Ivy Tech nursing student receives Indiana Career and Technical Education award

BLOOMINGTON – Bridget Badder, student at Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington, received an Indiana Career and Technical Education Award for Excellence in the postsecondary student category. Badder was recognized at a public ceremony on Friday, February 17 at the Indiana Government Center in Indianapolis. Badder is on track to graduate in May 2017 with an Associate of Science in Nursing and will start work in labor and delivery at IU Health Bloomington after she graduates.

Badder earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Indiana University Bloomington in 2012 and enrolled at Ivy Tech in 2015 after re-discovering her drive to pursue a medical profession.

“Despite having a lifelong passion for science and starting college as a pre-med major, I graduated with a degree in journalism and a mountain of student loan debt,” she said.

Badder worked in public relations for a nonprofit organization in Chicago for several years but she felt unfulfilled and decided to change her career to nursing.

At Ivy Tech, Badder excelled academically, served in many student organizations, and held multiple leadership positions.

Badder has served as a Student Ambassador, an International Student Ambassador, on the Nursing Student Advisory Council, and on the Student Life Budget Committee. As a member of the Nursing Student Advisory council, she provided feedback to nursing faculty on program offerings and course materials. As current president of the Nursing Club, she is involved in fundraising efforts for local charitable organizations. She is also president of the Student Government Association, and in that role, she has enhanced the visibility of the organization through increased events and communications. Badder also served on the statewide Ivy Tech President’s Council, where her role was to advocate on behalf of the student body to College administration.

Badder was awarded the Bloomington Friend of Ivy Tech Associate of Science in Nursing (RN) Scholarship in Fall 2016, the P.E.O. Program for Continuing Education Grant in Fall 2016, the Kappa Kappa Kappa Scholarship in Fall 2016 and Spring 2017, the Ivy Tech Community College Scholarship in Summer 2016, the Office of Student Life Student of the Year Award in Spring 2016, the Indiana POWER Caucus Women in STEM Scholarship in Spring 2016, the Student Government Association Extra-Curricular Activities Scholarship in Spring 2016, and the Harvey S. Poling, Jr. Scholarship – Bloomington in Fall 2015 and Spring 2016.

Badder is currently employed by IU Health Bloomington Hospital as a Patient Care Assistant in Obstetrics and in February 2017, she accepted a position in Labor and Delivery at IU Health Bloomington and will start in her new role after graduation. Badder also plans to continue her education and earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and apply to medical schools focused on osteopathy.

“Beginning my medical career as a labor and delivery nurse will help me grow into a knowledgeable and compassionate caregiver while I gain hands-on experience with patient care and advocacy,” she said.

The Awards for Excellence program is sponsored by the Indiana Department of Education.

For information about how to apply to Ivy Tech, visit www.ivytech.edu/applynow.