SXU Nursing Faculty and Students Participate in Day of Hope
Saint Xavier University (SXU) nursing professor and Fulbright Scholar Zepure Samawi Ph.D., brought SXU faculty and students together to make a meaningful impact at the 2026 Day of Hope in Chicago. Samawi collaborated with event coordinators to provide health promotion services to the community.
Day of Hope Chicago is a large-scale community outreach event providing free groceries, back-to-school supplies, health screenings, and family services, and was held on Saturday, July 25, at Marquette Park. The event's mission, aligned with Saint Xavier’', was to bring health promotion awareness, hope, encouragement, and practical resources to the community.
Samawi, in her commitment to SXU's mission, brought her nursing knowledge and skills to positively impact the health and well-being of the community. Samawi has been the leader of the Day of Hope Health Services Tent since 2015. This year, the event brought in 4,7000 attendees, including families with their children, adults, and the elderly.
Samawi is very grateful to SXU nursing faculty Charlene Bermele, DNP, Ann Miller, DNP, Jennifer Dusak, Caroline Wilson, DNP, Mary Murphy-Smith, DNP, communication sciences and disorders faculty Carry Zaras and nursing students Yusur Aljobory and Gabriel Diaz, who volunteered for the event and shared their expertise to promote health awareness. This event was supported in part by SXU's Sigma Theta Tau chapter, Alpha Omicron, and Saint Xavier University.
Murphy-Smith, who participated for the fourth time, said, "I valued doing the blood pressure screenings to provide the message of health to the people who came to the health services tent."
It was Dusak's first time volunteering, and she found it so be a special opportunity.
"Volunteering helped me to live out SXU's Mercy mission in a very meaningful way. As nurses, caring for people is at the heart of who we are, and this day allows us to share that care and compassion with our community in a different way," said Dusak.
Aljobory, a nursing senior, appreciated that volunteering at the event helped her put SXU's Mercy mission into action.
"I am very grateful to Dr. Samawi for informing me about this volunteer opportunity and allowing me to be part of such a meaningful event. During my community nursing clinical, Dr. Samawi spent a great deal of time teaching me how to communicate with children, break those barriers and provide age-appropriate nursing education. Educating children can be more challenging than educating adults, and Dr. Samawi's guidance helped me become more confident in approaching and interacting with pediatric patients. At this event, I was able to use those skills by teaching children about proper oral hygiene and encouraging healthy habits. This experience was not only enjoyable but also strengthened my confidence, communication skills, and ability to educate patients. I truly appreciate Dr. Samawi's mentorship and the opportunities she has provided for me to grow both personally and professionally as a future nurse," said Aljobory.
Miller, who volunteered for the second time, said, "Volunteering for this event has allowed me to share the most updated health information and evidence-based updates with our community with high-energy engagement."
It was also Wilson's second time volunteering, and what stood out most to her as the event unfolded were the values of respect, compassion and service that are foundational to SXU's mission.
"Every attendee was welcomed as a guest of honor rather than someone in need. This reframing is powerful because it reminds us to see those seeking services not as statistics or demographic groups but as individuals and families with unique stories, strengths, and dignity. The experience reinforced the importance of approaching health promotion and community service with empathy, respect, and a commitment to honoring the humanity of every person we serve," said Wilson.
Samawi was grateful for the participation of her colleagues and students and proud of how they demonstrated SXU's mission.
"The success of the event was only possible because of people like my colleagues and nursing students who are willing to serve others with kindness and compassion. I firmly believe that every act of service has the great power to make a meaningful difference in the health and well-being of the people. For me, this is what the Mercy mission is truly about -- serving others with compassion, gratitude, kindness, and love," said Samawi.