NMC alumna Min Jung Song a Proa once again

Min Jung “Mindy” Song

Northern Marianas College nursing graduate Min Jung “Mindy” Song is back in the classrooms of NMC, this time instead of listening to lectures she’s giving them.

A registered nurse for more than four years now, Song is now an adjunct nursing instructor at the college. When she isn’t working as a staff nurse at the Medical-Surgical unit of the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp., she teaches nursing skills to NMC nursing students.

“Education and nursing have always been my passion,” Song said. “One of my personal goals is to be a nurse educator, and being able to be an adjunct at NMC will help me be able to use my clinical skills and knowledge to help prepare the next generation of nurses.”

Right after graduating from the college in 2016 and passing her NCLEX-RN, Song started working as a staff RN for the CHCC. She then enlisted in the U.S. Army, and from there, was able to earn her bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Western Governors University.

On being back at NMC, Song said that it is rewarding to be able to teach future nurses.

“Honestly, it was a little weird at first, because I was in those same seats not too long ago,” Song said. “It feels good, though. I see myself in a lot of the students.”

Song teaches 23 first-year and 20 second-year nursing students this semester. She is able to teach her students in a face-to-face setting, but because of the pandemic, her class sizes are smaller.

“We had to divide the classes into two sections because of social distancing, but I’m able to easily interact with all of my students because of the small class sizes,” Song said.

NMC Nursing Department chair Rosa Aldan said she is glad to see her former student back at the college.

“Her years of nursing experience and actively working in the clinical setting is very beneficial to our students,” Aldan said, “We at the Nursing Department are proud of her accomplishments and her willingness to teach our students to be a well-rounded nurse like her and many of our nursing graduates, who also further pursued their nursing education.”

The college continues to see improvements in all of its programs, including nursing. In 2020, approximately 85% of the students who graduated from NMC with their associate degree in nursing passed the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses on their first attempt. This pass rate is higher than the previous year’s pass rate. (PR)