MPS student Imunique Triplett earns LPN degree before high school graduation

A woman speaks at a graduation ceremony
Despite being the youngest student in her LPN class, Triplett was chosen by her classmates to speak at MATC’s Nurse Pinning Ceremony on Dec. 14, 2021.

Imunique Triplett has always been something special.

First, her name. Her mother was determined to christen her first daughter with that name, pronounced “I am unique.”

Now, at age 17, Triplett has graduated from the Milwaukee Area Technical College Licensed Practical Nursing Program six months before earning her diploma from Milwaukee Public Schools Rufus King International High School.

And despite being the youngest student in her LPN class, Triplett was chosen by her classmates to speak at MATC’s Nurse Pinning Ceremony on Dec. 14, 2021.

Triplett has accomplished so much so fast thanks to the M³ (pronounced M-cubed) program, a collaboration among MATC, Milwaukee Public Schools, and the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Through College Connections, high school students can enroll in college classes to advance their career plans. These classes count as credit toward high school graduation and also qualify as earned credits in college, saving time and money. Imunique made the most of these dual enrollment options to complete all of the 32 required credits to graduate as a licensed practical nurse.

“Imunique is setting an example for Milwaukee and setting an example for her peers,” said Erin Cherney, MATC’s high school relations manager. “She relates well to people and she is going to be a role model.”

During her sophomore year at Rufus King, Imunique got an email about the LPN program at MATC and didn’t give it a second thought. “Blood? People? Yuck,” she said. “I never really wanted to be in the health field at all.”

But she did her research, weighed the pros and cons, then decided to start the program.

At MATC’s Downtown Milwaukee Campus, Imunique took her required nursing classes including general anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, clinical management, and psychology of human relations. She has earned 32 college credits and received mostly As and Bs in her subjects.

“She is the first student to complete the LPN M³ pathway on schedule,” said MATC’s Cherney.

As she contemplates her future, Imunique said she’ll never regret her decision to enter the MATC LPN program. “I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. Once I discovered what I wanted to do, the nursing program aligned right with it,” she said. “It gave me practical experience, networking experience, and learning experience. The faculty and everyone at MATC was super supportive and provided inspiration.

“It was worth every tear I shed and every night I stayed up late studying,” she said. “It has been a very special experience.”