UW-Green Bay mourns the unexpected passing of Prof. Sylvia “Mimi” Kubsch
Nursing peers and others who have had the pleasure of working with Mimi Kubsch through her 40-year tenure in the Nursing program were devastated to learn of her unexpected passing on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. Mimi began as an adjunct instructor in 1980, progressed to assistant professor in 1991 and associate professor in 1994. She received emeritus status in May of 2019 and continued to work as an adjunct instructor.
A nomination for emeritus status detailed just how many students Mimi had influenced through the years. “In 1982, Dr. Kubsch attended commencement for the first eight students graduating with their Bachelor of Science in Nursing; in 2012 Dr. Kubsch attended commencement as the nursing program graduated its 1000th baccalaureate student, and in 2019 the BSN graduates will exceed 1800. Dr. Kubsch has ‘touched’ most, if not all of these BSN students…
Mimi Kubsch
“Kubsch developed the initial RN-BSN campus curriculum, beginning the nursing program at UW-Green Bay in 1982; she was one of the two instructors for the program. Dr. Kubsch was one of the first faculty members on campus to request and receive an office computer, a novel event in 1994! She was instrumental in moving the program to offer distance learning via compressed video and ultimately online courses with the creation of the online BSN@Home collaborative nursing program (for students in Wisconsin) in 1995 and the online BSN-LINC program (for students across the nation) in 2000. Dr. Kubsch was part of the development team for the online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in 2013. Most recently, Dr. Kubsch was a member of the curriculum development team for the new BSN Traditional Nursing program starting Fall 2019.”
Nursing Chair Christine Vandenhouten described Mimi as a “true advocate for nursing science.”
“Many of us were touched by Mimi in ways visible and not so visible,” she wrote after hearing of Mimi’s passing. “Whenever there was a job to be done, Mimi was already ready to step up… Mimi was also a staunch advocate for nurses’ independent therapeutic interventions and developed a Complementary Therapies course to empower students to believe in the power of nursing to heal.”
Mimi enjoyed helping future nurses and upon her retirement, the Nursing and Health Studies Program established the Mimi and Ken Kubsch Endowed Scholarship, which honors both Mimi and her late husband Dr. Ken Kubsch’s contributions to health care and education by providing support for deserving Bachelor of Science in Nursing, RN to BSN and Master of Science in Nursing students.
Memorial gifts to the Mimi and Ken Kubsch Endowed Scholarship can be made online, or by check to the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Foundation (Mimi and Ken Kubsch Endowed Scholarship), 2420 Nicolet Drive, Green Bay, WI 54311.
Gathering of family and friends will be held from 9 to 11 a.m., Wednesday, March 9, 2022 at Resurrection Catholic Church 333 Hilltop Drive, Allouez. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. with Rev. Tom Reynebeau officiating.
See the complete obituary.
