Hosting a professional development day on campus: Engaging nursing student leaders and campus partners

Experiential learning activities that empower students and engage them in leadership activities are supported by the Institute of Medicine’s Report on The Future of Nursing Education. High quality and intense participation in leadership activities can lead to a sense of personal empowerment in students. We describe a partnership between a College of Nursing committee (Student and Community Academic Affairs Committee) and the University’s office of Career Services to plan, implement, and evaluate a nursing student led event hosting local recruiters from area hospitals and clinics on campus—Professional Development Day (PDD).   All employers surveyed at both events reported that they were “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with the event as well as with the number of students who were a fit for available positions. We found this activity to be a useful venue for the formation of student leaders. In order to further facilitate a “deep learning” process, we would encourage students to get involved in coordinating this event earlier in their education process before their senior year. A step-by-step guide to hosting this type of event is provided.