Prospective Students

Urban Health Program

Urban Health Program Brochure

UHP Newsletters:

About the Urban Health Program:

In 1978, the University of Illinois at Chicago created the Urban Health Program (UHP) to recruit, retain and graduate students from groups underrepresented in the health professions, specifically African American, Hispanic and Native American students. The mission of the Urban Health Program is to expand educational opportunities for these populations at the pre-college (k-12), undergraduate, graduate and professional levels.

The goals of the College of Nursing Urban Health Program are to recruit and retain, through graduation, students from groups underrepresented in nursing (African American, Hispanic and Native American); to educate the next generation of nursing leaders, from entry level to advanced practice (clinical, teaching, and research); and to enhance the appreciation of cultural diversity in the College of Nursing, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and in society. This is achieved by offering students support services in the following areas:

• Academic advising and mentoring
• Tutoring and referral to university resources
• Professional development and networking activities
• Academic enrichment workshops
• Sponsorship to attend local and national conferences
• Assistance identifying scholarships

Once enrolled, a network of UHP staff and College of Nursing faculty assist students with transitioning to the new role of "nursing student." Each UHP student is assigned an academic advisor and matched with a peer mentor to assist with the transition.

Retention activities are designed to strengthen academic skills and achievement, provide a supportive psychosocial environment, and to increase awareness of nursing opportunities and issues/trends in nursing and health care.

Academic support includes academic advising, individual and group tutoring, and connection with university resources, such as the Academic Center for Excellence (for individual and group workshops on college survival skills related to time management, stress management, study skills and test-taking skills), and the Writing Center.

In additional to the Urban Health Program, students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of professional socialization activities, such as the Nursing Student Council, the National Student Nurses Association, the Graduate Student Organization, the Honors College, mentored research programs, seminars, workshops, and professional nursing conferences presented throughout the U. S. There are also opportunities to study abroad and conduct research.

Urban Health Program Team:

The College of Nursing UHP team includes a Director, a Coordinator, a Faculty Liaison in each department and College of Nursing academic advisors, faculty and staff. Students also receive support from the entire UIC campus community to ensure their success. You can contact the College of Nursing UHP office at 312-996-0810 or uhpcon@uic.edu.

Contact the UIC College of Nursing:

The Urban Health Program team and the Office of Academic Programs staff offers pre-admission advising and group information sessions to ensure that prospective applicants receive accurate information about our nursing programs, and choose the program best fit for their interests and goals. Contact the College of Nursing UHP office to schedule an appointment for pre-admission advising at 312-996-0810 or uhpcon@uic.edu.

UIC and Nursing Resources:

If you are interested in other health science Urban Health Programs at UIC, please contact the UIC Urban Health Program Administrative office at 312-996-7727 or visit: http://www.uic.edu/depts/uhealth/

Campus special support service programs for underrepresented ethnic groups at UIC include:

• African American Academic Network: 312-996-5040
• Latin American Recruitment and Educational Services: 312-996-3356
• Native American Support Program: 312-996-4515
• Academic Center for Excellence: 312-413-0031

The following organizations offer special support services to underrepresented nurses and nursing students:

• National Black Nurses Association: www.nbna.org
• National Association of Hispanic Nurses: www.thehispanicnurses.org
• National Alaska Native American Indian Nurses Association: www.nanaina.com
• National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Associations: www.ncemna.org
• National Student Nurses Association: www.nsna.org
• Illinois Hispanic Nurses: www.illinoishispanicnurses.org