Congratulations go to Joanne Prahl, staff coordinator of the Clinical Simulation Center in the UW Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing. Joanne was recognized this month by the Wyoming Army National Guard upon her retirement following 31 years of service.
Joanne, retiring Sergeant First Class Prahl, chose Air Traffic Control Radar Operator as her Military Operational Skill. Throughout her time with the Guard she continued to gain advanced individual training, something she enjoyed fully. Prahl shares, “I loved the lifelong learning process with the world of aviation and continuously enhancing my leadership skills.”
Sergeant Prahl’s favorite takeaway from her time in the Guard was “the camaraderie and unit cohesiveness—Esprit de corps,” says SFC Prahl. She also cautiously formed her words to reflect on her valuable experience in Kuwait: “I really enjoyed observing the culture in a foreign country and learning mission readiness in a time of war.”
For 17 of the 31 years in the Guard, Prahl worked at the University of Wyoming, starting in the Campus ID Office, then working for several departments to include Chemistry, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering and Center for Advising and Career Services. As the Clinical Simulation Center Coordinator for the School of Nursing she states: “This is a perfect job for me. I couldn’t take a desk job with nothing but paperwork! I need to move, keep on my toes.” Joanne enjoys the technology and jumps right in learning how to work the simulated manikins used to teach in the nursing program.
But her favorite part of her current job is “time spent with students,” says Joanne. “I’m a people person and thrive on the interaction.” Prahl also enjoys preparation for nursing simulations. “My experience with flight operations is likely what landed me this wonderful job,” she imagines. Her ability to “control the traffic” in the busy simulation center will likely keep her hopping and happy for “hopefully years to come,” shares a coworker, who wraps this story up by saying: “It’s awesome to have Sergeant Prahl on our staff. Her can-do attitude, her love for learning and her wonderful sense of humor will be missed by those in the Guard, but treasured by those of us getting to work with her now.”
