USU Moab Creates Nursing Lunch & Learn Professional Development Series

MOAB, Utah — Utah State University Moab hosted several Lunch and Learn sessions aimed at connecting nursing students, faculty and medical professionals throughout the region during the spring 2026 semester.

The Lunch and Learn series, developed in partnership with USU Moab administration and facilitated by Connie Wilson and Jessica Elkon, expands professional development opportunities for students by offering career mentoring and strengthening healthcare networking across Grand County.

“I developed this idea to create meaningful connections between community healthcare providers and nursing and pre-nursing students at USU Moab,” Wilson said. “I modeled this education series after other series that I have experienced working in large hospitals.”

Wilson, who also works at the Moab Regional Hospital, used her connections to recruit local nurses to attend the lunches. These lunches were open to the community and included local nurses and nurse leaders, social workers, nursing and pre-nursing students, biology faculty and students, hospital administrators, and USU staff.

Wilson said she was beyond pleased by the presentations that were part of the lunches, saying that they surpassed her dreams for the project. The topics spread far and wide on parts of the profession.

“The topics have been diverse and engaging — ranging from pathways to becoming a flight nurse to compassionate care for patients with substance use disorder, presented by USARA-Utah Recovery Peer Support,” she said.

Wilson and Elkon hope to expand participation even further in future years among physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners, with a focus on strengthening nurse-to-provider collaboration. They feel that the series can bring people together to learn and connect in person.

“In a time when much education and training is delivered virtually, these sessions provide valuable space forauthentic human interaction and relationship-building within our healthcare community,” Wilson said.

Located in the outdoor recreation paradise of Moab and boasting one of the greenest buildings on any USU campus, Utah State University Moab offers students the personalized attention and small class sizes of a small-town college with the resources of a large university. With programs such as Nursing, Elementary Education, Recreation Resource Management and Social Work, technical education in Health Professions, Automotive and Business, and degree options ranging from associate to doctorate degrees, USU Moab offers programs that help fuel local economies and empower individuals and their communities. Learn more at moab.usu.edu.