Extending Care and Curriculum Beyond Campus: Villanova Nurses Form Community Connection with Catholic Partnership Schools
Villanova nursing faculty Becky Mueller and Anne Gregor, along with FCN students Sarah Finocchiaro and Deborah Toledo Batbatan, visited Jameka Walker at Catholic Partnership Schools.
An unexpected discovery in the pages of Villanova Magazine sparked a partnership that is transforming a local community while giving graduate students in the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing (FCN) a unique educational experience.
After Laura Kelly, PhD, PMHNP-BC, PMHCNS, a recently retired clinical professor of Nursing, read in the Spring 2024 issue of Villanova Magazine about 2023 Opus Prize finalist Jameka Walker, executive director of Catholic Partnership Schools, she saw an opportunity to bring nursing education to a local community in the spirit of Caritas. Walker’s dedication to serving and educating children of all faith backgrounds resonated deeply with Dr. Kelly, who immediately reached out to explore whether Villanova student nurses could help meet health care needs at Catholic Partnership Schools.
Indeed, there were needs. Catholic Partnership Schools, a network of pre-K through eighth-grade schools serving Camden, New Jersey, and surrounding areas, needed assistance completing routine health screenings for students due to staffing shortages. In conversations with Walker, it became clear that all five schools in the network could benefit from support. She noted that many families with student-athletes struggled to obtain required sports physicals from outside health providers and suggested opportunities for Nursing students to assist in teaching health promotion and wellness lessons in the classroom.
Dr. Kelly, together with Becky Mueller '07 FCN, '17 PhD, RN, FNP-BC, CRNP, clinical assistant professor of Nursing and director of FCN’s Nurse Practitioner programs, began recruiting students to assist. They focused on graduate-level nurse practitioner (NP) students because the work needed at Catholic Partnership Schools aligns directly with the types of experiences NP students are likely to encounter in their professional practice after graduation.
“All of our students are required to participate in at least 500 direct clinical hours to graduate, but very few of them get the chance to work in under-resourced clinics as a part of those hours,” said Dr. Mueller. “This partnership with Catholic Partnership Schools is a great opportunity that emphasizes Villanova’s core value of service while helping to fulfill a health care gap in a local community.”
But the partnership doesn’t just benefit Camden students—it’s a symbiotic relationship where both parties gain from collaboration.
“When institutions want to work with Catholic Partnership Schools, I always ask, ‘What is it that we can provide to your students? What do your students need?’” said Walker. “It's not just about my students; it’s about the other groups who are giving up their time too. How can I make this experience the most beneficial for them?”
The mission-driven experience has had a profound impact on Villanova students’ personal and professional development.
“This volunteer experience is advancing my nursing education because I get to see the kids in an environment other than a hospital or outpatient clinic and observe how they interact with their peers and function socially,” said Caroline Banas ‘25 MSN, who participated in two trips to the schools during the fall 2025 semester. “These opportunities help me develop a more holistic approach to pediatric care.”
Deborah Toledo Batbatan, who is pursuing a postmasters certificate at FCN, conducted sports physicals for student-athletes.
For some students, the experience is deeply personal. Sarah Finocchiaro '25 MSN, volunteered in two trips to assist with sports physicals.
“I was a single mom for a long time, and I didn’t always have the time or the funds to be able to get sports physicals done for my kids,” said Finocchiaro. “With this partnership, we’re able to provide physicals at no cost and we’re able to meet parents at a place they're already going: school. This is something I needed when I was in a similar situation and didn’t have access to.”
The partnership also eases the burden for families without access to a regular primary care doctor. Sports physicals are required for students to participate in after-school sports, but obtaining them can be costly. A single urgent care visit can run hundreds of dollars, and even more for families with multiple children. Villanova NP students provide these screenings free of charge, learning and practicing their skills under the guidance of qualified faculty while serving the community.
The collaboration has extended beyond health care. As part of the 2024 and 2025 annual St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service, Villanova has sent volunteers to all five Catholic Partnership Schools to paint tricycle tracks and four-square courts, weed community gardens and repair basketball courts. These projects continue to strengthen the partnership and foster a broader sense of community.
Dr. Mueller has her own unique tie to faith-based service. After graduating from Villanova in 2007, she joined an Augustinian Volunteers service program in San Diego, California, volunteering at a free clinic associated with the St. Vincent de Paul homeless shelter.
“Giving back to the community as an Augustinian volunteer ignited my passion for service, and now I get to share that with students and hopefully ignite that passion in them as well,” said Dr. Mueller.
Looking ahead, Dr. Mueller and Walker hope to expand the partnership to meet emerging needs. They are exploring opportunities to bring in NP students from Villanova’s Psychiatric-Mental Health NP program to teach mindfulness and mental health programming for middle school students.
“Adolescence is such an important time period when kids start having conflicting thoughts and comparing themselves to their peers,” said Finocchiaro. “Those initial screenings are critical in providing kids with an opening to start having conversations about mental health.”
Meanwhile, Villanova NP students continue to focus on the most urgent health care needs. In the fall 2025 semester alone, 25 sports physicals were conducted between two volunteer trips to Camden, nearly doubling the number completed between the first and second visits. According to Walker, families who received physicals spread the word about the efficient and welcoming process provided by Villanova students.
“The 25 students who had physicals completed would not have been able to play sports this year had the Villanova students not stepped in,” said Walker. “We’re very appreciative of the service provided and that the NP students created a comfortable atmosphere that was similar to what Catholic Partnership Schools students see from their teachers and staff every day.”
What began as a program for routine health screenings and sports physicals has evolved into a broader vision of holistic care, addressing both physical and mental health needs in Camden’s school communities. Through this community-based, faith-driven model, Dr. Kelly, Dr. Mueller and Villanova NP students are advancing their professional education while carrying forward the University’s service-oriented mission, creating lasting impact where it’s needed most.