Lifelong Learning 12vHERVOICEvJULY/AUGUST 2019 vBy Julie Eickhoff Pam VanMeeteren never imagined she’d be in college for twenty-seven years, especially while caring for her family of four children, Alissa, Brian, Abbey, and Ashley with her husband; Jeff. All the while working full-time, but Pam VanMeeteren is far from the the average college student or parent. She shares that she “was always a person that wanted to help others in some way.” Celebrating the achievement of her Doctorate of Nursing Practice degree from South Dakota State University in May of 2019, has been the pinnacle of a lifetime’s worth of education and service. This graduation was especially special because she shared it with her daughter, Alissa, who received her Master’s in Business Administration from the University of South Dakota on the same day. Pam jokes that “It wasn’t completely my only motivation, but I felt like I’ve been going to school forever, I’m not going to let my son get his doctorate before I do!” Brian, is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice program at Mount Marty College. To date Pam VanMeeteren has attained a BA in Nursing, a Master of Science in Nursing, two Post Masters as a Family Nurse Practitioner, and as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse, and her terminal degree: a Doctorate of Nursing Practice. In addition, she’s also a certified Addiction Registered Nurse. Any patient of Dr. VanMeetern’s is in very knowledgeable hands! Pam, a self-professed “farm girl from Canton, SD.” originally aspired to be a “social worker in a big city, but a high school guidance counselor encouraged me to pursue nursing instead.” Pam shares that while her parents were incredibly supportive, she “was the pioneer of the family for higher education, and the first to graduate from college.” This culminated in a Bachelor of Arts degree in Nursing from Augustana College in 1985. After graduation Pam worked at the VA hospital in the oncology/surgical intensive care department in Sioux Falls. She then went on to teaching nursing in Eagle Butte for a Presentation College satellite for two years. Pam truly enjoyed being a teacher and preceptor. She shares that “When teaching others you need to constantly be learning yourself. Students always have a question, you need to have the answer for.” Pam’s two siblings followed her scholastic lead and became future teachers themselves. The journey of Pam’s “profession and education probably happened more as a result of making use of opportunities, versus a real calculated plan.” She became involved with USD nursing program, who hoped to add satellite program sites across the state in 1988-1989. USD was working with Capitol University Center, a small community college in Pierre, SD. at the time, and hired her to become a lobbyist. Pam worked with surrounding hospitals to bring a satellite program to Pierre. Pam subsequently became the director of the nursing program that started in Pierre. Pam credits her “wonderful mentors who guided me into education and teaching. It was one of the best experiences of my professional life.” The program is still in existence, with one of Pam’s original co-worker founders, as the active director. While Jeff worked for the State of South Dakota in Pierre, Pam continued teaching for USD, and simultaneously began her Masters of Science in Nursing