Experiential and Service Learning Partnerships
Student Nurse Clinical Externship Program at the Prestigious Johns Hopkins University Hospital:
“It is my pleasure to serve as the Wagner College Faculty Liaison for the Johns Hopkins (JH) Spiro Scholar Student Externship Program. Since 2006, through the extraordinary generosity and vision of the Spiro Family, Wagner College School of Nursing students have benefited from a unique partnership with Johns Hopkins Medicine. More recently, this collaboration has expanded through a housing partnership with Loyola University Maryland, further enhancing the student experience.
Each fall, traditional undergraduate nursing students at Wagner College are invited to apply for this prestigious and highly competitive paid summer externship opportunity at Johns Hopkins. Over the past 17 years, 71 Wagner nursing students have been selected as Spiro Scholars and have gained invaluable clinical, professional, and personal experiences while working across the Johns Hopkins healthcare system. We are delighted that this exceptional program continues to grow and provide opportunities for future generations of nursing students.
In addition to their clinical placements, students are provided with safe and supportive housing on the Loyola University Maryland campus, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in the experience. As Faculty Liaison, I am honored to participate in the recruitment and selection process and to witness the remarkable growth of our students throughout the program. Last summer, Dean Patricia Tooker and I had the opportunity to visit our scholars and observe firsthand the diverse clinical experiences, professional development opportunities, and meaningful contributions they made during their externships.” Jane V. DeFazio, PhD, RN Associate Professor, Johns Hopkins Spiro Scholar Faculty Liaison’ Wagner College Evelyn L. Spiro School of Nursing
“To have had the opportunity to intern at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland was not only an honor and an amazing experience, but a blessing as well. Practicing all aspects of patient care, both technical and supportive has further validated our desire to become nurses. Wagner College is constantly looking for opportunities for its students and this is by far the best one we have ever been given. The Johns Hopkins Hospital was one of the most professional and evidence based institutions we have ever visited and we gained an immense amount of knowledge during our time there. The home we were provided with was beautiful and our experience was more than we could have ever imagined. We experienced Labor and Delivery, Med Surg, Psych and Surgical Oncology. Working alongside the best nurses and physicians in the country has truly shaped the graduate nurses that we are today and we will forever carry this experience in our hearts. We will be forever thankful to Wagner College and the Spiro family for providing us with this amazing learning experience.” Emily Adams, Jessica Conde, Kendall Kulper, Stephanie Onorato, Wagner College Class of 2016.
“I was honored to be selected as a Johns Hopkins Clinical Nurse Extern last summer (June-August 2023). I worked in the oncology/surgery pod, where I switched between an oncological surgical unit and a transplant unit. The faculty, staff, and patients were all so welcoming and I truly felt like part of the Johns Hopkins family. My nurse preceptors took me under their wings, fostering my confidence and wisdom in dealing with numerous unique situations and patients. Other nurses extended invitations to me to document my assessments, urinary catheter handling, suction/care for tracheostomies, draw labs, IV care, assist with tube feedings, and witness different medication administrations. I will hold each patient I cared for with me forever. Talking to them as people rather than the condition/disease was one of my favorite aspects of the externship. They had such interesting stories but not many people to tell, so being there for them warmed my heart.
 “This past summer I had the incredible honor to work at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. When I first got chosen, I was ecstatic but also a little nervous! As a native Staten Islander and commuter, I have never lived away from home but when I was granted the opportunity I knew I had to accept! I wanted to go to Hopkins because I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone. I wanted to work with the best of the best and learn from people I may have never been able to meet if it wasn’t for this externship. I was placed in the surgery department, working on a comprehensive transplant unit as well as a surgical oncology unit. From day one, I was welcomed with open arms and warmth that you do not get to experience everyday. I was also able to learn so much from the nurses, see difficult cases that are not necessarily common in the hospitals around here, sit on rounds, and even was trusted to care for patients on my own (with the direction of my nurse of course). These opportunities made me feel more confident in the health care setting and made me remember why I wanted to choose nursing in the first place.Â
Reflecting on the summer as a whole, I feel I have not only grown as a future nurse but also as a person! I am forever grateful that I was blessed with such an incredible opportunity. It taught me to take challenges “head on” and to always push yourself even if you are hesitant. I will cherish the memories from this summer forever and cannot say “thank you” enough to Johns Hopkins and Wagner Nursing!” Olivia Doyle, Wagner Class of 2026
Application:
Students must meet the following criteria:
- Junior-level Nursing Student
- Good standing in all Nursing theory and clinical courses
- A minimum GPA of 3.2
Application for Johns Hopkins Externship
The following applications are to be submitted to Dr. DeFazio by December 1st:
- A letter of intent with resume
- Letters of recommendation from two clinical faculty members
Johns Hopkins Externship Inaugural Newsletter Spring 2025
Johns Hopkins Newsletter Spring 2026
Contact Information:
Dr. Jane DeFazio, Faculty Liaison: (718) 390-3471
Patricia Rondinelli, Administrator: (718) 390-3436
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October 2022, Second Degree Program Seniors at Senator Lanza’s Annual Senior Information Day
FNP students with Dr Edna Aurelus providing healthy nutrition education as part of the partnership with Project Hospitality
For over 30 years, Project Hospitality has provided Food and Nutrition services through Soup Kitchens and Food Pantries. It also provides Volunteer Services, Help Center, Healthy Families Program, Senior Health & Wellness Services, Youth Programs, Disaster Recovery Services, Women’s Emergency Services and Domestic Violence Intervention.
Their Community Initiatives/Outreach programs have grown to include Outreach & Education, which created the perfect opportunity for a partnership with the Evelyn L Spiro School of Nursing. Each semester, senior students create presentations geared towards providing education on various health concerns in the community. The community benefits from the presentations and the students learn more about interactions with clients in other, non-acute care settings. In the process a stronger trusting community relationship is built.
November 2023, Senior Nursing students join Dr. Aurelus at El Centro in Port Richmond
The Staten Island Partnership For Community Wellness provides backbone support to public health initiatives and focuses on the integration of behavioral and physical health across systems.
SIPCW seeks to create a healthier Staten Island by bringing together partner organizations and community members to address pressing wellness needs and give all Staten Islanders a chance to live their best lives. The focus of our efforts is in communities and populations with the greatest health inequities such as BIPOC and LGBTQ+ identifying.
Our vision is that our entire community has a shared understanding of the systemic conditions such as racism, classism, and heterosexism, contributing to wellness and the resources to ensure that all individuals and families have the knowledge and access to what they need to live their healthiest lives.