Professional Activities

University of South Florida College of Nursing

 Portfolio

Student: Laura Heim

lheim@health.usf.edu

Cell: 856-534-4165

 

Professional Activities:

 

I relocated to the area from NJ so I am exploring service (and other activities) which are compatible with my interests.  One of these is writing, which found an outlet in my working for my school paper while at Camden County College. I also enjoy helping others. One rewarding avenue has been in tutoring and counseling of international students during the past few years with their English language acquisition/cultural considerations.  I also enjoy volunteering with those organizations listed under the Civic Activities section below.

 

Civic Activities:

 

Balloon Artist                                                                                                 2000-Present

Volunteering Opportunities

Various States

I often volunteer my time to entertain people of all ages with balloon creations I learned to make while in Junior High.  I volunteered my first time with balloons in the Eighth Grade and still make balloon animals for people today in such venues as non-profit fund-raisers, schools, and churches.  I have volunteered doing balloon animals at events in both NJ and while in Florida attending nursing school.

 

Animal Shelter                                                                                                      2001-2002, 2007

Various Non-profits

I assisted caring for homeless cats and dogs where I got great satisfaction while volunteering.  I also adopted my cat from the Humane Society of Tampa Bay in April/May 2012.  I contacted an instructor in fall 2012 about introducing a pet therapy program to the local VA Hospital.

 

American Dance Wheels Foundation                                                                                        2006

I assisted a woman with wheelchair ballroom dance by helping her take part with partner dancing through a nationally recognized curriculum.  I have also proposed bringing the program to both USF and a hospital in the area in early 2013 with an organization at school expressing interest in bringing a workshop to their students in 2014.  (In order to stay fit physically and mentally, I discovered Argentine Tango where I have been participating with the club since spring 2012.)

 

Possibility Players                                                                                                2007-May 2011

Disabled Theater Group

Over the years I have helped my disabled friends participate in this acting troupe.  Weekly meetings from fall through spring lead up to professional performances put on every other year.  I have also helped them with transportation when needed.

 

 

 

Special Olympics                                                                                                             2009-2010

I assisted athletes with the tennis and track-and-field events.  As I am an athlete, I took great pride in, and was humbled by, these terrific participants while helping them.

 

Peer Tutor                                                                                                       2010-Present

Community Colleges and University of South Florida

I have assisted fellow students with the acquisition and comprehension of the English language.  I have also proposed the idea to a professor at my nursing program to include a positive body initiative program at USF so that students can feel good academically, physically, and mentally about themselves.

 

Nursing Float Assistant                                                                                  Fall 2011

University of South Florida

When the homecoming committee needed help decorating the float for the University of South Florida’s homecoming parade, I contributed a few days to float involvement through decorating it and participating in the parade.

 

 

Community Health Screening Helper                                                                                    July 2012

Influenza Vaccine Administrator                                                                   September 2012

Florida Hospital Tampa

In addition to participating in activities associated with USF, I assisted at a community health screening by helping patients with physical assessments and also administered flu shots for the employee population at this hospital.

 

Volunteer at Women’s Shelter                                                                                  Summer 2012

University of South Florida

I helped to entertain children at a local women’s center with balloon animals over two days last year where the children were entertained.

 

 

Charter School Volunteer                                                                                          Fall 2012

University of South Florida

Local Tampa Elementary School

Some students and I visited a science charter school to share nursing wisdom and encourage the students to make better decisions when it came to eating healthy at home and in school.

 

 

Canvas Day Volunteer                                                                                               Winter 2013

University of South Florida

I helped orient health science students with Canvas, the new online learning system for Canvas Day during the Spring Semester.

 

Engineering Expo Volunteer                                                                                      Spring 2013

University of South Florida

NSA members and I helped to plan an interactive nursing booth at the USF Engineering Expo where we helped FL school children better understand the role simulation plays in education.