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Buege awarded $1,500 nursing scholarship from Bethesda

061011/05

Each year, Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services, Inc., gives out a number of awards and scholarships to deserving Lutheran students who are interested in pursuing an education in the field of developmental disabilities services.

Bethesda is pleased to award Katherine Buege of Milwaukee, Wis., with a $1,500 scholarship for entering the field of nursing. To be eligible for this scholarship, the student must have successfully achieved sophomore or junior status at an accredited college or university and be a full-time student with a minimum GPA of 3.0. The students had to complete 100 hours of work to benefit people with developmental disabilities and submit a 250-500 word essay on the career they have chosen to pursue.

Buege, who is a senior at Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, was nominated and inducted into Phi Theta Kappa, an international academic honor society, her freshman year. She completed the nursing assistant program at Madison Area Technical College (MATC) in Watertown, and in December of 2004 she became certified as a CNA.

Buege then transferred to Cardinal Stritch University, where she was awarded the Serra Transfer Scholarship, and is currently a second-year nursing student.

Buege became interested in a career working with people with developmental disabilities as a result of her experience at Bethesda’s Camp Matz, an outdoor campground on Bethesda's Watertown, Wis. Campus, which is fully accessible to people with cognitive and physical disabilities. Each summer, youth groups travel to Camp Matz to help the campers enjoy a unique camping experience as part of Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) Servant Events.

Buege worked at Camp Matz for two summers, as camp counselor, and in her second year, as health supervisor in addition to her responsibilities as camp counselor. As health supervisor, she had the opportunity to distribute medications, perform medical treatments, distribute insulin and check blood glucose levels.

“The two summers that I worked at Camp Matz really helped me prepare for a career in working with individuals with developmental disabilities,” says Buege. “Every day I was excited to go to work, even though I knew the day would be challenging, because I couldn’t wait to see their smiling faces and interact with their unique personalities.”

Now in its second century of service, Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services, Inc. provides services and supports to individuals with developmental disabilities throughout the country and throughout the world. It is Bethesda’s mission to support the needs of the individual—both physical and spiritual—and as a result, Bethesda offers many different types of services for the individual and their family, including a variety of residential facilities, supported-living programs, outreach services and secular training workshops. For more information on Bethesda’s services and support programs, call the public relations office at 800.369.4636, ext. 3817, or email: pr@blhs.org.