Dawn Duell in her previous roles at Wake Robin
As spring edges toward summer, we are in graduation season. We want to share a story of one of our own who liked to graduate so much, she did it several times!
Dawn Duell came to Wake Robin fresh out of high school. That was one graduation. She joined us in Dining Services and had a number of different responsibilities over five years. She intended to be part of our next training program for Licensed Nursing Assistants or LNA, but the start date was delayed. She took a brief break to start a family and came back to us in 2015 in the role of Dining Operations Coordinator. According to Dawn, “I loved my position but my passion and love for nursing never went away.”
She researched what was required to get into a nurse education program and took online classes to take the prerequisite courses. Dawn learned Wake Robin had partnered with the State of Vermont for the Long-Term Care (LTC) Cohort Program, and she was eligible as a Wake Robin employee to be part of it. She won multiple grants and a Wake Robin scholarship to cover her training and then immersed herself in the pursuit of her goal.
Working a full-time day job, followed by evening classes and weekend clinical practicums, plus drive time to and from Randolph, Dawn flourished in the learning of her new career. She came back to Wake Robin as an LNA in our Linden Health Center to get some hands-on experience and also earned her Certified Practical Nurse designation. Another graduation. Shortly after, she became a Licensed Practical Nurse while still working here. Dawn continued her classes, earning the associate’s degree in nursing, generally recognized as Registered Nurse. On May 17 of this year, she was honored at one more graduation in recognition of this milestone.
Dawn says, “I absolutely would not have been able to accomplish this career without the support from the Wake Robin residents. The scholarship fund they contribute to has made a significant impact in my story.” An amazing personal drive led Dawn to a career she had dreamed about, and the support of the Wake Robin community helped her achieve it. Congratulations to our recent graduate!
Dawn with her coworkers at Wake Robin
