The University of Utah College of Nursing welcomed 135 middle and high school students from across the Salt Lake Valley for its fourth annual Saturday Academy on March 24, 2026.
Serving grades 6-12, Saturday Academy is a collaboration between all six entities on the University of Utah Health campus, which includes The Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Dentistry, College of Pharmacy, College of Health, and the Eccles Health Science Library. The program’s mission is to develop and promote a campus environment where students feel a sense of belonging and populate a strong applicant pool for admission into multiple health science fields for all students.
At the College of Nursing’s featured event, students explored what it means to pursue a career in nursing through immersive learning experiences in the College’s Simulation Center. They practiced clinical skills, participated in realistic patient care simulations, and rotated through stations highlighting different aspects of the profession. Speaker panels featuring faculty, registered nurses, advanced practice registered nurses, and current nursing students offered insight into the nursing student experience, preparing for college, and the admissions process.
“Seeing students engage in hands-on learning and hear directly from professionals about the breadth of opportunities in nursing is incredibly rewarding,” said Aaron Enz, community engagement manager at the College of Nursing. “Through Saturday Academy and our other outreach efforts throughout the year, our goal is to ensure students leave with a deeper understanding of the many pathways within nursing and a clear sense that there is a place for them in the profession and a path for them to succeed.”
Kristan Tunks, student success manager at the College, co-led the event. “It’s inspiring to see the excitement on students’ faces as they experience nursing in a new and meaningful way,” she said. “All the planning and preparation is worth it when students leave recognizing a clear path forward in their educational and professional journeys. This event truly takes a large number of people to put on, and we are grateful for the many volunteers, staff, and faculty who make it possible.”
A large, dedicated team of volunteers, staff, and faculty helped bring this year’s event to life, creating a welcoming and engaging environment that encouraged students to ask questions, build connections, and envision themselves in nursing careers. Student feedback reflected this impact and highlighted the importance of representation, mentorship, and hands-on learning.
- “The group leaders, Kylie and Justin were amazing! They were very positive and weren't afraid to get close to the attendees and talk. Almost like they've been my friend before! Those two have brought warmth to my feelings of [nursing], so I thank them!"
- "The chance to meet with and interact with current students and nurses since that's kind of harder to do in everyday life when thinking about careers, and also the different stations were interesting"
- "[V]ery fun and the school of nursing is my favorite one. it would be cool to do more with the simulation dummies"
- "The simulations, [I] love how hands on they were and how realistic they were."
- "I really liked when we practiced getting patients on and off of hospital beds! It was really fun and cool to me! I also love how nursing is a team job!"
- "I liked the rotations that we did because it showed us many different components of nursing and I learned a lot."
- "[my favorite part was] when the important people answered questions from the students. It gave me a lot of information I had been looking for."
- "I loved this nursing academy so much! I'm super interested in the [three-day] summer camp but when I went to fill out the interest survey it said it was only for 6th-9th graders! Is there already a camp for high schoolers that I just don't know about? Also I loved all the staff and group leaders!! They were so helpful and answered all my questions! I learned a lot!"
Saturday Academy continues to strengthen the pipeline into nursing and other health sciences professions by creating early exposure, meaningful mentorship, and a sense of belonging on campus. Through collaboration across University of Utah Health, the program is helping students envision themselves in health care careers and equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to pursue higher education.
Learn more about Saturday Academy and upcoming events.
