Viterbo University nursing student Maddie Schendel never had far to look for inspiration to help others.

“I think that passion comes from my family,” said Schendel, a junior from Cashton. “My dad is a firefighter at Ft. McCoy, an EMT, and serves on a rescue dive team, my mom works in the office at Scenic Bluffs Community Health Centers, and my aunt is a nurse practitioner with Emplify Health in Hillsboro.”

Schendel has found Viterbo University to be the perfect place to carry on her family tradition. She has appreciated the close community, small class sizes, and the many hands-on educational opportunities that will help her in her future career as an RN.

“Coming from a small town, I’ve been more at home at Viterbo than I would have at a larger school,” Schendel said. “It has always felt like family here. Professors know your name, care about your success, and help you grow as a student and person.”

Viterbo also aligns closely with Schendel’s faith and values, she said. This is especially true of the university’s Franciscan value of hospitality. She and her roommate are doing their part to welcome others into their newly created Miles and Smiles Viterbo Run Club to promote wellness and friendship.

“I also play intramurals,” she said. “Staying fit keeps me grounded and helps me care better for others.”

Schendel works as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) on the medical ad oncology floor at Emplify Health in La Crosse. It is a job that not only helps pay her way through school, but also provides her with excellent experience in her chosen field and in a hospital setting. Many student nurses work as CNAs during college.

“I love the job and everyone I work with,” Schendel said. “I’m going to be hired as an RN on the same floor when I graduate from Viterbo.”

Describing herself as very family oriented, Schendel enjoys spending time with family and friends, the outdoors, music, working out, and cooking in her spare time.

Schendel is learning a great deal in her nursing clinical experiences and is applying for summer internships. She will also take advantage of a unique opportunity to do a medical helicopter ride along with Emplify in April.

“I’m not sure what kind of nurse I want to be long-term, but I do like the adrenaline rush that comes with being a flight nurse,” she said. “Pediatric oncology is another challenge I’m considering.”

Explore the Program

Learn more about Viterbo’s nursing program, where hands-on clinical experience and compassionate care training prepare you to make a real difference in the lives of others.