Hermanson gift to Wenatchee Valley College Foundation honors nursing legacy

Media Contact: Stacey Lockhart, WVC Foundation executive director, 509.682.6415

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marilyn Brincat, WVC Allied Health Instructional Support Technician, demonstrates Sim Pad technology to Wilf Woods of the Wenatchee World and Stacey Lockhart, executive director of the WVC Foundation. The technology was purchased with funds from the Hermanson gift.

Donald Hermanson, a native of Okanogan, gifted the Wenatchee Valley College Foundation with a $25,000 legacy that honors his mother and sister, both nurses, and will benefit the WVC nursing program.

Hermanson's gift has allowed the WVC Nursing program to purchase new Sim Pad technology to use with the manikins in the teaching labs at both the Wenatchee and Omak campuses. "This technology allows us to make optimal use of the manikins with our students and lab simulations," said Jenny Capelo, WVC Dean of Allied Health. "The improvement in our technology will allow for more students to use our manikins in a manner that allows for the greatest degree of sophistication and makes the experience as 'real life' as possible."

Hermanson attended the University of Washington and worked for Boeing for a number of years. He later went to work for Washington Auto Dealers and then a landscaping company. After being diagnosed with leukemia, Hermanson sought treatment at the Rivkin Center, where he developed a close relationship with Dr. Saul Rivkin, founder and director. Hermanson died on Feb. 22, 2012, at the age of 75.

His mother, Myrtle J. (Kingwell) Hermanson (pictured left) graduated from the Central Washington Deaconess Hospital nursing program in 1928. She moved from Cashmere to Okanogan with her husband and worked at the hospital there for many years.

Doris Wood, Donald's sister, was born and raised in Okanogan and graduated from the Central Washington Deaconess Hospital nursing program in 1956. She worked in a hospital for 20 years and then for a local doctor in a private practice. Wood said she always knew she would become a nurse even though she was often encouraged to teach.

WVC's nursing program graduates nearly 55 students per year between the Omak and Wenatchee campuses. The highly competitive program provides top-notch nurses to hospitals and medical facilities throughout the region.