“I’m happy to be here. It feels really good and natural,” said Terri Michalenko, the new office coordinator for the physician assistants program. She and her husband, Kevin Michalenko, moved to Nebraska from Amarillo, Texas, to work at Union. “We had a calling to come here. I’ve always been interested in healthcare — it’s just always been so interesting to me. With this job open, it seemed like the perfect fit.”
When Terri lived in Colorado prior to moving to Amarillo, she worked with Visiting Angels as a caregiver. “I loved it. It was just kind of a dream to do that,” Terri said. Now she’s fitting in well to her new role, helping with preparations for incoming student interviews and today’s White Coat Ceremony. “It’s such an exciting place to work, especially in the PA program. I’m learning so much about how the program is run and how competitive it is. And the people here are so nice.”
Terri looks forward to her time here with her husband and their youngest daughter, Megan, who’s a sophomore elementary education major. Terri and her family live close enough to Union that she can go home for lunch during the day. She always wants to make sure to give her aged dog, Midnight, a walk before returning to campus. “I like Nebraska, I really do. It’s just got such a nice and friendly feel,” Terri said.
By Maria Kercher, senior communication major