The Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing RN/BSN Completion Program named the Casper College Department of Nursing their Community Partner for 2014. "Casper College nursing directors and faculty are constant advocates for UW BSN education,” says UW faculty member Susie Hager, who works closely with Casper College as the UW RN/BSN Completion Program liaison. “They are truly community partners with FWWSON, promoting our efforts to provide accessible BSN education to Wyoming nurses.”
How did this partnership emerge? In the 1990's Hager began teaching for FWWSON. She represented UW’s RN/BSN program from a Casper office and also represented BSN educational opportunities to both RNs and associate degree nursing (ADN) students. With encouragement from Casper College (CC) nursing program director Jolene Knaus, Hager began informal chats with students. Graduating to a more structured recruitment role when invited to participate in “Advising Day” each semester, she began attending faculty meetings to explain BSN education and also spoke with ADN students in their final semester. Hager continues these practices, giving credit to Knaus and CC faculty for their advocacy and support of advancing students’ educational opportunities. Knaus’ successors, Kelly Politte and current ADN program director Heather Huber, maintain the open-door policy, encouraging meaningful collaboration between nursing programs.
