Katherine Miller had it all. She and her husband raised three great kids, and she had a solid career as an LPN. Still, she felt something was missing. She was determined to grow her career as a healthcare professional but wanted to try something different. When an email arrived in her inbox promoting the Clarkson College Community Health program, Katherine knew she had found the answer.
She was intrigued by the diversity of the program which touches on many aspects of the healthcare field, including epidemiology, environmental risk factors, vulnerable populations, trauma informed care, crisis intervention, health promotion, public policy, and healthcare delivery systems.
Katherine’s path to enrolling at Clarkson College and earning a Bachelor of Science in Community Health took a few turns along the way. She and her husband, natives of northern Minnesota, were a military family, moving more times than they could count and uprooting their children at every turn. Eventually, the U.S. Air Force brought them to the Omaha area, and the positive experience cemented the decision to make Omaha their permanent home.
Her original plan upon high school graduation to become an elementary teacher changed after spending one week in the classroom. As she and her husband relocated from place-to-place, Katherine set her sights on earning an LPN diploma and, a few years later, an AAS degree. After years of starts and stops, her degrees were completed online, an option that fit best for her family’s transient life.
Once settled in Omaha, she was ready to resume her nursing career. Her LPN license was issued in Alaska and Nebraska required a refresher course for an out-of-state licensee. She discovered Clarkson College, enrolled in the necessary course, and spent time learning in the SIM lab and on 6W at Nebraska Medicine. She credits her Clarkson College instructor, Sue Leutzinger, as pivotal in connecting her life as a stay-at-home mom and military wife to that of a nurse back in the working world. Ms. Leutzinger was a constant source of encouragement, confidence, and knowledge.
After working as an LPN for two organizations, Katherine began working for Think Whole Person Healthcare as a Triage LPN. As each year of service went by, the nudge to return to school was ever present. Through an email, Think promoted their community partnership with Clarkson College which offers scholarships to employees, their spouses, and their dependents. Katherine’s research found details about the Bachelor of Science in Community Health program, and she knew that she had found what she was looking for.
As a Community Health major, Katherine chose to also complete a Certificate in Public Health. One hesitation for Katherine was the course requirement of Advanced Statistics. A discussion with her director, Ms. Sarah Flanagan, quelled her anxiety. She was reassured that with a fantastic instructor (Ms. Jodi Flynn) and small class size, she could succeed. And she did. Class sizes are small, allowing instructors time to engage in each student’s performance with constructive and encouraging feedback. Katherine was able to understand the coursework while still having fun learning and was confident that her instructors truly wanted all their students to succeed and do well.
Reflecting on her choice, Katherine stated, “Clarkson College was the best fit for me because I needed a flexible school schedule while working full-time. When I started the admission process, I felt like I was the only student at the college. My advisor, the registrar, and the financial aid team were committed to my enrollment, credit transfer, and affordability of my classes. For the first time, I felt like I was seen as a person and not a number.”
“The Community Health degree program has been a perfect mix of left and right brain learning. It has stretched me in ways I could never imagine,” she continued. “It provided a wealth of knowledge that you don’t usually get with more-specific degree fields.”
Katherine’s next step is to enter the Master of Public Health (MPH) program at UNMC. “The breadth of knowledge I have gained working through the Clarkson College program has not only benefited me in my role at work, but my personal life as well. I have no doubt that what has been instilled in me at Clarkson College will benefit me in this new program at UNMC.”
Students in the Bachelor of Science in Community Health degree program benefit from an interdisciplinary curriculum with courses that address vulnerable populations, health literacy and patient advocacy, legal and ethical implications, environmental and cultural influences on health, trauma informed care, and grant writing. Coursework is tailored to each student’s interest in one of six concentrations: Nutrition, Women’s Health, Public Health, Human Services, Gerontology, and Healthcare Business.
Sarah Flanagan, Director of Community Health & Interprofessional Engagement, welcomes your questions about the Community Health program. Contact Ms. Flanagan: [email protected] and find more information on the Clarkson College website, ClarksonCollege.edu.
