(PDF) (DOC) (JPG)January 10, 2017

MAHWAH, N.J. – Ramapo College of New Jersey student Katerina Korunovski was named The March of Dimes’ Student Nurse of the Year at a recent ceremony. Katerina, a Garfield, New Jersey, native, will be completing her undergraduate studies in May 2017. She was the only student awardee in a field that included more than 200 total nominations for various categories.

“I was so surprised when my name was called,” said Katerina, who hopes to continue a nursing career in critical care. “Since I was a little girl, I never changed my career path. I always wanted to be a nurse. I didn’t think I would fit anywhere else.”

Katerina was nominated for the award by Julia Fitzgerald, Assistant Professor of Nursing at Ramapo College.

“I nominated Katerina based on her academic and clinical performance,” said Fitzgerald, explaining that requirements were a GPA of at least 3.5 and involvement with the community. “Katerina definitely qualified and we couldn’t be more proud of her.”

In the summer of 2016, Katerina completed a 10-week externship with Hackensack University Medical Center, which consisted of 12-hour shifts that took her the surgical intensive care unit and work with the rapid response teams. She said it was “the best experience of my life.”

“I was so inspired by the nurses,” she said. “I was excited to wake up every day and go to work.”

In addition to course studies, Katerina’s practical experience has so far rotated through the operating room, Labor and Delivery and mother/baby units, Cardiac Care Intensive Care Unit and the emergency room at HUMC.

“Each unit has its own dynamic but I love the excitement of the ER and trauma unit,” said Katerina. “That’s where I’d really love to be.”

The mission of the Ramapo College Nursing Program is to expose students to diverse societies, offer them opportunities to expand their worlds and to shape their futures as leaders of global healthcare. The program currently enrolls more than 500 students in undergraduate and advanced degree programs. Current programs consist of three major academic tracks: a traditional pre-licensure BSN track in nursing, the RN-to-BSN track for nurses returning to school for a BSN degree and three Master of Science in Nursing programs: MSN Nursing Education, MSN Family Nurse Practitioner and MSN Nursing Administration.

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About Ramapo College

Ramapo College of New Jersey is the state’s premier public liberal arts college and is committed to academic excellence through interdisciplinary and experiential learning, and international and intercultural understanding. The comprehensive college is situated among the beautiful Ramapo Mountains, is within commuting distance to New York City, was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America by CondeNast Traveler, and boasts the best on-campus housing in New Jersey per Niche.com. Established in 1969, Ramapo College offers bachelor’s degrees in the arts, business, data science, humanities, social sciences and the sciences, as well as in professional studies, which include business, education, nursing and social work. In addition, the College offers courses leading to teacher certification at the elementary and secondary levels, and offers graduate programs leading to master’s degrees in Accounting, Applied Mathematics, Business Administration, Contemporary Instructional Design, Computer Science, Creative Music Technology, Data Science, Educational Leadership, Nursing, Social Work and Special Education, as well as a Doctor of Nursing Practice.

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