The Mennonite College of Nursing’s Scholarship and Awards Banquet was held in September at the Alumni Center.
For the 2013-14 academic year, 70 scholarships and awards were distributed to MCN students and faculty. President Timothy J. Flanagan welcomed the college’s donors and students, and Nancy Flanagan, Ph.D., RN, also made some remarks.
MCN senior Casey Patton gave an inspiring speech about how the Roger and Stevie Joslin Scholarship helped her get through nursing school and how she has stayed connected with the Joslins.
Four new scholarships were awarded this year at the banquet:
- Dr. Maureen Block, Illinois Heart & Lung Foundation, Spirit of Success Memorial Scholarship
- Della Mae Burns Scholarship
- Dr. Brett Cassens Endowed Memorial Scholarship
- Laurie T. Wessel & Lynn Marie Wessel Vickers Endowed Scholarship, which was recently established by MCN Dean Janet Wessel Krejci
Genny Petersen, Janet Krecji, and Anne-Marie White.
Krejci established this scholarship to honor her sisters, who both died from complications of lupus. Laurie was diagnosed at age 12, succumbing at age 26 after many years of hospitalizations, dialysis, and finally a kidney transplant which developed sepsis and ended her life. Lynn was diagnosed in her 20s and also experienced challenges, hospitalizations, dialysis, finally succumbing at age 37 after developing sepsis post-surgery.
Both were both amazing and fearless fighters, champions, role models, loving sisters and friends. They are missed daily, but what they taught Janet as well as others was the enormous and powerful difference nurses and other health care professionals can make when they truly listen and see the complexity of the vulnerable human before them.
Krejci was able to call the first recipient of her scholarship, Anne-Marie White, who is in the Accelerated B.S.N. program.
“This is one of the best things about my job,” said Krejci. “I love being able to contact the students and inform them they have received a scholarship. It was especially heartwarming to be able to call the first recipient of the scholarship I established in honor of my sisters, and then being able to meet Anne-Marie at the banquet.”
