Fall 2007
Vol. 14/ No. 2

Many nursing graduates return to practice in underserved areas, but few conduct research focused on the needs of the underserved in places like Liberia or the Dominican Republic.

This is the niche that Jill Scott-Cawiezell, associate professor of nursing, is filling in her professional and personal life. For 10 years, she has worked with Vision Trust International in the Dominican Republic providing basic health-care needs to children. Now she is bringing the same dedication and focus to the children of Liberia, an African country.

“Without my previous experiences in the Dominican, I don't know how I could have mentally met the challenges I've faced in Africa,” Scott-Cawiezell says.

However Scott-Cawiezell's involvement in Liberia goes beyond working with one organization. She is working with a consortium of representatives from the school systems, pastors, health-care providers, faith-based organizations and the Liberian government to provide support for education, healthcare, and spiritual development.

Scott-Cawiezell just came back in June from her third visit to Liberia in the past year.

As the coordinator of their consortium, she works to keep all the agency partners focused on the end goals and complimenting each others' strengths and weaknesses. “This is very much where my heart is in this project,” Scott-Cawiezell says. “It is so amazing to watch  our partners come together to help this war-torn country.”

In parts of Liberia, more than 25 percent of the children die before the age of 5, she says, which is the fourth worst child mortality rate in the world. But in the midst of nothing, Scott-Cawiezell says this type of project put everything in perspective.

Another project is currently at the request-for-proposal phase. She is working with a consortium of technology providers and academic institutions from both Africa and the United States. They want to provide educational support to increase Liberia 's health-care system's capacity. She is establishing on-line nursing leadership courses for Liberian nurses and other health-care providers.

“This last visit I spent a day working with Liberian public-health nurses and I am so inspired by their dedication to overcome the challenges that they face on a daily basis,” Scott-Cawiezell says.

Currently, she is taking on more responsibility by facilitating an expert panel that involves the School. “We are handling the Dominican child health data for Vision Trust and hopefully soon the child health data and program management for 134 projects around the world,” she says.

She, along with the people involved with the other organizations, have a long history of serving children's educational, emotional and health needs in third-world countries. Their goals are simple—food, clean water, basic education and health care.

Scott-Cawiezell's personal thoughts upon returning to the United States after her last trip to Liberia.