Student-led clubs and organizations make an impact far beyond the years students participate in them. Students build skills and relationships that last a lifetime, growing in leadership and connecting with their peers.
For Boise State’s undergraduate nursing students, this experience is found in the Student Nurses Association.
Who is SNA?
The Student Nurses Association is a student-led organization consisting of current nursing students at Boise State.
It’s a chapter of the national-level SNA, which aims to provide professional development and keep students informed about nursing trends and legislative issues impacting the profession.
“Being a part of the Student Nurses Association allows for students to be exposed to a range of opportunities that foster both personal and professional growth,” said Makena Chase, current SNA president.
“Serving on the executive board has also given students a chance to develop leadership skills, collaborate with peers from different cohorts, and make a real impact within the club.”
What does SNA do?
SNA hosts events for nursing students’ professional development and networking, like résumé workshops, Nurses Day at the Capitol and Meet the Employers, a job-fair type gathering.
At Meet the Employers, students connect with employers across the state, from St. Luke’s and Kootenai health systems to the West Ada school district and U.S. Navy. The event provides students the opportunity to build relationships with Idaho employers and helps expand their horizons as to what career options are available.
“Our ‘Meet the Nurses’ event is one of our favorites,” said Chase. “It’s a unique chance to connect with nurses from all sorts of specialties, from flight nursing to NICU, and ask them questions about their careers and experiences.”
Chase also said SNA’s mentorship program has been “a real highlight for many students.” Newer nursing students pair with those further along in the program and “these mentor-mentee relationships have created a solid support system that helps guide us through the challenges of nursing school.”
SNA also holds events for fundraising and volunteering, as well as gets involved in campus fun like the Homecoming Parade.
Connect, grow and lead
SNA’s current president is Makena Chase, a junior anticipating graduating in December 2025.
“The Student Nurses Association has truly been a space where we can connect, support each other, and prepare for the next steps in our nursing careers,” she said. “Being a part of such an incredible executive team this year has truly grown my leadership levels immensely.”
“We have some exciting new opportunities in the works that we hope will strengthen relationships with members from different cohorts and increase our connection and involvement with the community, and I am ecstatic to see what the future holds for SNA this semester and beyond,” Chase said.
Are you a current nursing student? Get involved today!
Training leaders of the future
Alum Lauren Smith (’03) is the regional chief nursing officer at Saint Alphonsus. She didn’t always see herself in leadership, but one of her first experiences with it came from SNA.
Smith stepped into the role of SNA president hoping to make a difference for her peers. She wanted to “support them as they were going through nursing school and all the other things that were happening in the world at the time,” she said, referring to the attack on Sept. 11, 2001.
As it turned out, SNA produced some of Smith’s fondest memories of nursing school at Boise State, from creating a float for the homecoming parade to building lasting relationships with her peers.
“It’s nice to be able to go to school in the [Treasure] Valley, and then stay and work in the Valley,” Smith said. “For others in our graduating class who have done that, we’ve been able to stay connected over the years.”
Make an impact
Make a difference in students’ educational experience and support SNA today.