Congratulations on the 50th anniversary of graduating from the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing. It’s truly incredible to think about how fast 50 years have gone by! Whether you’re still practicing, teaching, volunteering, or conducting research, you all deserve to take a bow and congratulate yourselves for making a difference in the world.
Your class experienced tremendous change during your nursing education—both on campus and throughout the world. You witnessed Vietnam War protests and the lowering of the voting age to 18, while preparing to begin your nursing careers. The School of Nursing will host a variety of virtual programs and social hours to celebrate during the month of September.
Couldn’t celebrate with us in September? Watch the event recordings below!
All-campus reunion events will also take place October 14 to 17.
Celebrate Your Class
Share your memories and photos with us by completing the class survey. We’d like to include you!
More from the Class of 1971
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Remarks from the Celebration Committee
The six of us came together in partnership with the School of Nursing to plan a celebration for our class. We were part of an incredible class that broke boundaries and prepared for a career focused on improving health and systems for all. We hope you will join us during our celebration programs in September!
The School of Nursing Class of 1971 Celebration Committee: Barbara Brown, Linda Hurwitz, Pat McCowen Mehring, Laurie K. Glass, Connie Keyes, Lynne O’Donnell
Class of 1971 List
- Carole Anderson
- Karen Anderson
- Terri Anderson
- Cathy Meissner Beckwith
- Jeanne Berk
- Kathleen Berkley
- Maxine Binn
- Bonnie Kessro Blake
- Linda Luetscher Blakeslee
- Mary Milinowicz Borer
- Roberta Bost
- Claire Quist Box
- Barbara Brown
- Cathy Brunt
- Lynn Domres Buhmann
- Toni Carroll
- Carol Clingan
- Kathleen Aschenbrenner Cooper
- Barbara Hallanan Crawford
- Natalie Dahl
- Eleanor De Lucia
- Constance Deer
- Judith DeMuth
- Carol Demuth
- Susan Dolney
- Cathryn Eckberg
- Diane Ela
- Ann Emery
- Elizabeth Engberg
- Sandra Fager
- Barbara Ferrier
- Mary Fick
- Karen Fish
- Evelyn Flores
- Diane Fredrickson
- Cathleen Gencel
- Laurie Glass
- Helen Glembocki
- Susan Libesch Gordon
- Judith Grasamke
- Teresa Halcsik
- Pamela Harding
- Patricia Higgins
- Kristin Hill
- Carol Howley
- Patricia Hrobsky
- Carol Huff
- Linda Hurwitz
- Elizabeth Isaacson
- Kathleen Janssen
- Claudia Jentz
- Cynthia Johnson
- June Jones
- Louise Juliani
- Geraldine Holl Kahn
- Judith Blumberg Kaplan
- Jacqueline Kartman
- Jean Keegan
- Janet Kelly
- Margie Kelm
- Constance Keyes
- Terry Boggess Knight
- Mary Knoll
- Patti Kolek
- Susanne Koss
- Sandra Laedtke
- Mary Myers Lang
- Kathleen Lawler Lemke
- Jill Lewis
- Colleen Liebmann
- Linda Loos
- Linda Lorentzen
- Sandra Lungociu
- Madeleine MacIndoe
- Susan Maciolek
- Susan Mack
- Janet Markley
- Joan McConnell
- Patricia McCowen Mehring
- Joyce Meyer
- Molly Meyer
- Pamela Collier Mielke
- Arlene Morrow
- Ann Moyer
- Christine Jorgensen Mustelier
- Daine Naigow
- Susan Boettcher Nelson
- Carol Nelson
- Diane O’Donnell
- Lynne O’Donnell
- Patricia Ostermick
- Lynn Oswald
- Lyn Palacheck
- Nancie Peebles
- Beverly Priefer
- Judith Priske
- Julie Ramson
- Marsha Rather
- Nancy Roefer
- Rita Rosengren
- Marilyn Rudat
- Christine Sautebin
- Marsha Schneeberger
- Ardis Sexe
- Leslie Sill
- Diane Slager
- Nancy Spector
- Kathleen Spevacek
- Laura Steen
- Mary Steinmann
- Kristin Susa
- Barbara Kuckuck Talbot
- Mary Thompson
- Linda Tolkan
- Linda Verbiscar
- Mary Walgenbach
- Linda Walter
- Katherine Erickson Welnick
- Janet Wicka
- Ann-Marie Winecke
- Rita Wood
- Elizabeth Wyss
- Margaret Zarwell
Remarks from the Class of 1971 to the Class of 2021
Congratulations, Class of 2021! You’ve made it through four years of rigorous preparation for a nursing career that has been a central part of our lives for the past 50 years. You’ve accomplished this amid a global pandemic, demands for social justice, and a period of extreme political polarization.
Our years at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1968-1971, were also times of fear, political turmoil, and social unrest and violence in the streets. We remember bearing witness to the Civil Rights Movement, assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy, and experiencing the National Guard and police in riot gear on campus. We also can’t forget the bombing of Sterling Hall. These issues added significant stress during our nursing education as they have added to yours. However, navigating these issues also provided opportunities for growth and personal development. Nursing’s holistic philosophy of body, mind, and spirit demands personal exploration of these domains. The societal issues we’ve navigated during our respective nursing educational experience provided a unique context for this self-reflection.
We, the Class of 1971, are confident that you will carry this personal exploration and philosophy forward into your nursing careers. You will be better human beings and compassionate nurses for having endured these tumultuous times and embraced these existential issues during your nursing education.
We have compiled a list of short words of wisdom we’ve gained over 50 years:
- Nurses are change agents.
- Stand by your actions when you are confident in your knowledge base and experience.
- Never be afraid to ask for assistance when you need it.
- Develop collegial relationships with all levels of care providers—from nursing assistants to physicians. Everyone has a part to play in providing comprehensive care to patients, and, generally, the RN is the glue that holds it all together!
- Encourage active participation in decision making by providing the education that patients need to weigh the pros/cons of treatment options. Things are rarely black or white and there is seldom only one option to achieve a goal.
- When physicians have exhausted treatments to offer a patient, nurses are still able to give individualized care and emotional support.
- Two words to eliminate from your vocabulary when working: NEVER and ALWAYS.
- Be flexible, change is a constant.
- Take time to listen to your patient, to your co-workers, and to yourself.
- Be a lifelong learner. The science of medicine/nursing/pharmaceuticals is constantly growing. You can’t know everything, but you can always go back to the literature.
- Participate in professional organizations. The networking and support opportunities that they provide are invaluable.
- Mentor the next generation of nurses; you have wisdom to share.
You have the tools and abilities to accomplish your dreams. Go forth and sort the wheat from the chaff. We wish you all the best as you graduate and hope that you can look back 50 years from now and be as proud of your alma mater and the preparation you received as we are.
—Members of the UW–Madison School of Nursing Class of 1971: Barbara Brown, Lauren Glass, Linda Hurwitz, Constance Keyes, Patricia Mehring, and Lynne O’Donnell
In Memoriam
Lorelei Adams
Sheila Benedict
Judy Bienfang
Mary Bradley
Marsha Cohen
Lavera Donley
Patricia Gadow
Mary Gebhard
Lorena Dahmen Gordon
Carol Schoening Haertel
Rita Hallett
Nancy Foreman Kaufman
Marion Kerwin
Joseph Ketarkus
Dorothy Kita
Linda Seidel Klug
Irmhild Micek
Jill Johnson Niemczyk
Robert Payne
Violet Radel
Juliene Ruston
Mickie McMahon Schmudlach
Jeanne Steensma
Carol Luljak Tessmer
Eleanor Waddell
Virginia Waite
Gretchen Simmons Webster
“UW-Madison provided me with an excellent foundation on which to build a wonderful career. Going into the Army right out of school also helped to foster independence and to grow my professional skills. Understanding that nursing requires lifelong learning set me up to expand my skills throughout my career and Signe Cooper made sure that we learned the importance of participating in professional nursing organizations.”
Pat McCowen Mehring '71
Giving Opportunities
The Class of 1971 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Student Support Fund is a permanent endowment that supports underrepresented students who demonstrate financial need. Funds will help students engage in professional development that serves their nursing education.
The class of 1971 raised over $50,000.00—reaching their goal! You can help us surpass our goal and increase our impact for future Badger nurses!
We hope you will join us in honoring our class with a gift to advance our legacy. Funds also help reach the goal of the School’s Badger Nurses Change Lives Centennial Campaign.
Questions? Contact Alison Lazar, Assoc. Director of Development at the School of Nursing.
Contact Us
Jordan Langer
Position title: Advancement Manager
Email:
jlanger3
Phone: 608-262-1179
Address:
5173 Signe Skott Cooper Hall