Harold & Lynne Ornes, WSU Faculty
“We want to help reduce the stress of funding an education so students
can put more effort into their studies.”
Harold
and Lynne Ornes have devoted their lives to teaching. Lynne has been a
nurse
for thirty years, and the need she recognized for teachers in healthcare
fields encouraged her to become a health educator. Coming from several
generations of teachers, Harold began his career teaching middle school
science and moved on to teach life science
courses at the university level.
Attracted to Winona State successful health and science education
programs, the Orneses joined the university community in June 2008 –
Harold as dean of the College of Science and Engineering, and Lynne as
assistant professor in the College of Nursing and Health
Sciences.
Their passion for health and education, along with their commitment to
Winona State, has led the couple to establish the Harold and Lynne Ornes
Scholarship. Their scholarship will be awarded each year to a WSU
student from a diverse background to study in either
the biology teaching or nursing program.
The Orneses see a need to increase diversity among health and education
professionals. Because students and patients come from different
experiences and backgrounds, effective educators and health care
professionals need to reflect and understand shared experiences
and backgrounds, said Harold.
Lynne said she has witnessed how cultural differences can often hinder
access to healthcare. Together, they hope their scholarship will help
bring a “broader set of cultural and personal experiences” to either the
health or education field.
The Orneses understand the dedication – and financial commitment – it
takes to earn a college degree, and they want to help make the journey
easier for students. “We want to help reduce the stress of funding an
education so students can put more effort into
their studies,” said Lynne.
Harold added, “Many students have a job or a spouse and family. It’s a
full-time job being a full-time student. Our desire is to alleviate some
of those stressors and better enable someone to pursue an education.”
Faculty
members Harold and Lynne Ornes established a scholarship in their
belief that encouraging diverse students to earn a Winona State degree
will make a
difference in biology and nursing education. Imagine your own future,
and make your hopes and dreams come true by supporting student
scholarships.
Contact the WSU Foundation at: foundation@winona.edu,
or call 507.457.5020.
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