From Passion to Practice: A Future Nurse’s Story of Student Advocacy

What began as a personal interest for Rachael Ojeikhodion to learn more about women's health evolved into a fully grant-funded, student-driven project that provided free women's and sexual health products to students at University of Minnesota Rochester (UMR).

Ojeikhodion has always had a passion for learning. Originally from Rochester, Minnesota, the decision to attend UMR just made sense – her older brothers had attended UMR, she had a goal to pursue a career in health and she enjoyed the supportive community. Initially, Ojeikhodion enrolled in the health sciences program and graduated in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences (BSHS). However, after reflecting on her career goals, she realized nursing would be a better fit to align her passions. She decided to pursue nursing through the University of Minnesota, was placed on the Rochester campus and is now completing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) this spring.

Ojeikhodion’s decision to become a nurse was driven by her desire to make a difference and the flexibility of the career. While nursing is challenging, the schedule of three 12-hour shifts per week allows her more time for personal pursuits. "I like to help people, I know that I can help them well… I like one-on-one care and getting to know my patients. I can provide the best care and advocate for them," Ojeikhodion said. 

Before she graduated with a BSHS, she needed to complete her Capstone, a combined set of learning experiences focused on an individualized theme that aligns with each student’s personal and professional goals. “I felt like I didn’t know much about women’s health and I’m about to graduate… so I decided to focus my Capstone time on learning more about women’s health.” 

She conducted research in sexual health, shadowed professionals and identified a gap in resources for students, particularly in women’s health, deepening her interest. As part of her Capstone project, she wrote a community grant proposal geared toward benefiting UMR students. She noticed that UMR had a large female population but at the time, there were no feminine products available within the bathrooms. This thought, along with discussions with fellow students, led to an idea; to provide free, women’s health and sexual health products to students in a discreet, private manner directly on campus to eliminate transportation, financial and other barriers students may face. While originally meant to be a draft proposal, Ojeikhodion decided to officially submit the grant proposal to Olmsted County Bridge for consideration. 

To her surprise, the proposal was accepted and Ojeikhodion was given around $5,000 to fuel this project and the student-driven program Just In Case was born. “At the time, I didn’t know I was going to be doing nursing [in Rochester]. I didn’t know what was going to happen with the money, but a week later I found out I’d be completing my BSN in Rochester, so I got to work planning.” Ojeikhodion spent the next summer getting the project up and running which included finding a space, ordering products and finalizing the process for how students will receive products and use the program.  

In the first year, products focused on sexual health and wellness but after receiving more input from students, Ojeikhodion realized there was a need to expand into offering hygiene products including toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, deodorant and more. “Just In Case was very much student inspired. If a student shared a product that would be useful to have access to, we got it.” 

What motivated Ojeikhodion most was seeing how the program benefited students. "People that start up something always have the fear of if it’s actually going to work… It was a big thing alone to talk about sexual health, much less provide products and advertise the program to students. The topic of sex can be very taboo” she said. "Students were very vocal about how grateful they were to have access to the products they needed." As the program expanded, local businesses and community members donated products, allowing the program to offer even more resources.

Her work with Just In Case offered a valuable lesson in the importance of listening to others and acting on their needs, skills that will serve her well in her nursing career. "As a nurse, your job is to listen to your patients and act on what they need. I felt like I learned and practiced this skill through listening to the students and their needs," Ojeikhodion said. The experience showed her how listening and advocating for others can create meaningful change in the lives of others. 

Looking back on her experiences at UMR, Ojeikhodion shared, “Just In Case wasn’t supposed to be forever. It was supposed to be a pilot to see if it worked and if students responded well and it ended up being successful.” 

Ojeikhodion is eager to take what she’s learned through this experience to help others in her next endeavor. After graduation, Ojeikhodion is moving to North Carolina to work in the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit at Duke University Hospital. She shares excitement for the opportunity to explore a new city and potentially continue her education and follow new passions as they arise. 

Ojeikhodion sees her journey as a series of experiences that shaped her into the health care professional she is today. From her nursing studies to her work with Just In Case, she is eager to bring these lessons to her future role at Duke University Hospital and her career as a compassionate, patient-centered nurse.