March 9, 2011

DWU’s Mirkovic named Outstanding Nursing Student

Outstanding Nursing Students of South Dakota for 2011 Joshua Wenande, of Mitchell, a student at Mount Marty College, Yankton, and on the right, Pauna Mirkovic, of Mitchell, is a nursing student at Dakota Wesleyan University, accept their award from a judge.

MITCHELL — Two nursing students from Mitchell were recently named the 2011 Outstanding Nursing Students of South Dakota at the 2011 annual convention of the Nursing Students Association of South Dakota, one of them a Dakota Wesleyan nursing student.

Pauna Mirkovic, of Mitchell, is a nursing student at DWU, and Joshua Wenande, of Mitchell, attends Mount Marty College, Yankton.

Dakota Wesleyan University associate of arts nursing students and advisers attended the convention the weekend of Feb. 17-19 at the University of South Dakota, Vermillion. DWU has two chapters of Student Nurses’ Association (SNA), in Mitchell and Huron.

“The association empowers nursing students throughout the state with the information they need to become leaders in the nursing field,” said Gloria Thompson, DWU nursing AA program director.

Each association chapter is allowed to nominate one student in the last year of nursing school for the competition, and that candidate completes an essay and an interview at the convention. Candidate eligibility requirements include: academic excellence; ability to work well in team relationships; ability to recognize and meet physical, social, psychological and spiritual needs of the client; demonstrate sense of responsibility in carrying out nursing assignments and knowledge of current events; and a range of interests beyond nursing. Mirkovic was selected by her classmates to represent DWU’s Mitchell SNA. Shawn Miner, Huron, was the candidate nominated by DWU’s Huron SNA.

DWU has had two Outstanding Nursing Student winners in the past: Leanne Sinclair, 2005, and Becka Schelske, 2008.