Curious minds filled the Byblos campus on June 27, 2025, as grade 10, 11 and 12 students from schools nationwide gathered for the annual LAU Nursing Summer Camp. Hosted by the LAU Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing (ARCSON), the event offered the high schoolers a blend of hands-on activities, practical skills and networking opportunities with nursing students, faculty, staff and alumni, collectively showcasing how the profession merges science, leadership and service.

Alongside engaging presentations about the program, profession and school, delivered by passionate faculty, current nursing students and members of the LAU Nursing Club eager to challenge common misconceptions, participants spent the day immersed in experiential learning, from practicing Basic Life Support to mastering hand hygiene.

These immersive activities culminated in a simulated ICU emergency at the state-of-the-art LAU Clinical Simulation Center, where nursing students demonstrated complex procedures, such as intubation, CPR, and medication management, that many attendees had previously believed were the sole responsibility of doctors.

“I loved when we practiced CPR on the dummy,” said Grade 11 student Helen Alameh, who attended the camp with her classmate and friend Nour Bitar. “It really made me realize how important it is to stay calm and act quickly in real emergencies,” added Bitar. “We’re actually learning how to save lives.”

The experience at this year’s summer camp went beyond acquiring new skills and observing real-life scenarios. High schoolers also had the chance to meet nursing alumni who returned to campus to share how their education at LAU shaped their careers and personal growth.

Among the presenters was Sally Abu Elezz (BS ’24), a medical-surgical nurse at the LAU Medical Center–Saint John’s Hospital, who reflected on the strong clinical foundation she received during her studies.

“The clinical instructors at LAU really made a difference. They shared information and asked us questions that no nurse on the floor would have had the time to during our hospital rotations,” she said. “The knowledge I gained here has pushed me ahead of my colleagues—I still capitalize on it today.”

More than academic excellence was the emotional connection that Abu Elezz had to the university. “Whenever I have the chance to visit LAU, I take it,” she shared. “There is this sense of belonging that the community creates.”

Yassin Jazieh (BS ’24), a current master’s student in public health and a former president of the LAU Nursing Club emphasized how a nursing degree can lead to diverse fields. “Nursing is not limited to bedside care,” he said. “Take me for example, my current training in public health is preparing me to pursue specializations in either biostatistics, epidemiology, health promotion, or management.”

Jazieh who graduated with distinction from LAU credited the university for equipping him with the foundation needed to secure a fully funded scholarship for his master’s degree.

For many high schoolers, the camp helped reshape misconceptions. Issa Soueid, a Grade 10 student visiting from Kuwait, admitted that his views had shifted dramatically. “I thought nurses were only assistants and that the field was just for women,” he said. “Now I know it’s a three-year major and that nurses are healers too.”

Others saw the camp as a stepping-stone to clearer academic choices. Grade 12 students Ilham Itani and Aya Kolailat attended, hoping to explore potential majors. “The camp helped because I learned that nurses do so much and are with patients all the time, just like doctors,” said Itani, “I really liked the atmosphere. Everyone was super friendly and made it easy to speak up and ask questions.”

To further support high-school students considering nursing, Mireille Mechaalani, principal loans and special programs associate from the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office (FASO), gave a detailed session about the financial aid options available at LAU, including those specific to ARCSON.

“We wanted the students to feel empowered to make more informed decisions about their academic and professional futures, and the camp was designed to offer them that clarity,” said Assistant Professor and Nursing Program Director Bahia Abdallah.

Toward the end of the day, participants were recognized for their efforts with certificates of attendance. The top five quiz winners, selected after the sessions, received scholarships ranging from 10 to 30 percent, effective upon meeting set conditions. These scholarships can be combined with additional financial aid or grants they qualify for.