While many Arizonans head north to escape the triple digits during the month of July, a group from the Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC) Nursing Program traveled south, way south, and accomplished the same thing. But they weren’t running away from anything; they were running toward something.
EMCC Nursing Professor Dr. Amy Johnson, along with a couple of her current students and one alum, traveled to the Mberengwa District in Zimbabwe — yes, Zimbabwe! — to volunteer their time and efforts at a pop-up healthcare clinic for the underserved population. The cooler weather was just a bonus.
“Since we traveled during their winter season, the temperatures were very comfortable, ranging from the 40s to the 70s,” Dr. Johnson said. “The cooler mornings and evenings were a welcome surprise and made our time there very enjoyable.”
The south-of-the-equator humanitarian mission was the perfect follow-up to an international humanitarian mission taken by Dr. Johnson and two of her Nursing Program colleagues to St. Lucia in the Caribbean in 2024.
“That experience was amazing,” Dr. Johnson said. “As soon as we returned, we were already talking about another trip!”
Dr. Johnson learned about the mission last winter at a scholarship award ceremony for one of her students.
“My student’s husband attended the award ceremony, and he asked me, ‘Would you and your team be interested in going on an outreach trip to Zimbabwe this summer?’ Dr. Johnson said. “My response was simple: ‘Yep!’ And from that moment, I never looked back.”
But this time, two of her current students would be going with her: Alysha Hall and Victoria De La Paz.
“When Dr. Johnson sent out an invitation to all of the EMCC nursing students about this opportunity, and there were only 5 spots open, I jumped at the chance to go,” Alysha said. “I’ve always wanted to go serve on a mission, and this was an opportunity I just couldn’t pass up on.”
The group spent five days working in tents, assisting with minor procedures, administering medications, supporting patients managing chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, and more. Victoria even got to help deliver a baby.
“I had so much adrenaline when it happened,” she said. “It was my very first time seeing and helping with a baby's delivery. I had watched videos of childbirth in my anatomy and physiology classes, but nothing could have prepared me for experiencing it in person.”
She said the midwife and a physician said the labor would likely take a couple of hours since it was the mother’s first delivery, but the baby had other plans.
“Everything happened so unexpectedly and incredibly fast,” Victoria said. “They said two hours, but maybe 10 minutes later, a beautiful baby girl weighing 5 pounds, 9 ounces was born! In that moment, I truly felt my calling to be a nurse.”
She said it was one of the most incredible and emotional moments of her life.
“Seeing new life come into the world was absolutely beautiful, and I couldn't help but cry tears of joy,” she said. “Being part of that experience is something I will never forget, and it made me even more excited to begin my OB/GYN clinicals this semester.”
Victoria and Alysha are both entering Block 3 of the Nursing Program. They will graduate in May 2027, take the NCLEX nursing license exam, and begin their careers as registered nurses. They both chose EMCC because of the program’s strong reputation and high NCLEX pass rates.
Over the past decade, EMCC’s Nursing Program has maintained an NCLEX pass rate greater than 97%. Dr. Johnson attributes that to her team striving to support a community of future nurses.
“We work hard to support them individually, we try to get to know them as more than students, we push them, but we always assure them that our goal is to make them the best future nurse they can be,” she said. “With this work, NCLEX just falls into place.”
Over the five days in Zimbabwe, Dr. Johnson and her team served 699 patients, some of them traveling hours or even days to get to the clinic. She said Alysha and Victoria were invaluable, jumping at every opportunity with a smile.
“They both intentionally connected with the patients and staff working the camp — learning common phrases in their language to connect with them, taking the time to visit with them, and getting to know them.” Dr. Johnson said. “Victoria and Alysha are very special individuals — they both truly have servant hearts, and their stamp on that community will never be forgotten.”
Alysha said it was difficult to see the line of people who would wait in line throughout the night for the clinic to reopen each morning, but incredibly rewarding to watch the patients leave, knowing their needs had been met.
“Connecting with them was truly a blessing to my life,” she said. “The way they embraced and received us, I’ve never felt or seen that anywhere else. They are so rich in their social ties with one another, and they all care for each other. It was beautiful to see and experience their culture.”
The outreach program strengthened their clinical skills, increased their confidence, and reinforced their passion for nursing and serving underserved populations around the world. Seeing the challenges people face to accessing healthcare was both eye-opening and humbling.
“Working alongside local healthcare providers taught me the importance of adaptability, collaboration, and cultural humility,” Victoria said. “We learned from one another while working toward the common goal of providing quality care to as many patients as possible.
“The time spent in Zimbabwe strengthened my commitment to serving underserved populations and confirmed my passion for pursuing a career in nursing.”
Interested in a nursing career? Estrella Mountain Community College’s Nursing Program offers smaller class sizes than large universities, affordable education, financial aid counseling, and application assistance. Students have the ability to obtain a bachelor’s degree in nursing while earning an associate degree through the Concurrent Enrollment Program. Explore EMCC Nursing Program