What is Project SHIFT?
Project SHIFT (SCC Health Initiative For Teens) was created in 2023 with a grant from the Dogwood Health Trust. It seeks to improve access for high school students wishing to pursue a healthcare career in western North Carolina by providing education, outreach and scholarship opportunities. We are dedicated to developing a high school-to-healthcare pipeline for local students hoping to pursue a career in healthcare in our region.
What services are provided?
Project SHIFT works with area schools to identify students with interest in healthcare careers, bringing health sciences programs into schools with mobile learning labs, organizing field trips to SCC, and fostering a community commitment to improving healthcare in our region.
Students in the SHIFT Pipeline can access opportunities like SCC’s Health Sciences Summer Camp, healthcare career conferences through SCC and MAHEC, and a variety of internship, job shadowing and service learning opportunities. SHIFT helps students select the best-fitting health sciences careers for their interests and skills. The program provides support with the ATI-TEAS exam through free preparation workshops and funding to take the exam. Additionally, SHIFT supports students throughout the selective admissions process for the health sciences programs at SCC. One student from each of our 16 programs will be offered an Ambassador Scholarship, sharing their experiences with younger students in the SHIFT pipeline.
For more information about Project SHIFT, contact Pamela Judson at pjudson@SouthwesternCC.edu or 828.339.4198.
