Marcille Frevert was part of a nursing cohort that graduated from Methodist College – then known as the Methodist School of Nursing – in 1950.
She went on to enter a career that spanned more than 40 years, crediting the education and experience she received at Methodist College as a key component in her prolonged devotion to caring for others.
Marcille’s experience at Methodist College
Frevert remembers her experience at Methodist College was very hands-on, rooted in best practice and focused on high quality, passionate care.
She and her classmates received training in various departments of multiple hospitals, including the State Hospital of Bartonville and the Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
“We would go in and work on the floors from seven until 11. We would then go back in the evening and work from four until seven,” Frevert said. “It was a long journey, and I enjoyed every bit of it.”
Frevert remembers her instructors – many of which were physicians – helped give her valuable, real-world experience in preparation for her career.
“I had training in multiple areas, and I loved each and every one of them,” Frevert said.
Methodist College’s evolution of innovation
Frevert often visits the Methodist College campus to see her great-granddaughter, Sydney Webb, who is close to graduating with a nursing degree of her own.
She says she is impressed and amazed by the college’s state-of-the-art simulation lab and its modernized classrooms, which are equipped with Smart technology and help enhance and facilitate engaged active learning during courses.
“I can’t get over how things have changed at the College now,” Frevert said. “There are things we had never heard of – students are so lucky to have the technology they have today. A lot of things remain the same - they just go about it a bit differently.”
Frevert also admires the college’s continued focus on hands-on, clinical experience for its students - Webb receives training in areas such as obstetrics, pediatrics and behavioral health – all completed locally at Carle Health Methodist Hospital.
Frevert’s message to future nurses
Frevert urges anyone interested in the medical profession to consider nursing and is thrilled to see her great granddaughter thrive at a place that means so much to her.
“Nursing is a wonderful experience. Nowadays, there are so many avenues and opportunities you can go into. You can choose an area and go on from there,” Frevert said.
This year, Methodist College celebrates 125 years of equipping students to provide the health solutions needed to best serve the Peoria community and beyond. Throughout its history, the college has created a unique and high-quality learning environment for the area’s future nurses, healthcare administrators, social workers and other clinical care providers.
For more information on Methodist College and its history, visit methodistcol.edu and keep an eye out for more inspiring student stories like this one.