Clarke Nursing Department Receives Three State Awards

The Clarke College Nursing Department received three of the five major awards given at the Iowa Association of Nursing Students Convention held from October 5-6. The convention was held in conjunction with the Iowa Nurses Association Convention. Fifty-eight of Clarke’s nursing students joined over 900 other students from across the state at the convention.

Senior Clarke nursing major Jessica Nadeau, of White Bear Lake, Minn., was named the state’s Student Nurse of the Year. Nadeau also received the organization’s $1,000 student-to-student scholarship, given for professionalism in nursing.

While at Clarke, Nadeau has held various leadership roles in the Clarke Association of Nursing Students as president, vice president, secretary and class representative. She has also been coordinator of Clarke’s American Red Cross Blood Drive and served on the College’s orientation staff. She is a member of both the Iowa Association of Nursing Students and the National Student Nurses’ Association.

Nadeau was also the recipient of the 2005 Collegiate All-American Scholar Award, the 2005 United States Achievement Academy National Collegiate Nursing Award and Clarke’s Sister Mary Ann Pauline Brasser Science Award and Junior Nursing Class Leadership Award.

Clarke Assistant Professor of Nursing Carol Chesterman was named the Iowa Association of Nursing Students Teacher of the Year. At Clarke, Chesterman teaches courses in mental health care and nutrition. She has also taught courses in nursing research, professional nursing and leadership and management.

“From her year of practicing nursing, she has immense passion for the profession which in turn motivates us to feel the same,” said the nomination of Chesterman, submitted by the Clarke Association of Nursing Students. “By sharing her nursing experiences, she encourages us to further our education to become knowledgeable nurses.”

Chesterman holds a master of science in nursing with an education specialization from the College of Iowa, a bachelor of science degree from Upper Iowa College, and a diploma from the Finley Hospital School of Nursing.