This edition of the South Dakota State University College of Nursing’s newsletter is very much a story about the impact of nursing leadership. I often tell students that the beauty of a nursing degree is that you can go many different directions with it. In this issue, we highlight just a few of our leaders but know that there are many more of you out there!
During the six-plus years I’ve been in this role, meeting and getting to know so many of you, one of my favorite questions to ask is, “Why do you choose to support South Dakota State University and the College of Nursing?”
Fifty years ago, Lois Tschetter had just earned her bachelor’s degree from State and was working as staff nurse at Sioux Valley (now Sanford) Hospital in Sioux Falls.
In that half century, Tschetter, 72, of Brookings, became recognized as one of the premier nurse educators in the state, especially in the fields of obstetrics and lactation. Five years ago, she retired from a 36-year career at South Dakota State University.
On Oct. 25, she was honored with the College of Nursing’s Distinguished Service Award at its East River Scholarship banquet.
Carol J. Peterson, truly a legend in South Dakota nursing education and higher education in general, was the inaugural recipient of the College of Nursing's Living Legacy Award at its 2024 scholarship banquet in Brookings.
Peterson, 85, of Brookings, served as the dean of the South Dakota State University College of Nursing from 1977 to 1987, when she became the vice president for academic affairs. She served in that role until 2009 and then spent 2009-10 as special assistant to the president. Peterson spent the first 15 years of her career in Minnesota as a direct care nurse and a nursing educator.
South Dakota heath care systems support College of Nursing
Donations from two health care systems in South Dakota to the South Dakota State University College of Nursing are leaving an impact, improving spaces and demonstrating a commitment to training the future health care workforce.
SDSU alum moves from Air Force nurse to private practice
Jessica Morrell, a Canton native who graduated from South Dakota State University with a bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1999, has had an impressive career trajectory. From working as a nurse in the U.S. Air Force to opening her own clinic, Morrell is passionate about aiding others.
Tera Gross didn’t enter school with the thought of becoming a leader. She just wanted to help people.
But the positive example of her nurse manager in Gross’s first job after graduating from South Dakota State University in 2001 changed her trajectory. Today, Gross is the chief nursing officer for Mayo Clinic in Florida, in Jacksonville, leading a staff of over 3,300 who provide direct care for patients in the hospital, surgery, procedural practices and outpatient clinics. The Mayo Clinic in Florida continues to grow, expanding aspects of practice, education and research.
