Indiana University Kokomo recognized the hard work and dedication of its graduate students, honoring them at the annual master’s hooding ceremony on Monday.
Forty-six students in the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling (MAMHC), Master of Public Management (MPM) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs received the hoods that recognize them as having earned advanced degrees. Each one chose a significant faculty or staff member who had impacted him or her to drape the hood before exchanging a handshake or hug.
For Simona Wildman, who was recognized as the outstanding student in the MSN program, completing her family nurse practitioner program is the culmination of a long-held dream.
“I always wanted to be a nurse practitioner, but an important thing for me was that my kids speak my language, so I waited until my son was in kindergarten” said Wildman, whose first language is Czech. She first completed the RN to BSN program, and then started her graduate degree.
She said it’s a relief to have earned her graduate degree and to start planning for her future.
“I always wanted to do urgent care or ER, but I’ve learned to love primary care,” said Wildman, from Carmel. “That’s the plan for now. I’ll have to see what’s going to come up.”
Locally, four graduate students earning master’s degrees are from Hamilton County. They are listed below.
Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling
- Noblesville: Jessica McHugh
Master of Science in Nursing
- Carmel: Simona Wildman
- Fishers: Kelly Jones
- Westfield: Julie Avellana