Two Nursing Students Elected to NSNA Posts

Nursing students Caroline Miller and Monika Spangenberg are among a small group elected from across the nation to serve important roles for the prestigious National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA).

The NSNA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering the professional development of nursing students. Its mission is to mentor students preparing for initial licensure as registered nurses and to convey the standards, ethics and skills that students will need as responsible and accountable leaders and members of the profession.

“The faculty and I are very proud to have two Duquesne nursing students elected to national positions in NSNA,” said Nursing Dean Dr. Mary Ellen Glasgow. “Caroline and Monika will gain tremendous leadership and board experience that will benefit them in their professional career.”

Miller is one of just 10 students elected to the NSNA Board of Directors. “I believe that by being on the NSNA board of directors, I will be able to learn about nursing outside the classroom,” said Miller, a junior in the nursing school. “I also want to be able to contribute my ideas about the future of nursing, and I want to work with the rest of the board to get other nursing students excited about NSNA.”

As an NSNA member, Miller chairs the organization’s Legislation/Education Committee and also is a member of the Community Health/Disaster Preparedness Committee and the Convention and Program Planning Committee.

Spangenberg is just one of four members elected to the NSNA’s 2014-2015 Nominating and Elections Committee. “I was very interested in becoming more involved in the nursing community, and after attending the NSNA mid-year convention I decided to run for a national position,” said Spangenberg, a junior in the nursing school. “I chose the Nominating and Elections Committee because I’m very comfortable talking to people, and the main goal of the committee is to reach out to nursing students and inform them of all of the great opportunities the NSNA has to offer.”