This month, we’re shifting from our admissions blog post to continue highlighting more of Duke PA students’ amazing volunteer work this year. Let’s take a look at the Joyce Health Fair.
This past June, students hosted a free community health fair in honor of Joyce Nichols and her legacy as a trailblazer in the PA profession. A graduate of the Duke PA Program, Nichols was the first woman and first black woman to be educated and enter the field.
The event took place at JJ Henderson Housing Center, an affordable residence serving seniors and disabled community members. There, students offered blood pressure and glucose screenings, conducted health education workshops, and staffed resource tables. This project was led by first-year students Maguette Seye, Daren Solis, Haejin Lovelace, Kiera Brown, Kianna Lawrence, Temitope Ogunnaike, Grace Pulliam, Madeline Eckerman, and Kristy Lieu.
United by a mission to support and supply the senior community while addressing food and grooming needs, the group got the chance to actively apply the knowledge and skills they’ve gained during their first year.
During the visit, PA students performed over 40 bp/glucose screenings, also taking time for community engagement with scavenger hunts and a game of BINGO. They offered education tables covering chronic disease management, fall prevention, and other healthy lifestyle habits. Altogether, 45 Duke PA volunteers showed up, logging over 100 volunteer hours. To top the day off, students handed out more than 40 hygiene kits and 45 grocery bags to residents.
Event coordinator Maguette Seye shared, “Our program has long hoped to connect more deeply with the residents of JJ Henderson and The Joyce apartments. After learning about Ms. Nichols’ legacy, I felt inspired to help create an event that honored her impact and reflected the mission of the Duke PA Program. It was incredibly moving to work with my fellow student leaders and see our classmates embody not just professional values, but genuine kindness and compassion.”
Leaders recall, “The event fostered trust and connection between students, providers, and Durham residents—helping bridge gaps in primary care access and education”, stating that it helped build trust and strengthened relationships with the community. They also mentioned receiving positive feedback from Reggie Chandler with Durham Housing Authority, who was excited and eager for future collaborations after the success of the event.
Residents and volunteers described the event as welcoming, informative, and uplifting. It highlighted the Duke PA program's commitment to community health and inspired attendees to seek continued care and engagement.
There’s no doubt they left behind a strong mark on their community, as they received 8 other follow-up referrals!
In the team’s reflection, they note “This experience reinforced our classroom learning while also sharpening our communication, teamwork, and patient counseling skills. It served as a powerful reminder of why we chose this profession and the impact we can have beyond clinical settings.”
Acknowledgements and Thanks
Student Leadership
- Event coordinator, logistics, community outreach: Maguette Seye
- Registration & refreshments: Haejin Lovelace & Daren Pierre
- BP & glucose screenings: Kiera Brown & Kristy Lieu
- Education tables: Kianna Lawrence & Temi Ogunnaike
- BINGO, scavenger hunt & grocery bag delivery: Grace Pulliam & Madeline Eckerman
- Procurement of grocery & hygiene supplies: Victoria Falconer
- Event Flyer & Legacy Banner: Kiera Brown
Faculty and Staff:
- Clinical oversight & mentorship: Professors Lorraine Anglin, MHS, PA-C & Suzanne Hallquist, MSPH, MHS, PA-C
- Faculty liaison for Care Connections: Dr. Liza Genao, MD
- Grant procurement & mentorship: Dr. Jacqueline Barnett, DHSc, MHS, PA-C
- Logistic advice: Dr. Laura Okolie, DMSc, MBA, MHS, PA-C; Dr. April Stouder, EdD, MHS, PA-C; Dr. Perri Morgan, PhD, PA-C, and Professor Lovest Alexander Jr., MHS, PA-C, DFAAPA
Community Partner Leads:
- Frankie Bates: Administrative assistant at JJ Henderson, instrumental in site coordination and planning support
- Ms. Pearl Mason: Resident liaison at The Joyce, helped bring over participants and supported
- resident engagement
- Victoria Lue: Care Connections
- Jackie Blackwell: Feed My Sheep Pantry
- Oak Street Health
The program wouldn’t have come together without the support of their fellow classmates, who stepped up to help volunteer
Volunteer Assignments:
- Setup: Emily Walden, Belle Penn, Jeannie Nghiem
- Welcome & Registration Table: Emily Walden, Kaylee Ratcliffe
- Refreshments: Dhara Patel
- BP Check: Quynh Le, Tram Whitehurst
- BP Recheck: Lizbeth Martinez, Zahra Rangwala
- Glucose: Laura Puerta, Carlos Ruano, Diana Nguyen
- Education Tables:
- Living Well (Chronic Disease Prevention/Management, Healthy Eating): Bree Kuchenski, Lydia Pak, Emily Hobus
- CPR Table: Samantha Fortier, Pamela Paz, Cameron France
- Mind & Habit (Mental Health, Smoking Cessation, Exercise): Zoe Russell, Marissa Mattys, Hamed Akrami
- BINGO: Carla Segovia, Rachel Tracy
- Grocery Bag Delivery: Fuka Reale, Tara Crosswhite
- Floaters: My Huong Le, Diana Bibireata, Mariel Gampe, Robin Lai, Talmage Sanders, Lindsey Zipperer, Tarra Taylor
- Photography: Fuka Reale
Financial Support & Donations
- Stead Society: $350 for grocery bags and hygiene kits
- Grocery bags included pantry staples and full meal ingredients
- Hygiene kits included toothpaste, wipes, Vaseline, socks, sunscreen, and more
- Dr. John K. Roberts, MD, MEd (Duke Mobile Med): Donated skincare products for distribution
Special thanks to Program Director Dr. Jacqueline Barnett and the Kresge Foundation for their generous philanthropy, where they pulled together $800 that supported this community service event.