Watching her students’ journeys unfold is the most rewarding part of teaching for Dr. Randilyn Lewis. It’s witnessing them go “from the classroom setting to then touching lives.” That transformation from student to practitioner is at the heart of her teaching philosophy in PennWest’s School of Nursing. “The number one thing at Penn West… is that we don't just lecture to them,” she explains. “We give them hands-on opportunities.” This means theory is immediately put into practice. “If we talk about the wonderful miracle of birthing a baby, then we get up and we go to the mannequins and we say, ‘Okay, we talked about this. We are learning about this. Now let's do it.’”

This commitment to experiential learning ensures that PennWest nursing graduates are confident and prepared to make an immediate impact. Dr. Lewis, who brings over 14 years of experience in maternal, newborn, and forensic nursing to her role, sees the new, unified School of Nursing as a vital way to meet critical community needs. By collaborating across three campuses, students gain wisdom from a wider range of experts, preparing them to excel as part of a healthcare team.

One of the most powerful examples of this is PennWest’s specialized forensic nursing program, made possible by a federal HRSA grant and developed in response to a nationwide shortage, particularly in rural areas. A forensic nurse, Dr. Lewis explains, receives specialized training in trauma-informed care to support victims of sexual assault, child maltreatment, or domestic violence. PennWest’s program, which recently graduated its first cohort of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, is the only one of its kind to offer training for caring for both adults and pediatric patients.

The impact is already being felt. A local Child Advocacy Center, hearing about the program, reached out with a clear message: “We want your graduates. We want your nurses.” Leadership from other organizations has noted that PennWest graduates are “go-getters, they're engaged.” This excellence is also celebrated through programs like the Daisy Award, which recognizes students for their compassionate care. It’s a testament to an educational approach that empowers students to not only learn the material, but to confidently step into clinical settings and truly touch the lives of patients and their communities.