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Volume 9, Number 4: December 20, 2002

Virtual Nursing Student to Present UW-Green Bay Commencement Address

by Amy Pikalek,
UW Learning Innovations

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This week when Cherry Pfau sets foot on the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay campus for the first time, it will be a momentous occasion. Not only will the registered nurse from Land O' Lakes, Florida, receive her bachelor's degree in nursing, but she also will be the featured student speaker at the graduation ceremony. On Dec. 21, 2002, Pfau will receive her degree with her classmates at UW-Green Bay--with one key difference. She completed her degree over the Internet from her home in Florida.

Pfau, who has been a registered nurse for 30 years, is graduating from the national BSN-LINC program, an interactive, online degree completion program offered through a collaboration among the five UW Schools of Nursing and UW Learning Innovations (UWLI). The program is led by UW-Green Bay. The BSN-LINC program is delivered almost entirely online and is offered to registered nurses with an associate degree or diploma. Because it is offered online, BSN-LINC allows students to complete their course work at times and locations that are convenient to them. This was very important to Pfau, who had intended to go back to school for her bachelor's degree for many years but could never manage to fit traditional classes into her work and family schedule. When she first heard about the BSN-LINC program at a national nursing conference, she thought it would be the perfect program for her.

"I researched several other online programs, but most were not (National League for Nursing) accredited or backed by a major university system," Pfau said. "The BSN-LINC program was both--and it was flexible enough to allow me to continue my full-time employment. It has been a challenging, but very rewarding experience. My new knowledge has already been a benefit to me in my current work as an education manager for a large elder-care company. I tell all the other nurses I meet about how great this program is for working nurses. I will be very proud to become an alumnus of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Nursing program."

Pfau enrolled in the BSN-LINC program in the fall of 2000, when the program first went live. Currently, the program has about 125 students enrolled from 30 states and two foreign countries. The first two graduates completed the program in May of 2002. Pfau is one of five BSN-LINC graduates this semester. She will be joined at the Green Bay ceremony by Patricia Jones of Ohio.

According to Jane Muhl, Ph.D, R.N., Interim Dean of Professional Studies and Outreach at UW-Green Bay, the program's flexibility and accessibility are what make it so popular with adult students like Pfau. While the individual courses have deadlines and assignments just like traditional on-campus courses, BSN-LINC allows learners to go to class at any time of day through the Internet. Muhl also praises the program's advisor, Kathy Altergott, with making a big difference in the students' lives and says the collaborative spirit of the program makes it special.

"Even though this technically is UW-Green Bay's program, it's a collaborative effort," Muhl said. "We enjoy the experience of the faculty of UW-Madison, Milwaukee, Oshkosh, Eau Claire and the UW Colleges. BSN-LINC is truly a Wisconsin product. Without the participation of our sister institutions, UW-Extension and UW-Learning Innovations--without all of us together--we couldn't do it."

So, what is Pfau looking forward to most as she prepares to leave her Florida home to visit Wisconsin in December? "I am really, really looking forward to actually seeing the
campus and meeting some of my professors in person," Pfau said. "Everyone here in
Florida thinks I am crazy for going to Green Bay in December, but I am really looking forward to the trip. My mother is the only one brave enough to come with me!"

The UW-Green Bay commencement will be held at noon Saturday, Dec. 21, 2002 at the University's Weidner Center for the Performing Arts.

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BSN-LINC stands for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing-Learning Innovations Nursing Center. It is a collaboration for the five UW schools of nursing-UW-Eau Claire, UW-Green Bay, UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Oshkosh- and the University of Wisconsin Learning Innovations. For more information, see www.bsn-linc.wisconsin.edu
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