Clarion, Edinboro, & Slippery Rock Universities Master of Science in Nursing Programs

I received my BSN from the University of Pittsburgh in 1979. Returning to my rural hometown in Venango County, I found my niche as a public health nurse for the Pennsylvania Department of Health. I first worked as a public health nurse in a county office for 15 years and then transferred into a position as a communicable disease nurse consultant. Now that my children are older I decided it was the season in my life to return to school. I decided to pursue a master's degree in nursing, as it is a wonderful time for nursing to advance, in spite of the challenges we face. Nursing is truly a noble profession.

I chose the Clarion, Edinboro, Slippery Rock program for several reasons. First it is an accredited program with a family nurse practitioner track. The program is convenient for nurses living in rural areas like mine and I appreciate the online instruction as well as using interactive television for classes. I feel the curriculum is set up to build a framework that nurses need in order to stay current with the trends in health care. The cost of the program is also attractive. The application process was convenient. I have found the professors to be experts in their field and committed to educating nurses and advancing the profession. I find them to be friendly and approachable.

I am currently enrolled as a part time student as well as working 37.5 hours a week.I truly love being back in school. My goal is to finish the program in the summer of 2007 and then explore new opportunities as a family nurse practitioner in the area of public health. Please feel free to email me at regroner@clarion.edu with any questions.

Laura Wanchick

I graduated from Sharon Regional Health System's School of Nursing in 1999 and immediately began working on my BSN at SRU while working on medical-surgical and telemetry units. I enjoyed Slippery Rock's program because, at the time, half of the courses were online allowing for flexibility in study and work schedules. I eventually made my way to the emergency department, where I currently work, and found that emergency nursing is what I enjoy the most. I always knew I wanted to pursue a master's degree, and it was in the ER where I met and began to work with many knowledgeable and skilled nurse practitioners which helped me choose the nurse practitioner field.

Because I had such a great experience with SRU previously, I decided to explore the combined master's program of Clarion, Edinboro, and Slippery Rock Universities and found it to be just what I was looking for. I am excited to be preparing for my new role as a Family Nurse Practitioner and find that my professors not only care that I succeed, but are knowledgeable and continue to practice in his or her field, making them relevant and current in the classroom.

Please e-mail me at lars2@zoominternet.net if you have any questions about the program.