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I’d like to know if there is any way of knowing how many Alumni there are living in Winona who have started their own business here. I think it might be interesting to produce a little “City” map of WSU grad businesses with the WSU Torch flying at where they are located on say a City or County map and encourage us all to seek each other out for goods and services (A community of learners contributing to their community’s resiliency and balancing the Economic Imapct). Just an idea from a class of ’83 Grad who has worked in Winona (Marketing, Sales, Program Management for close to 30 years) and recently joined another grad BS/MBA (’82/’85)in partnership/ownership of an iconic Winona business (formerly Kupietz Feed and Seed) now known as Winona Feed and Seed & More. I would “blog” for you from time-to-time if you are ever interested in contributing writers. That aside, look at promoting all the folks that make the our “world” go around here in Winona. Mass Communications class of 1983.
I graduated from WSU in 1980 with a BS in Sociology: Criminal Justice and minored in Psychology. From 1996-2008 my husband and I dedicated our life to the nation of Nepal as volunteer senior advisors of FFWPU (Family Federation for World Peace and Unification) which became an umbrella organization for 10 more NGO’s in Nepal. We helped to mentor and raise up one young Hindu student to become the native national director for FFWPU who eventually was elected to government and became Minister of Poverty Alleviation and Cooperatives. In October, 2017 I finally finished and published my memoirs from that experience, “The Kalki Avatar: Tears for Nepal” which can be found on Lulu and Amazon. It identifies parallel scriptures among Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Unificationism.
Brenda Pearson (Passe) Class of 1991 resides back in hometown area of a Wabasha-Kellogg after 20 years in South Florida. Currently owns and operates Turning Waters Bed, Breakfast & Brewery. Fellow Rotarian since 2016 and enjoys hosting charitable functions.
Gundersen’s new fellowship program prepares WSU alum for manager role
Nurses who seek management roles at Gundersen Health System can now learn and practice the skills needed to become effective leaders, thanks to the Clinical Manager Fellowship Program.
Established in May 2017, the program helps provide a ready pipeline of candidates to become clinical managers throughout the organization.
Mao Kong, RN, is the first graduate of the program. “I really never thought about becoming a clinical manager. I just wanted to come to work and make a difference caring for my patients,” says Kong, who graduated from Winona State University with a bachelor of science degree in Nursing in 2017. It wasn’t until an administrative director approached Kong, and pointed out her leadership potential, that she decided to apply.
The Clinical Manager Fellowship Program is a full-time, salaried 6-to-12-month position. The fellow is partnered with a primary mentor who is an experienced clinical manager. The program provides ample opportunities for learning, observation and hands-on experience in many components of the leadership role. Upon successful completion are nurses—like Kong—who are well prepared to be competitive candidates for open clinical manager positions.
“What I found most helpful during the fellowship program was developing trusting relationships with the leaders, staff and patients. I’m a firm believer that in order to connect with people, they first must know that I care,” says Kong, who is now the clinical manager of Urgent Care at the Gundersen Onalaska Clinic.
“Words cannot express how grateful I am of the support I’ve received from Gundersen. Not only did I receive help from the Tuition Investment Program to complete my BSN, but I also received a lot of support from so many mentors to help seek out and achieve my career goals,” Kong adds.