Valerie Ketterhagen
When I decided to earn my BSN, I started searching for an accelerated program in the Madison area. Since I already had a bachelor’s degree in another field, I wanted to ensure that I could do something quickly. That’s what drew me to Herzing and allowed me to get into the program right away! I even managed to finish the program in 15 months, which was wonderful!
I’d like to give a huge shout-out to Martha Sweet, Melissa Schaetzka and Jennifer Lange for all that they did to help me during my education.
Martha Sweet was my student advisor and professor, and she always demonstrated the Herzing P.R.I.C.E model regularly while making time for her students. Melissa Schaetzka is a wonderful instructor I’m so happy I got to learn from. She cares deeply about her students and the material they’re learning, and teaching is her passion. Jennifer Lange was my clinical instructor in the fall of 2021, and she made sure to do everything possible to accommodate my needs. I worked with her regularly to rearrange my schedule and complete all my clinical hours. I would not be where I am today without the help of these three amazing people!
When it comes to my classes, I feel like my clinical experience in the Labor and Delivery Unit and Heart and Vascular unit was the most valuable. We were able to apply what we learned in the classroom to real-life situations, which left me feeling prepared.
Unfortunately, not everything went perfectly while in school: I lost my father to COVID during the final semester of my program. Thankfully, Herzing allowed me the time I needed to grieve the loss of my father without being penalized academically. I was also able to adjust dates and times so that I could fulfill my clinical hours and complete exams, and want to thank everyone for their help during such a difficult time.
Now that I’m a grad, I’ve applied for a variety of nursing positions throughout the Madison area and I’m so excited to launch my career!
