At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented and diverse community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, Couriers and preceptors. Spotlight blogs feature members of our FNU community who are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations.

In 1928, Mary Breckinridge, founder of Frontier Nursing University established the Courier Program, recruiting young people to work in the Kentucky Mountains and learn about service to humanity. Couriers escorted guests safely through remote terrain, delivered medical supplies to remote outpost clinics, and helped nurse-midwives during home visits and births. Frontier has benefited tremendously from the 1,600 Couriers who have served since 1928.

This week, we introduce to the rest of 2017 Courier Class. Please join us in welcoming our newest Couriers!

Brittany Imel is a sophomore Biology major with a minor in art history at Allegheny College in Meadville, PA. In her free time, she enjoys being outside and working out. Her dream job growing up was to be a pediatrician. Her favorite musical artist is Carrie Underwood. Her future goals include going to graduate school to become a physician assistant and working in a pediatrics office. Brittany says, “ I want to improve and grow on this experience by learning more about public health and services in a rural community. I also look forward to gaining a better understanding of how health care clinics operate and benefit people in their communities.”

Calla Michalak is originally from Memphis, TN and is preparing to enter her senior year at Michigan State University. She plans to graduate from the Honors College in 2018 with a degree in Psychology and minors in Bioethics, Humanities, and Society and Health Promotion. After finishing her undergraduate degree, she plans on entering a combined accelerated Bachelors/Masters program to become either a pediatric or women's health nurse practitioner. When asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, she answered, "I always wanted a job that would allow me to just hang out with animals (especially dogs) and give them love. So, my dream job wasn't really a job that existed." She has participated in many research projects while at Michigan State. Some of her research was published in the first volume of the MSU Social Science Scholars Undergraduate Research.

Ronnie Sloan is a 20-year-old sophomore at Berea College in Berea, KY. She intends to major in Environmental Policy, and hopes to become an urban planner. Ronnie loves helping others and being a part of something bigger than herself. In her free time, she likes to travel and learn about unfamiliar cultures and situations. When asked what animal best represents her, she answered, "A wolf because I am very analytical, organized for the next move, smart, and quiet but quick on my feet." She considers her proudest accomplishment to be when she trained to run a marathon. In 5 years, Ronnie hopes to be finishing graduate school for a career she is passionate about and saving for a home.

Alexandra “Zandy” Stovicek is a triplet from Weehawken, New Jersey and a soon-to-be graduate of Wesleyan University in CT. Her major is in Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and her passion is reproductive health equity. She is the leader of the Wesleyan Doula Project, a full-spectrum doula organization that trains volunteers to informationally, emotionally, and physically support patients through reproductive experiences. She also teaches yoga, occasionally acts and directs plays, and loves to spend time outdoors. When asked about the craziest thing she has ever done, she answered that she went ziplining in CA off the coast of Catalina Island. She is hoping to attend nurse-midwifery school in a year or two and can't wait to meet the FNU community!

Has this article sparked any questions for either a specific Courier or Couriers in general? You have the opportunity to learn more about the Couriers experience!  In a future blog post, we will be having Couriers and Courier program staff answer questions asked by you! To ask a question, email courier.program@frontier.edu or share your questions on social media with the hashtag #askthecouriers by Thursday, July 6 at 5pm EST. [#askthecouriers image]

Read about the new Couriers we featured earlier last week here.