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When I was up there getting the award I was thinking about my son
Toronto, ON (PRWEB) September 24, 2008
Embanet ULC, the online education partner for Vanderbilt University, is pleased to announce that a distance learning student from the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing online degree program has received one of the university's highest academic honors, the Founder's Medal. The Founder's Medal has been awarded every year since 1877 to the leading scholars in each school. Cornelius Vanderbilt started the tradition in 1877 with a special endowment.
Jane Zielinski-Carter, who earned her degree through the school's e-learning program -- Health Systems Management -- has been a critical care nurse at a Level One Trauma Unit in Rockford, Ill., for more than 25 years. A single parent, her now-adult son grew up with several neurological issues, and in 2000 a tragic accident rendered him paraplegic.
"When I was up there getting the award I was thinking about my son," says Zielinski-Carter. He inspires me every day and really was the driving force for me earning my advanced degree. We decided together that we can't do much to change his condition, but hopefully I can be an instrument for helping others."
As part of her capstone clinical project for St. Anthony's, Zielinski-Carter developed a comprehensive approach to identifying the estimated 20 percent of hospital patients who are alcohol dependent, to help assuage medical consequences related to alcohol use. At Rockford Memorial, she focused on interventions for risky or harmful drinkers, who can represent up to 50 percent of emergency room visits related to trauma.
Dr. Thomas E. Downey, Chief Academic Officer at Embanet ULC, says, "Embanet is proud to have assisted this student in achieving one of her life's goals. The convenience and high quality of online learning afforded through excellence in technology and design help many thousands of students realize their dream of a higher degree. Stories like this inspire us to do more every day for our students."
Zielinski-Carter views the online format's asynchronous scheduling as an "unexpected gift."
She admits that she had plenty of nights where she did her homework in the middle of the night, but believes that distance learning is the only way she could have earned her degree at a high-caliber institution like Vanderbilt.
"I've had wonderful professors who set the bar very high and classmates who have enriched my learning experience," says Zielinski-Carter. "Earning this degree has made me excited about being a nurse again," she says. "I just want to give back."
About Vanderbilt
The Vanderbilt University School of Nursing opened in 1909, offering a three-year diploma program in nursing. The first Bachelor of Science degree was awarded in 1936 and the first Master's degree in nursing in 1958. The School of Nursing is one of the nation's first nursing programs to incorporate nursing into a liberal arts degree. Having phased out its undergraduate degree program in 1989, the School now offers a curriculum that enables pre-specialty students from diverse backgrounds to move into the master's level study and prepare for careers in advanced practice nursing. For more information on the Health Systems Management online degree program, please visit http://www.vanderbiltonline.info.
About Embanet
Founded in 1995, Embanet is a leading, full service provider of online program design and development, marketing enrollment and technology support services for postsecondary educational institutions. Embanet works with partner schools to help them develop and expand their online graduate and undergraduate programs and provides superior support services that result in industry-leading graduation rates. Embanet's fully hosted e-learning solutions include a tier 1 data center, 24/7/365 technical support, course development, implementation services, system integration and faculty recruitment and training. For more information on Embanet visit http://www.embanet.com.
Press Relations Contact:
Anna Kubiciel
(416) 494-6622 Ext. 2245
AKubiciel@email.embanet.com
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