From North Carolina to the Stormont Vail Surgical ICU

Anne Regan didn’t know much about Kansas outside of her visits to family for the holidays, but while she was taking her nursing prerequisites at Methodist University, her father retired from the military and her parents moved to Kansas to be closer to family. Regan wanted to be near them, but wasn’t sure where she wanted to go to nursing school.

“As soon as I searched for nursing schools in the area, Baker was one of the first to pop up,” Regan said. “Then, my mom is an elementary school teacher, and her school nurse was talking to me about how good Baker’s program is. That got me more interested in it. I emailed Cara [Bonfiglio, student admissions coordinator] and got to do a personal tour with her. I just fell in love with the campus and knew that’s where I had to be. I only applied to Baker for nursing school, so I had my fingers and toes crossed that I would get in.”

Regan was accepted into the program, and two years later she’s ready to graduate. She will participate in the pinning ceremony on Friday, Dec. 13, at 5:30 p.m. at Grace Episcopal Cathedral in Topeka, where she and her classmates will receive their nursing pins and recite the International Pledge for Nurses. Then they will receive their diplomas at the Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, Dec. 15, at 1 p.m. at the George F. Collins, Jr. Sports and Convention Center in Baldwin City.

Regan was offered a position in her capstone area of the Surgical ICU at Stormont Vail Health after she passes the national licensing exam. She is also a licensed practical nurse in the Army Reserves, and she will commission as an officer as a registered nurse. As she looks to her bright future, Regan remembers her time at Baker fondly.

“Nursing school anywhere is going to be challenging and time consuming,” Regan said. “You’re in school more than you’re at home, and when you’re home, you’re studying. It’s a big commitment for two years, but the Baker faculty really does an amazing job of having an open-door policy. It’s so great to have that relationship with your instructors.”