Drexel's Online RN to BSN Program Study Abroad Trip Wins UPCEA Honors

Drexel University Online and the College of Nursing and Health Professions recently received the highly-regarded 2014 University Professional & Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) Mid-Atlantic Award of Excellence for the online RN to BSN program’s study abroad trip to Paraguay.

The BSN program’s study abroad option allows online students to gain tremendous clinical and cultural experience in the South American country. Online students were on the ground providing care and learning from the country’s healthcare challenges. They also provided over 700 pounds of donated clothing and household goods.

The students – most of which have never met in person – traveled together with two professors over 1,000 miles across Paraguay to provide health education to rural school children and make home visits to families in need.

Drexel online RN to BSN student Kevin Hannon went on the Paraguay trip in 2013 and remarked how the experience gave him “a completely broader perspective on how health care delivery works outside the U.S.” Working as a nursing supervisor at a mental health and addiction treatment center in Brattleboro, Vermont, Hannon described the trip as “an amazing experience.”

While studying abroad may seem like an unlikely or unattainable option for online students, Drexel’s online RN to BSN program offers students a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build clinical expertise while making a real, substantial difference for disadvantaged communities in South America. In addition, Drexel University’s Study Abroad Office offers a variety of options for online students who wish to pursue overseas experience across the globe.

Founded in 1915, the UPCEA is the leading association for professional, continuing and online education and serves more than 400 institutions across North America. The annual award recognizes institutions that are “Leading the Charge” toward new practices and programs revolutionizing higher education. The awards committee is made up of officers from some of the region’s top colleges and universities.