In The News

A Legacy of Learning and Service

12 June 2025

For decades, the College has supported healthcare in rural communities. We are proud of our extensive network of alumni who provide care in nearly all of Nebraska's counties (and across the country.) Dr. Andreia Nebel, Clarkson College President & CEO, was recently interviewed by Willa Prescott, Director of Advocacy Communications for the Nebraska Hospital Association. Take a moment to read the article at the link and learn more about the Clarkson College legacy of learning.

137 years of educating Nebraska nurses

In 1888, Meliora Clarkson founded Nebraska’s first nursing school. It was among the first nursing schools in the country, and an institution built on a foundation of service.

“The values we teach are learning, caring, commitment, excellence and integrity,” said Dr. Andreia Nebel, current President of Clarkson College. “We want students to think, how am I giving back to my community?”

In 1896, the Visiting Nurse Association was founded with help from nurses at Clarkson Hospital, bringing health care to people who were too sick or too poor to go to the hospital. When the first ten Nebraska Red Cross nurses were sent to France for service in World War I, half of them were Clarkson School of Nursing graduates. In 1918, students tended to flu victims as the world suffered through the Spanish Flu pandemic.

That commitment to service continues today. Over the last 137 years, they have changed locations, adopted a new name and expanded health care education offerings. But service hours and service learning are still built into all the programs at Clarkson College.

The college also has a long-standing dedication to rural health, as well as distance and hybrid education. Full-time faculty and staff are strategically located across Nebraska. In fact, Clarkson College has been a pioneer in distance education, predating its widespread popularity. In the late 1980s, through the leadership of President Dr. Patricia Book Perry, the college began sending out VHS and cassette tapes of lectures to provide educational opportunities to students in rural areas.

The early adoption of remote learning proved invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic. When COVID hit, Clarkson College was displaced for only one week, with no students delayed in their graduation or coursework, a testament to their established online platforms and preparedness.

This commitment to rural Nebraska extends to clinical placements, and every program has a rural rotation with the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program alone boasting 54 different sites across the state.

Dr. Nebel has a deep and personal connection to the institution and its mission. Starting as an adjunct faculty member in 2003, she rose through the ranks, becoming Director of the PTA program and Vice President of Academic Affairs before assuming the presidency in May 2023. A physical therapist by profession, Nebel’s background includes practicing in rural settings, and she passionately advocates for all health care professional roles.

Two of her former students, Caleb and Luke Poore, are brothers from Cozad, Nebraska. And both serve in rural Nebraska. Luke as the CEO of Kearney County Health Services and Caleb as the President and CEO of Boone County Health Center. They both received the Clarkson College Distinguished Alumni Award in the Fall of 2023.

“Clarkson College taught me how to be a professional,” said Caleb. “The setup and how the class operates and how you learn together felt like a family environment. Clarkson contributed to broadening my knowledge and preparing me to be a physical therapist assistant. And that clinical knowledge from Clarkson allows me to do my job as a CEO.”

During their final clinical semester, students are often placed in the rural communities where they intend to work. Clarkson College’s reach is truly impressive, with alumni working in all but 19 Nebraska counties, covering an estimated 80% of the state.

“I love rural health because everybody focuses on teamwork and helps wherever they are needed. We would always say, nobody’s above a load of laundry,” Nebel said. “The work that is done in a rural facility is key to being able to have a healthy community.”

Visit iloveruralhealth.com to learn more.