. “He has the same passion today as when I met him in 1997. It’s not just the love of the game, but it’s a love of teaching and the University.”

Bringing in Jesuit core values and prioritizing academic as well as athletic success, Antongirolami said Tocco pushes his players to excellence in all facets of life at Rockhurst.

The players recognize that this season is a little different, said senior midfielder Jordan Andrews, hoping to play with a little extra fire to honor how much their coach has given to them as individuals and to the team as a whole.

“Some coaches care and others are just there for the paycheck,” he said. “Whenever Tocco steps on that field, though, you can tell he is there to give 110%. That’s why I have no issue giving everything I have.”

Despite the 10 national tournament appearances, the record that puts him at second alltime in wins among intercollegiate coaches and, most recently, an induction in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, Tocco said the thing that is perhaps most meaningful to him is the relationships — with players, with his fellow coaches, and to the school that gave him a chance five decades ago.

“It’s been a great relationship,” he said. “Rockhurst has been good to its soccer program. Hopefully the success of the program has given back to Rockhurst.”

The majority of fall sports, including women’s lacrosse, were played this spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pandemic Forces Most Sports to Spring Competition

Citing safety concerns around COVID-19, the Great Lakes Valley Conference Council of Presidents voted in July to postpone the majority of the 2020 fall intercollegiate athletics season until the spring semester.

Led by Gary Burns, athletic director, coaches and administrators have a unique set of challenges and opportunities.

“Our priority is to provide a quality athletic experience for students while following COVID protocols to minimize risk,” Burns said.

Women’s soccer coach Greg Herdlick called this season “survival of the healthiest,” a phrase he says could be adopted by all programs and universities.

In terms of playing and practicing logistics, success comes down to communication and organization. Though digital resources are being used extensively, the department also has a crowded, old-school whiteboard on the wall in the office detailing practice and playing times for every team.

“Communication amongst staff and athletes is critical based on the number of teams competing at the same time,” Herdlick said. “Speaking on behalf of both lacrosse and soccer programs, the four coaches got together prior to the start of the semester and created a master calendar inclusive of all practice and competition dates and times so the administration, trainers and athletes could all know when the field is in use and by what program.”

For many of the coaches and athletes, it’s the first time they’ve been able to compete outside of intra-squad games since last March, or for some, fall 2019.

“I am super excited to get back on the field,” said Helen Krause, who had 29 points in eight games last year for women’s lacrosse to lead the Hawks. “This being my senior season, I am looking forward to spending time with my teammates again.”

For schedules and results this spring, visit rockhursthawks.com.

After a Transformative Decade as AD, Burns Turns Back to Baseball

After serving in two competition-level teams. There are also the multiple Final different roles for the Four appearances and, in 2017, the Great Lakes Valley past decade, men’s baseball Conference Commissioner’s Cup, recognizing excellence head coach Gary Burns in all of the University’s athletics programs. Burns also played is going back to where it a pivotal role in the creation of the MAC (Magis Activity all began. Center), the recreation center opened on campus in 2019, Burns will return to and in improvements to Loyola Park baseball field and coaching the Hawks team Bourke Field, used by soccer and lacrosse. full-time in June, having In addition to success on the field, student-athletes have spent the last decade consistently earned recognition for their academic success. Gary Burns balancing that and the Burns said that shows the true strength of the athletics role of athletic director. He will also become part of the department and is one of the achievements of which he is University advancement division, assisting with fundraising most proud. and relationship building. “It’s a group effort. We were very intentional about being

Under Burns’ leadership, Rockhurst athletics experienced near the top of the list of academics for our student-athletes,” a period of growth, with the addition of men’s and women’s he said. “Everyone from the support staff to the faculty, and lacrosse and men’s and women’s cross country as well as I don’t know that an athletics director could have a better bringing cheer and dance squads from club sports to group of coaches to lead their teams.”

Charlton Offermans, senior

Offermans is first recipient of Norman Majors Award

Senior guard Charlton Offermans of Townsville, Australia, is the first recipient of the Norman Majors Player of the Year Award for Rockhurst Men’s Basketball.

The Norman Majors Player of the Year Award recognizes the Rockhurst player who inspires teammates through his fierce competitive spirit, commitment, positive attitude, and ability to persevere through adversity.

Majors was a three-year letterman at Rockhurst from 1959-62. He averaged 13.7 rebounds per game in 1959-60 and set the single-game rebound mark with 28 caroms in 1959. Majors was drafted by the Chicago Packers in the 1962 NBA draft and went on to serve in the Peace Corps.

“Charlton was a bright spot for our program this year,” said Rockhurst coach Drew Diener. “His unselfish approach to the offensive end of the floor combined with his tenacity on defense was outstanding.

“I am a firm believer that he was the best on-ball defender in the league this year. Most importantly, his approach to practice epitomizes the characteristics of the Norman Majors Award. He battled through a lot of aches and pains all season, but he didn’t let it affect his mindset and his positive attitude.”

Rockhurst Taps Local Talent for New Tennis Coach

Caption to come

Jamie McDonald Kansas City metro native Jamie McDonald was named the Rockhurst men’s and women’s tennis coach in January.

McDonald, who still has close family in the area, was part of three team state championships at Shawnee Mission East High School. He left to play at Denison (Ohio) University, where he was a three-time all-conference player and four-time scholar-athlete. McDonald became a volunteer assistant coach for Denison before his most recent position, head coach of Pembroke Hill School’s boys tennis program in Kansas City, Missouri.

Staying local was a priority for McDonald, who was offered other positions around the country.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to do what I love in the place I love,” he said.

McDonald made a point to quickly “meet” his teams despite pandemic-related precautions, both as a group and individually over Zoom.

“I’ve gotten to know the squads and they’ve been more than welcoming and helpful as I get started,” he said.

The former Denison and SME captain is no stranger to leadership roles in the sport and has always known he wanted to take a serious step into coaching after his playing days were complete.

Now as a coach, McDonald says he feels satisfaction seeing his student-athletes “compete with intensity, win with grace, and get better every day.” You won’t find him doing much outside of tennis with the exception of playing with his dog, a German Shepherd mix named Knox.

“My life is a lot of tennis.” McDonald said. “If I’m not on the court, I’m probably watching tennis or talking about it.”

“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to do what I love in the place I love.”

Get to Know Trent Jones

Trent Jones

Trent Jones was hired as the Rockhurst head volleyball coach on June 25, 2020, and he’s still pinching himself to make sure it’s not just a dream. Jones brings to Rockhurst a winning pedigree, both as a player and as a coach, having most recently served as the associate head coach at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. At Rockhurst, he takes over for Hall of Fame coach Tracy Rietzke, and says he is excited to carry on his legacy.

“It’s funny because the outside world always wondered, ‘What are they doing over there at Rockhurst? They keep winning!,’” Jones said. “I’m not real sure exactly what the magic potion was, but there was certainly a culture that he created here that is amazing. And one of my jobs is to not mess up that culture.”

It’s a winning culture that led the volleyball team to the Final Four in 2019, before having their 2020 season shifted to the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The NCAA canceled all D-II championships for fall sports, so the pursuit of a national title will have to wait for the fall 2021 season, but Jones sees a silver lining in the unfortunate circumstances.

“I was able to spend the fall getting to know my squad and understand their potential,” Jones said. “I have to say I’m ecstatic. We have a saying in coaching of, ‘What do I have in the gym?’ Even though some really talented players graduated, the cupboard, as they say, was not bare by any means.”

Senior Day at Mason-Halpin Field House

Although fans weren’t allowed at indoor sports this spring due to the pandemic, a limited number of family members were permitted to join the flat fan cutouts to watch Hawks volleyball defeat Southwest Missouri Baptist University March 26.

Men’s Basketball

1921 - 2021

The 1923 men’s basketball team

A Hundred Years of HoopsBY JOHN DODDERIDGE

Rockhurst men’s basketball tips the century mark

In any great saga worth reading, a lot happens over the course of a century. Hope. Promise. Tragedy. Triumph. Just take a look at the past 100 years of men’s basketball at Rockhurst and that’s what you will find.

Over their first 99 seasons, the Hawks collected 1,359 victories on the hardwood and ranked 33rd in all-time wins among current NCAA Division II programs. At the close of their 100th season, we salute all those who have brought the game to life at Kansas City’s Jesuit University.

(From left) Pat Mason, class of 1921, was the first Rockhurst basketball coach. Eddie Halpin served as assistant coach under Mason. Mason-Halpin Field House was dedicated Dec. 28, 1938, honoring the memory of the two beloved coaches.

The Beginnings

The history of Rockhurst men’s basketball started in 1921 under head coach Pat Mason. The 22-year-old Mason led his inaugural team to a 12-5 record in 1921-22.

Mason, who had just graduated from Rockhurst in 1921, went on to coach the Hawks to 14 winning seasons in the program’s first 17 years. Tragically, his life was cut short at the age of 39 in October 1938 due to complications from a diabetic condition and heart ailment.

The young coach is remembered for building the Hawks into one of the top area small-college basketball programs in the 1920s and ’30s. But perhaps one of his greatest achievements was leading the drive to build a new basketball facility on campus — a dream he would not quite live to see fulfilled. The dedication of the new building came just two months after his shocking death.

Mason-Halpin Field House was christened on Dec. 28, 1938. The 1,500-seat arena was named in honor of Mason and Eddie Halpin, who coached with Mason at Rockhurst. Halpin also died young — in 1936 at the age of 33 — after suffering an appendicitis attack.

On the National Stage

Rockhurst enjoyed its greatest success under head coach Joe Brehmer from 1952-65. Brehmer coached the Hawks to the 1956 NAIA national tournament in Kansas City, led by All-American guard Jack McCloskey, ’56. Seven years later, Rockhurst won 27 games and advanced to the national quarterfinals in the NAIA Tournament. The 1962-63 season was a preview of the most memorable season in school history.

The Hawks survived close games in the 1964 district playoffs to earn another ticket to the NAIA Tournament as a No. 10 seed. Rockhurst won its first three games by narrow margins to advance to the national semifinals. Never giving up hope, the Hawks got past Emporia State to earn a date with defending champion Texas-Pan American in the championship game.

In front of a sellout crowd of 10,000-plus at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium, Rockhurst upset the heavily favored Pan American team. The Rockhurst fans celebrated downtown before parading several miles back to campus. Continued on page 16

The 1964 Hawks won the NAIA championship in front of a sellout hometown crowd at Municipal Auditorium.

Continued from page 15

“It was huge playing in front of all of those people. It was really something,” said Pat Caldwell, ’66, who scored 17 points in the Hawks’ 66-56 victory over the defending NAIA national champions.

Senior guard Ralph Telken, ’64, was instrumental in the championship run. The two-time AllAmerican point guard received the tournament’s prestigious Hustle Award. Telken was drafted by the Detroit Pistons and played on the NAIA Olympic Trials team.

NAIA Powerhouse

Dolor Rehm replaced Brehmer as the head coach in 1965. Rehm guided the Hawks to back-to-back NAIA Tournament berths in 1966 and ’67. The 1965-66 team featured two of the greatest players in school history in Caldwell and Al Payne, ’66.

Caldwell, a two-time All-American, finished his career as the most decorated player in school history. Over 50 years later, Caldwell still owns the school records for scoring and rebounding.

Rehm also coached two of the best players to ever wear the blue and white. Jim Healey, ’69, was a two-time All-American from 1966-68 and scored over 1,500 points. Jim Kopp, ’72, ’78 MBA, played for the Hawks from 1968-72 and scored a school-record 50 points in a game in 1972.

Rockhurst earned two more trips to the NAIA Tournament, which moved to Kansas City’s Kemper Arena in 1975. The Hawks played in the 1980 and ’81 national tournaments under coach Jerry Reynolds, who guided the program to 174 wins in nine seasons.

Success came often to the Hawks in the 1980s — the winningest decade in school history. They won 20 or more games six times in the decade under three coaches: Reynolds, Andy Fisher and Frank Diskin.

Dennis Luber, ’83, Mark Teahan, ’82, and Doug Wemhoff, ’89, helped the Hawks capture 194 wins in the 1980s. Luber graduated with the second-most points scored at Rockhurst. Teahan was the third player to amass over 1,000 rebounds at Rockhurst. Wemhoff was the second Hawk to score over 2,000 career points.

The student section was packed Dec. 5, 2018, for “The Rivalry Renewed” when Rockhurst defeated the Benedictine Ravens.

“All of the great rivalries were the highlight of my time playing at Rockhurst,” Teahan said. “We had a lot of big games against Avila, William Jewell, Benedictine, Southwest Baptist, Drury and Central Missouri. Local basketball was a big deal back then. It helped bring out the fans.”

Entering the NCAA

Rockhurst made the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II in 1998. Bill O’Connor took the Hawks to the regional finals in the D2 national tournament in 2002.

O’Connor retired in 2015 as the winningest coach in school history with 272 victories over 21 seasons. Two of O’Connor’s star players were Davin Winkley, ’01, ’05 MBA, and Aaron Hill, ’08, ’10 MBA. Winkley ranks among the top scorers and rebounders in school history. Hill was a two-time All-American guard and holds the school record for 3-point field goals made.

Drew Diener replaced O’Connor in 2015 and has made a point to reach out to former players and coaches. Diener organized the first annual Men’s Basketball Tip-Off Event in 2018 and brought back Jerry Reynolds as the guest speaker.

“Having Coach Reynolds, Coach (Andy) Fisher and Coach (Bill) O’Connor back in the gym with many of their former players was very special,” Diener said. “Those coaches spanned 35-plus years, which brought so many great moments and memories for our program. It is clear that many people hold this program very dear to their hearts and were shaped by their time in Mason-Halpin Field House.”

Calm on Campus

The sidewalk between Arrupe Hall and the pergola, with its colorful flowers, is part of the “finding God in all things” reflection site.

Reflection sites representing the core values of Rockhurst University can be found throughout the campus. Come and see how the intangible becomes visible to all who take time to look.

ot so very long ago, 53rd street ran east and west, from Troost Avenue to The Paseo, right through N BY KATHERINE FROHOFF, ’09 EMBA the Rockhurst University campus. It was a straight, quick cut-through to the neighborhoods on either side. But today most of that street has been replaced with an invitation to slow down — way down — and to consider where God is present. Come on a sunny day. Find the bench near Troost that faces this historic, bustling street and sit for a spell. How is God present, here, in the midst of the noise of the city? Remember that this street has symbolized pain as a line dividing our community by race. What can this teach us about God’s presence? “Finding God in all things,” just like the other core Jesuit values of Rockhurst University, is an intangible concept that becomes much more meaningful through personal experience and understanding.

That’s the beauty of the five — soon to be six — reflection sites carefully created throughout campus.

They are tangible, physical manifestations of the core values meant to gently inspire the observant to learn more about these meaningful concepts that shape the very foundation of our University.

Finding God in All Things

Unlike the other reflection sites, “Finding God in all things” encompasses several locations that together comprise the Heritage Walk. From the bench facing Troost Avenue at 53rd Street, the sidewalk leads into the interior of the campus and the next component, the labyrinth, which helps us find God in reflection and interiority. Did you know that if you stand in its center and speak, you will hear a slight echo?

Continuing east, walk past the flower beds near Arrupe Hall to find God in the beauty of nature. In the spring you will see the beloved Rockhurst tulips, which yield to lush, colorful annuals in the summer and fall.

The last stop on the walkway is the giant blue Adirondack chair outside of Xavier-Loyola Hall, which represents finding God in play and frivolity. It has become a favorite photo stop on campus.

In 2014, Benjamin Skoch, 08, ’13 MBA, and Angela (Schleeper) Skoch, ’09, ’12 DPT, posed for a wedding photo at “the big blue chair.”

Reflection and Discernment

At one of the most beautiful spots on campus, you can sit near a statue of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and listen to the gentle sound of flowing water. This reflection site for the core value “reflection and discernment” forms a tranquil oasis with tulips during the spring, followed by impatiens, purple fountain grass, liriope, black-eyed Susan and coneflowers in summer and fall.

The setting, complete with Adirondack chairs for reading and relaxing, depicts St. Ignatius on the banks of the River Cardoner near Manresa, Spain, where he spent 10 months in prayer and reflection. This period, which he described as God instructing him as a teacher would a pupil, led him to write the Spiritual Exercises, a retreat intended to help individuals deepen their relationship with God that has become a cornerstone of Ignatian spirituality. Continued on page 20

A statue of St. Ignatius Loyola beside flowing water creates a tranquil space for the “reflection and discernment” reflection site.

Continued from page 19

Contemplation in Action

Filling most of a wall inside the Mabee Chapel on the first floor of Massman Hall is a large-scale, five-paneled painting by artist Anne Austin Pearce titled “Francis and the Earth.” This is the “contemplation in action” reflection site. The swirling blues and purples of the sky and greens and yellows of the earth draw the viewer into the lived experience of St. Francis of Assisi in what’s meant to be an immersive experience.

One of the more concrete images in this abstract work is the head of a man, woven into a landscape that evokes the hill town of Assisi. The artist envisioned St. Francis as so much a part of the natural environment that he was inseparable from it. The painting invites us to consider our call, like St. Francis, to continually read the signs of the times through a practice of contemplation and to act in response, laboring for justice, which includes caring for our common home, the Earth.

(Above) The painting “Francis and the Earth” is the “contemplation in action” reflection site. (Below) A large sculpture of the seal of the Society of Jesus forms the “magis” reflection site.

Magis

“Magis,” is a Latin word meaning “more.” As a core value, it can best be understood as seeking the greater good, giving greater love and care for our neighbor, pursuing greater knowledge of the academic, spiritual and social disciplines and finding more purposeful and effective ways to carry out our work, all with the ultimate aim of glorifying God. In other words, it’s “more” in the sense of deeper, fuller, or greater, rather than additional.

The magis reflection site can be found on the exterior of the Magis Activity Center, facing the soccer field. It’s dominated by a large depiction of the seal of the Society of Jesus, an image of the sun bearing the letters IHS, the first three letters of the name Jesus in Greek. St. Ignatius is attributed with the admonition to “go forth and set the world on fire.” As you sit here, perhaps hearing student-athletes from one of the nearby venues or sounds of activity inside our newest workout facility, you can contemplate your potential to “set the world on fire,” your potential to pursue the magis, glorifying God through the use of your gifts and talents.

Wisdom

Water is crucial for human life and it also carries sacred symbolism in many faith traditions. In the reflection site for the core value “wisdom,” it becomes a metaphor for wisdom itself. Seven panels in varying shades of blue, located on the second-floor atrium of Arrupe Hall, correspond to the seven pillars mentioned in Proverbs 9:1, the verse included in Rockhurst’s seal: “Wisdom has built herself a house: she has hewn out her seven pillars.”

Through unique textures on their surfaces, the panels depict different states of water, from relative rest and stillness to agitation and waves. As the bustling life of the campus surrounds you, you can take a moment each day to imagine which of the panels best reflects your current experience.

Cura Personalis

When the reconstruction of Sedgwick Hall is complete and it becomes the new home of the Saint Luke’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences, it will house the University’s final core value reflection site — “cura personalis,” meaning “care for the whole person.” Not only will Sedgwick Hall be home for the instruction of disciplines dedicated to physical care and healing, as the original building for Rockhurst High School and Rockhurst College, it also carries the memories of spiritual care as the site of a former chapel, and academic growth as the primary classroom building for many years. (Above) Seven panels depicting water comprise the “wisdom” reflection site. (Below) The renovated Sedgwick Hall is the future home of the “cura personalis” reflection site.

Virtual Patients Fill Real Need BY TIM LINN

The pandemic briefly stopped nursing clinical experiences, but students still learned compassionate care.

Jennifer Medoza, a Bachelor of Science in nursing student at Saint Luke’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences, in the midst of a virtual simulation on the college’s Westport campus.

eing face-to-face with real patients in a clinical setting is invaluable for preparing nursing students B to meet the day-to-day requirements of a health care worker. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, this central piece of nursing education was suddenly thrown into doubt.

How could Saint Luke’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences replace that in-person experience and ensure its nursing graduates were ready to step into patient care?

Just like so many other pandemic experiences, the answer could be found in the virtual realm. Administrators turned toward a software called vSim to provide virtual nursing simulation for students. At first, it was viewed as a bridge — one way to keep students engaged until the pandemic allowed them to return to clinical rotations. But in the time students and faculty have been using it, faculty and administrators now see that virtual training has earned a place alongside traditional clinical experiences, giving students a more well-rounded set of tools to care for patients.

It became clear the school would have to adjust its clinical offerings shortly into the pandemic, said Emma Shotton, MSN, assistant professor in the Bachelor of Science in nursing program. Clinical sites

were at first allowing students to continue, then began asking for information about students’ travel. Several days later, out of precaution, many clinical sites shut down to all but their own staff altogether.

“It was almost a relief when we found out we weren’t sending students to the hospitals anymore, because then we thought, ‘OK, well now we have to make a plan for what we’re going to do,’” she said. “As far as getting those resources to students, it happened very, very quickly.”

Even so, the idea of switching to virtual learning for those foundational skills was daunting at first, said Kyra Moore, a BSN student in her final year.

“I was a little nervous, but also I trust Saint Luke’s staff wholeheartedly,” she said. “I know they are good people who know the fears that are associated with being a new grad nurse because they were new grad nurses, and they always make that a point when talking to us.”

Caroline Olawaiye, DNP, director of the Bachelor of Science in nursing program at Saint Luke’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences, said knowing that the virtual experience would be very different, it was important to find a software with the right mix of features.

“I’ve been in there – I asked for a demonstration, for an account, because I want to be able to tell someone, ‘I know exactly what you are going to experience,’” she said.

Like many other students, the virtual experience was a new one for Jennifer Mendoza, a student in the BSN program. With a state-of-the-art simulation lab on the Westport campus and partnerships with its namesake medical system, Saint Luke’s students are used to honing skills through in-person experience alongside their peers. And she said she certainly missed the study groups and other chance opportunities to be with other students. But in other ways,

Continued on page 24

Emma Shotton, MSN, assistant professor in the Bachelor of Science in nursing program, talks to Myisha Watson, BSN student.

“It was almost a relief when we found out we weren’t sending students to the hospitals anymore, because then we thought, ‘OK, well now we have to make a plan for what we’re going to do.’ As far as getting those resources to students, it happened very, very quickly.”

—Emma Shotton, MSN, assistant professor in the Bachelor of Science in nursing program

Specialized software provides a virtual-patient experience for nursing students. Continued from page 23

Mendoza said virtual simulation helped her work in a new way — one focused on critical thinking.

“When you’re in person, you can do all these things simultaneously, without even thinking so much,” she said. “But when you’re virtual, you have to wait until the nurse has washed their hands, and you can’t forget to introduce yourself. It’s a little bit slower, but you have to think through it. I think it made me organize myself a little better and find new ways to make subject stick.”

Olawaiye said the school initially purchased vSim licenses for 97 students, mostly those whose pediatric clinical experiences were no longer possible because of COVID. A donation from Robert Kleist, whose late wife Barbara was a 1949 graduate of Saint Luke’s, ensured the costs for providing vSim across the college would not be passed on to students, something that Olawaiye said was important to the college’s leadership.

To date, some 497 students have used vSim, she said. The program is immersive in mimicking the clinical experience — students must answer questions from the patient avatar on screen, conduct assessments and even deliver medication, everything they would do in a real-life patient encounter. It even includes, Moore said, the mix of emotions from a real-life situation.

Being virtual has its advantages — for one, the simulations can be done from anywhere at any time. In addition, each simulation is customizable, giving faculty the ability to create specific patient scenarios or objectives for students. That flexibility is critical in supplementing the clinical experience for all students, but it also allowed faculty to maintain an active role in learning, even when students were not able to be on campus. For Lindsey Carlson, MSN, assistant professor in the Bachelor of Science in nursing program, staying visible was important as students navigated the new world of learning remotely.

“One of the things that has been important to me in my teaching is to let them know that even if we’re not in a

“Now more than ever, they need strong people at the bedside. I’m encouraged to see they’re rising to the challenge and see that this is an exciting time to be a changemaker.”

—Lindsey Carlson, MSN, assistant professor in the Bachelor of Science in nursing program,

Emma Shotton, MSN, assistant professor in the Bachelor of Science in nursing program, and Myisha Watson, BSN student, in Saint Luke’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences’ simulation lab.

classroom seeing each other on a regular basis, we still have access to each other and I am still invested in helping them be successful,” she said.

Though clinical rotations are now a possibility again, Moore and Mendoza both said the vSim experience isn’t just a fill-in. By providing a new perspective, adding the software to the curriculum moving forward means students are further honing their critical thinking and decision-making skills at a time when strong leaders are needed in the field, Carlson said.

“Now more than ever, they need strong people at the bedside,” she said. “I’m encouraged to see they’re rising to the challenge and see that this is an exciting time to be a changemaker.”