BHSU-Rapid City provides fresh start for local healthcare worker

BHSU professor and student looking at a microscope

Jaden Ostwald (right) meets

with science instructor Pam

Arneson at Black Hills State

University-Rapid City. Ostwald

works in the ICU at Rapid City

Regional Hospital and is working

on her applied health sciences

degree at BHSU-Rapid City.

Jaden Ostwald will not let her past define her. Instead, the Black Hills State University-Rapid City student is working towards a degree, a graduation ceremony, and career in nursing.

After dropping out of high school at Rapid City Stevens, Jaden earned her GED. She enrolled in a nursing program at a community college out-of-state, but experienced problems in her academic and personal life and dropped out.

Jaden returned home to Rapid City and got a job in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Rapid City Regional Hospital. Her work confirmed nursing was the best path for her, but she still was not sure about once again trying college courses.

“BHSU wanted to give me a chance, and that’s what I really needed. I met with an advisor at BHSU-Rapid City and she said ‘we can do this,’” says Jaden.

Jaden is pursing the associate’s in applied health sciences degree at BHSU-Rapid City. With the degree, she will have all the pre-requisites and the GPA to be accepted into nursing school. South Dakota State University and the University of South Dakota offer nursing courses at BHSU-Rapid City.

At BHSU-Rapid City, Jaden says the community of advisors, disability services, and instructors helped her complete classes she failed at her previous college, allowing her to move on and feel more confident.

“I can share with advisors or instructors at BHSU-Rapid City what I’m struggling with and their response is always, ‘ok, I can help you.’ I would not be this far in my studies without their help,” says Jaden.

The option of both day and night classes at BHSU-RC allow Jaden to keep working and still have time to see her friends.

Jaden chose to pursue healthcare because she “loves taking care of people.” In her work in the ICU, she says seeing patients get better and being present through their whole journey is meaningful.

While becoming a registered nurse is Jaden’s goal, earning her associate’s degree from BHSU along the way might be even more meaningful.

“In nursing school, the end is a pinning ceremony,” says Jaden. “I dropped out of high school so I never walked across the stage and got a diploma. I’m looking forward to my BHSU college graduation ceremony.”

About Applied Health Sciences at BHSU
The associate degree in Applied Health Sciences is the perfect fit for students working toward careers in healthcare including registered nurses, medical technologists, and other high demand health professionals. BHSU has a long history of preparing students for admission into nursing programs. The associate degree in Applied Health Sciences offers students all the general education and core classes required for admission into nursing programs at South Dakota State University and The University of South Dakota, as well as for other bachelor degree-level healthcare programs. The entire program is available on campus in Spearfish and at BHSU-Rapid City. Graduates with the two-year associate degree may also choose to continue at BHSU and complete a bachelor’s degree program in biology or other related field. Learn more at www.BHSU.edu/AppliedHealthSciences

About BHSU-Rapid City
Located at 4300 Cheyenne Blvd. off I-90, BHSU-Rapid City is a flexible, accessible, and affordable location to earn your degree. Five associate, nine bachelor’s, and the master’s in business administration (MBA) can be completed entirely onsite at BHSU-Rapid City. Degree programs offered at BHSU-Rapid City include applied health sciences, business administration, human services, elementary education, psychology, and mass communication. BHSU-Rapid City offers classes at a variety of times and meeting schedules to conveniently fit your needs.