Jul 17, 2024
Olivia Boudreau

Erin Elizabeth Hunter Summer Camp for Girls Inc. Held at Froelich School of Nursing

The Froelich School of Nursing hosted the inaugural Erin Elizabeth Hunter Summer Camp for Girls, Inc. last week to provide local young women with an engaging opportunity to learn foundational nursing skills such as CPR and first aid.   

During the camp, students had the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities centered around building healthcare skills and introducing them to the field of nursing. Some of these activities included simulations teaching safety skills, moulage wound simulation, CPR training, reflections on healing through art, and panels with current nursing faculty and staff. 

“Not only did the camp provide the attending students with an insight to nursing school and career opportunities, but the young women were able to take away two certifications which can be applied immediately in their communities,” said Bronwyn Teixeira of the Froelich School of Nursing. 

The camp was made possible by a donation to Assumption from Kate and Bob Hunter ’72, in memory of their daughter, Erin, who passed away in 2019 after a long illness. The Hunters worked closely with the Froelich School of Nursing’s Founding Dean, Caitlin Stover, to develop the concept for and the logistics of the camp. 

“The camp is designed to honor the memory of Erin, and her kindness and dedication to others,” said Stover. “It also provides inspiration to another generation and a vision of a transformational pathway to purpose in improving the lives of their communities.” 

In April, a plaque was unveiled in the Froelich School to honor Erin through a new scholarship for nursing students, the Erin Elizabeth Hunter Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship “aims to empower junior or senior nursing students from Worcester County who demonstrate financial need and academic excellence”. 

Both the camp and the scholarship will open up doors for future Assumption students, inspiring and empowering the next generation of nursing professionals. 

“This is opening up a lot of opportunities for a lot of young kids,” said Kate Hunter. “I think it’ll give them a chance to see if the medical field is something they want to pursue, and at the end of this camp, these girls are going to walk away with CPR training and will learn how to stop bleeding. That will benefit not only them, but it will benefit the community as well. They will be an asset to the community and to all of us, and there’s no better place for a nursing education than Assumption.”