There are probably more nurses in Bluffton than you might expect.

Maple Crest hosted an alumni gathering of The Mennonite College of Nursing from Illinois State University, Normal, Ill., on June 16. Attending were several Bluffton residents who are graduates of the school.

Persons in the photo accompanying this story are, from left, Doris Garmatter Hamman,  Mary Ann Watkins, Marcie Sommer Duehr, Willadene Keeney, Elfrieda Landes Ramseyer and Janet Krejci. Click on photo to enlarge.

Those attending were:
• Dr. Janet Krejci, Interim Provost, Illinois State University and Dean, Mennonite College of Nursing.
• Jenny Ward, Director of Development, Mennonite College of Nursing
• Mary Ann Watkins, MCN graduate 1961 (lives in Normal, Ill.)
• Doris Garmatter Hamman, grad from 1947 (lives at Maple Crest)
• Marcia Sommer Duehr, grad, 1946 (lives in Bloomington, Ill.)
• Willadene Hartzler Keeney, grad, 1945 (lives at Maple Crest)
• Elfrieda Landes Ramseyer, grad, 1958 (lives in Bluffton)
• There were five additional guests present.

Mennonite College of Nursing became Illinois State University’s sixth academic college on July 1, 1999.

According to Elfrieda Ramseyer, “The rich heritage of MCN began in 1919, and the primary mission to prepare outstanding professional nurses by providing a quality education, which is built on a commitment to serve and excellence continues at Illinois State.”

MCN  offers the Master’s in Nursing and PhD in Nursing as well as the BSN degree.

Students  are involved in various community health organizations along with trans-cultural experiences of various kinds.

Over the past five years, MCN graduates have exceeded the state and national averages for the NCLEX-RN (used to be called State Board of Nursing exams).

The dean of the college, Dr. Janet Krejci, told those attending the Maple Crest event that  ‘our alumni are strong leaders that advocate for the vulnerable humans in their care.’

As an MCN graduate, Ramseyer says  that “Mennonite College of Nursing continues to produce excellent nursing leaders, ready to go into any workplace, no matter where, and be productive.  Today is an exciting time to prepare for a career that offers so much opportunity.”

Ramseyer added that when all of the alums at the gathering were in nurse’s training, the school was called Mennonite Hospital School of Nursing. It is now called Mennonite College of Nursing.