Nursing grads persist despite distance, difficulty
First row, left to right: Susan Gallagher-Lepak, Stacie Murley, Amy Bargander-Sullivan, Brenda Mroczynski, Annette Dalka and Jennifer Schwahn. Second row: Chris Vandenhouten, Sharon Gajeski, Andrew Phiri, Brenda VanLangenberg, Lori Birkholz, Leslie Lehrer, Moses Ngugi, Heather Marker, Bones, Janet Reilly and Mimi Kubsch.
More than 50 graduates and friends attended a graduation open house hosted by the Professional Program in Nursing on Saturday, May 14. Among the visitors were students and family from as far away as Kenya. Jan Malchow, manager of student outreach for the nursing program, which specializes in RN to BSN education and online delivery, shared some details of these exceptional grads.
Moses Ngugi is originally from Kenya and graduated from Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC), a partner campus of our BSN-LINC program. His family traveled from Kenya to graduation.
Lori Birkholz is from Alabama and survived the recent rash of tornadoes in April. She finished her online coursework despite her entire county being without power for several days. Birkholz participated in the Peru travel course with Susan Gallagher-Lepak and co-authored an online published article Gallagher-Lepak.
Brenda VandenLangenberg from Oneida completed her degree entirely on campus with the exception of her last course, which she took online.
Andrew Phiri is from Zambia in Africa. He came to the United States about 13 years ago and took associate degree courses from MCTC and North Hennepin, another partner campus.
Annette Dalka is from Rhinelander and participated in the inaugural course offered in Rhinelander as part of the program’s new site-based outreach program to the “Northwoods.” When she started the program, she traveled to Nicolet College for use of a computer.
