Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus (IUPUC) is pleased to announce that Evin Ehrreich of Seymour has been selected for a 2011 Charles and Jo Ann Linsmith Scholarship. The Linsmith Scholarship is for $3,000. Ehrreich was one of six students recognized at the annual IU Alumni Association Awards Banquet in Bloomington on June 17.
The Seymour High School graduate is a nursing major at IUPUC. She will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree in 2013.
Ehrreich was also awarded a separate $1,000 IUPUC nursing scholarship earlier this year, which was funded by two Columbus-based foundations. The $4,000 in total scholarship awards will apply for the 2011-12 year.
A full-time student, wife, and mother of one, Ehrreich is an active IUPUC student. Vice president of the IUPUC Alumni Association, she works part-time as a new student orientation leader, a student events assistant, and a math tutor in the campus learning center.
Ehrreich decided to pursue a nursing career after the birth of her daughter, who is now three. “When Emily was born, I was a patient at Schneck Medical Center. I was inspired by the nurses I met and the quality of care they provided,” she reported.
Ehrreich says she chose IUPUC because it was close to Seymour and she liked the small, close-knit campus. After graduation, she plans to work as a registered nurse for two years before continuing her education and earning a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. Her ultimate career goal is to pursue a doctorate in nursing and teach at the university level.
“I would encourage anyone—male or female—who wants a diverse career to consider nursing. Besides working in a hospital, there are many different settings in which nurses can practice, like schools, social service agencies, or community health organizations. Nursing is a really broad field that offers a great opportunity to make a positive impact on people’s lives,” added Ehrreich.
Pre-nursing courses will be offered in Seymour this fall Seymour residents can still register to take pre-nursing courses at the Jackson County Learning Center this fall, notes Dr. Beth Sharer, interim head of the Indiana University School of Nursing (IUSON) at IUPUC.
Sharer, also of Seymour, said the university’s goal is to make nursing courses convenient for students who live in Jackson County. “More students with BSN degrees are needed in Seymour and communities throughout southeastern Indiana.”
Two pre-nursing courses will be offered at the Jackson County Learning Center. “These courses satisfy part of the admission requirements for students who want to complete their bachelor’s degree in nursing at IUPUC,” Sharer said.
Both of the three-credit courses are hybrid, meaning instructors blend online assignments and course work with classroom instruction.
For more information about nursing education at IUPUC, call 812.348.7250, e-mail nursing@iupuc.edu, or visit www.iupuc.edu.