Moraine Park Technical College has presented Agnesian Healthcare with its 2020 Community Partnership Award. This award recognizes a community partner organization who has gone above and beyond in their role of working with Moraine Park students in student community impact opportunities.

Agnesian Healthcare is committed to helping, healing, and comforting, with a deep compassion for the community. Moraine Park health sciences students are important members of the Agnesian team! In 2020, despite Covid restrictions, MPTC volunteers served over 550 hours! Students served at Agnesian sites of: St. Agnes Hospital, Ripon Medical Center, Hospice Home of Hope, Fond du Lac Regional Clinic, and Waupun Memorial Hospital.

Some student words of reflection include:

“I had the opportunity to volunteer in the Emergency Department at St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac. I absolutely loved my time there.”

“I went to the volunteer at Waupun Dialysis. The lady that trained me was very nice and helpful. While talking with a patient, we discovered that blindness was a big challenge. The Agnesian employee is also part of the Lions Club of Waupun. She found a machine that blows everything up and can make it brighter or duller depending on the patients eyes. The patient was able to receive the machine for free from the Lions. The patient was so happy and broke down in tears! I was in tears too, because until now I took seeing for granted.”

“I really enjoyed working with the other volunteers and hearing their stories as most of them have been there for a very long time, some even with previous work experience as nurses in the ER years ago. Barb with volunteer services was also fantastic, she is so easy to talk to! I am hoping to continue volunteering for Agnesian in the future.”

“I had the incredible opportunity to volunteer with Agnesian Hospice. This has been a very humbling experience. It has provided me with insight and knowledge in what it takes to work with people who are close to death. I realized the most vital part of my experience was not mulling over death, but maintaining social relationships that brightened a patients day no matter what the circumstance. I found that just the fact that patients recognized me, even if it was just my voice in the last one or two visits, was amazing. I would find myself forgetting that the patients were at the end of life and just focus on the time we could spend together every week. I think this opportunity was a very valuable experience. I plan on volunteering with Hospice indefinitely. This experience has actually made me consider furthering my career and eventually being a nurse in hospice.”

Barb Van Egtern, Agnesian Volunteer Services Supervisor said, “Thank you very much!  We love working with your students and hope to continue partnering with you!  We are truly honored.”

Congratulations Agnesian and thank you to all amazing healthcare students, instructors and workers!