I AM UAA: Margie Draskovich

M.S. Nursing Science '99
Associate Professor, UAA School of Nursing Kodiak Outreach Site
Hometown: Kodiak, AK
Fun Fact: Enjoys hiking "Alaska's Emerald Island" with her three dogs

"I was one of those little girls who knew I was going to be a nurse when I grew up," said Margie Draskovich, UAA alumna and associate professor of nursing. Rather than dabbling in this or that, Margie cut straight to the chase. In 1977, at just 19 years old, she became an RN and now boasts a CV loaded with experience in nursing.

After earning her bachelor's degree from Pittsburgh's LaRoche College in 1984, she worked in the Steel City for a few years, mostly in obstetrics, before moving to sunny Florida in 1987.

It was in Florida that Margie drifted into nursing education. She worked as an education coordinator before returning to school for her Master of Public Health degree in 1994. The same year, Margie and her husband-who was in the Coast Guard-were transferred from Florida to the island of Kodiak in Alaska.

Most would think that kind of transition would be difficult, but Margie fit right into the Kodiak community. She got a job with the Kodiak Area Native Association (KANA) as a community mental health coordinator, which gave her the opportunity to travel to rural villages to address crisis intervention and substance abuse outreach. Margie simultaneously worked as an RN at Kodiak Island Hospital on an as-needed basis, in addition to teaching a course as an adjunct instructor at Kodiak College for the UAA School of Nursing.

When KANA offered to assist with tuition for her master's degree in nursing, Margie jumped at the opportunity and made special arrangements with the UAA School of Nursing to complete her advanced degree from Kodiak. This allowed her to continue working with KANA while studying in her home community.

Margie traveled to Anchorage for two weeks at the beginning and end of each semester, but otherwise she studied independently in Kodiak. She explained that professors in Anchorage would tape their lectures and mail them to her; she also participated in some lectures via audio conference and the majority of her clinical hours were completed on the island.

Margie-the first student to obtain a master's degree in nursing via distance delivery from Kodiak-paved the way for other students seeking to further their education and careers. It wasn't until 2000 that the School "officially" started offering its program through distance learning. Now, the Kodiak Outreach Site is educating its fifth cohort and accepts eight nursing students every other year.

"The nursing faculty were exceptionally accommodating and helped me be successful from a distance," Margie said. "If the School of Nursing wasn't willing to try something that had never been done before, I wouldn't be where I am today."

Margie earned her M.S. in Nursing Science in 1999. The same year, Margie's husband's Coast Guard career transferred the couple back to Florida. "I didn't want to leave," she said. A few years later, the pair divorced and Margie was quickly on her way back north.

She landed back "home" in Kodiak in 2002 and got a job teaching nursing at her alma mater. Now an associate professor, Margie provides clinical nursing instruction and facilitation for RN students pursuing their A.A.S. degrees. "I have a good sense of what students are going through," she said.

Since she earned her degree, the School of Nursing has taken great strides in improving its distance learning capabilities. All required courses have been adapted for distance delivery, making it possible for students from 13 communities across Alaska to successfully complete the program in their hometowns.

"I've seen the School progress over the years," she said. "I feel like students are getting a strong education through the UAA School of Nursing."

Margie described the Kodiak community as tight-knit and feels proud that many of the students she's taught have gone on to become health care professionals in the area. "Our local hospital is excellent about hiring our graduates. They [our graduates] can hit the ground running-they know the people, the policies, the procedures. They're truly home grown and have become valued members of our health care community."

What makes Margie most proud is seeing her former students take current students under their wing during clinical rotations. She also glows when she hears patients rave about their nurses-professionals that she's nurtured. "I'm so happy and fulfilled in my career as a nurse educator," she said.

Margie is very connected in Kodiak's small community, not only in health care circles, but also by volunteering with various organizations, including the Providence Kodiak Island Counseling Center Board of Directors and Whale Fest Kodiak. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking "Alaska's Emerald Island" with her three dogs and spending time with her husband Greg, a physician assistant.