Building Connections: RAIN Students Kick Off Fall 2024 Academic Year
RAIN Students Kick Off Fall 2024 at UND CNPD
August marked the start of another exciting semester at the University of North Dakota’s College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines (CNPD). As part of the tradition, the Recruitment & Retention of American Indians into Nursing (RAIN) program hosted a welcome-back luncheon for new and returning RAIN CNPD students. This event provided an excellent opportunity for Indigenous pre-nursing and nursing students to build connections with their peers and nurse mentors as they settled into campus and prepared for their first day of class.
“RAIN’s welcome back luncheon fosters a sense of belonging for our students by bringing them together to connect with their peers and staff who share a similar cultural background and life experiences,” explains Layne Miller, a RAIN Nurse Mentor. “This gathering is an important component of our program that strengthens our student support networks, establishes friendships and bonds, and most importantly allows our students to feel welcomed and valued as they settle into campus.”
Gathering over food is a way of life for many of us, and when our students enter our RAIN community, it greatly assists in the retention and success of our students succeeding in their bachelor studies with many coming back for their graduate level degrees.
Lamp of Knowledge
The CNPD held the Lamp of Knowledge ceremony as part of the orientation for the new nursing class of 2026. This symbolic event marks the beginning of the students’ nursing journey and is a powerful reminder of their commitment to the highest standards of technical excellence and compassionate care. During the ceremony, faculty and students recite the Nurse’s Oath. Faculty advisors are on hand to pin the Lamp of Knowledge onto the new students—a pin inspired by Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, known as the “lady with the lamp.”
As part of this class, the CNPD is pleased to welcome three RAIN students who have begun their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees.
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Strategies for Success
The RAIN Program is committed to providing students with a home-away-from-home environment, making them feel comfortable and accepted as they pursue their nursing degrees. This sense of belonging enables them to focus on their academic goals and thrive in their studies. By connecting with other Native nursing students, they form strong bonds that are essential to their success. This connection also comes from past graduates.
In early summer, UND CNPD graduate and RAIN alumni Shannon Little Wolf (2002), Director of Public Health Nursing Director of the Dzilth-Na-O-Dith Hle Health Center, traveled from New Mexico to visit our program here on campus. Shannon spent time recollecting her memories as a previous CNPD RAIN student with our previous director, Deb Wilson, and current Director, Barb Anderson. Full of smiles, Shannon stated, “The RAIN program had changed my life, and without this program, I would not be where I am today.”
Brief History of the RAIN Program
Established in 1990, the Recruitment & Retention of American Indians into Nursing (RAIN) program at the University of North Dakota was created to address the underrepresentation of American Indians in nursing. Primarily funded under the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, other grants, and donor support, RAIN aims to increase the number of culturally competent nurses to serve American Indian communities. In 1992, RAIN was elevated to program status with congressional legislation as part of the Quentin N. Burdick Indian Health Programs at UND, continuing its mission to enhance educational opportunities and improve healthcare in American Indian communities.
RAIN has significantly impacted the nursing field and our tribal nations across America. It has produced 258 American Indian graduates with a BSN, 87 MSN, and several PhD in nursing. The program supports students academically and through personal and financial counseling while promoting and respecting cultural identity.
In 2023, RAIN expanded its services to include students from the other CNPD disciplines of Nutrition & Dietetics and Social Work. With that expansion came another student support mentor to assist students with academic services. Next fall, the RAIN program will mark its 35th year of supporting American Indian students at UND.
