Happy Retirement, Laurie Wise!

Thank you Laurie Wise for your 19 years of dedication and professionalism. Your friends at Tri-Rivers wish you the very best in your retirement. Happy adventures!

 

Laurie’s Work Background (jobs, career highlights, etc.)
I worked as an R.N. for several years during the 1980’s at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Lorain, Ohio. I worked in the ICU/CCU stepdown unit and really enjoyed the fast pace and interesting cases. After moving to Marion I worked at Marion General Hospital on the medical floor and then worked at what was then Americare Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on Jamesway. There I worked the subacute unit and later became the supervisor and did employee education. In summer 2001, I became aware of an opening to teach the Tri-Rivers Health Technologies satellite program located at Harding High School. I applied for the position and was hired. So began 19 years of what was the most fun, challenging, and rewarding career of teaching. The highlight of my teaching career is twofold; first, taking what was originally a one year program for seniors only and upgrading it to a two year program with certifications in first aid, CPR, Nurse Aide Training for STNA, and college credit for Medical Terminology. Secondly, is when I see former students at hospitals, doctor’s offices and surgery centers working in their careers as health care professionals.

Hobbies
Gardening, writing, hiking, and cycling are my favorite hobbies. I also volunteer with Columbus Metro parks and enjoy teaching nature programs to elementary age children. I also am a nest box monitor for Glacier Ridge which is part of the Columbus Metroparks system.

Family
I am widowed and have 3 grown children. My daughter Christie and her husband Marc and my grandson Tanner live in California. She is a Trauma nurse and has had an extremely challenging year taking care of Covid patients. She is an avid backpacker and escapes into the mountains to “recharge”. My Son Sean and his wife and my triplet grandchildren Claire, Ian and Aidan live in Reynoldsburg. Sean works at John Glenn International Airport in Columbus as an aircraft mechanic. My youngest son Evan works at Marion General in the nutrition department and is an avid hiker and cyclist. My dog Sadie is a rescue; she is a lab/border collie mix and loves to take hikes with me.

Retirement plans
Spend more time with my grandkids. Volunteer more with the park system. Take classes at OSU now that I’m old and can take them tuition free!

 Words of wisdom to colleagues
Know your students! Get to know them. Ask about their lives; jobs, passions, talents, frustrations. Listen to them. Give your students autonomy. Let them structure learning. Give them the opportunity to use their individual talents and skills to run the class with your guidance. You must earn their respect in order to be effective as a teacher and mentor.

 Favorite quotes

“It is never too late to be what you might have been.” George Elliot (a.k.a. Mary Ann Evans)

“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” John Muir

 Awards/organizations
I am vice president of the Marion Public Health Board and a member of the Marion Covid Defense Team. In the 1990’s I received awards for being an educator with the Columbus AIDS Task Force.

Educational Background
I graduated from Lorain County Community College with and Associate Degree in Nursing and graduated from The Ohio State University in 2005. In 2001 I completed coursework to become a certified Nurse Aide Trainer. In 2015 in conjunction with my volunteer work with the Metropark system, I completed a program through OSU to become an OCVN. Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist.

I have really enjoyed teaching. I feel my years of hospital and nursing home experience made me a better teacher. I think that is the real key to career technical schools. The instructors have lived what they teach. We know the ups and downs and challenges as well as the joys of our professions. Students love hearing about our experiences. It makes the subject matter real and relevant…and sometime hilarious!