Karen Larsen graduated from Wenatchee Valley College in 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. She chose to attend WVC because she wanted a local option, and because the nursing program provides great opportunities for learning at nearby healthcare facilities. 

Some of her fondest memories from her time at WVC involved working in the simulation lab with her classmates. According to Karen, her favorite class was anatomy and physiology.

“I liked anatomy and physiology because I learned so much about the human body, and because Professor Fitch always made class interesting and inspired students to work hard and memorize more than we could have imagined possible," she said. 

WVC prepared Karen for her career and future goals by giving her a strong sense of professional ethics as a nurse, as well as a strong background in theory and practice in diverse clinical settings.

After graduating from WVC, Karen joined the nurse residency program at Confluence Health and became a nurse on the medical and oncology floor. 

During Karen’s time at WVC, she received the AZ Wells Foundation Scholarship through the WVC Foundation, which motivated her to pay it forward. A year after graduating, she established the “Bridges to the Future” Scholarship. As a proud alum, Karen welcomes others to join her by making a gift to the scholarship.

Students selected to receive the “Bridges to the Future” Scholarship must be enrolled or planning to enroll at WVC, and a member of the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), or a program with similar student population.

CAMP is a federally funded program designed to help U.S. citizens from migrant and seasonal farm working backgrounds during their first year of college. The program provides academic and financial support services to empower students, so they have a strong foundation to build upon as they work toward a degree. 

A piece of advice Karen offers to current or incoming WVC students is to “hold tight to your goals and keep pushing forward one day at a time.”