Janet & Robert Wilke RN Completion Nursing Scholarship

Robert and Janet Wilke have been a part of the Winona community since 1972. Robert worked as an electrical engineer at TRW and later in research and development of new products. Janet taught at Winona State University for approximately 34 years in nursing, teaching undergraduate, graduate and RN completion nursing students. She also practiced as an adult/geriatric nurse practitioner while teaching nursing at Winona State University.

The RN completion curriculum was developed after WSU received funding from a Bush Foundation Grant (1982-1983) by Janet Wilke and Judith Kopper. The program provided an opportunity for RNs to return to school to finish a baccalaureate nursing degree. This approach built public health, education, research and leadership concepts upon the skills they received in their 2-3 year programs.

This additional education is a big commitment for RNs and places great challenges on a single parent trying to further their education. It is for this group that we have established a scholarship, which will provide the most competent nursing workforce for our diverse health care systems.

Scholarship contact is Janet.