Imunique Triplett has always been something special.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, her name. Her mother was determined to christen her first daughter with that name, pronounced \u201cI am unique.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And despite being the youngest student in her LPN class, Triplett was chosen by her classmates to speak at MATC\u2019s Nurse Pinning Ceremony on Dec. 14, 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Triplett has accomplished so much so fast thanks to the M\u00b3 (pronounced M-cubed) program, a collaboration among MATC, Milwaukee Public Schools, and the University of Wisconsin\u2013Milwaukee. 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cImunique is setting an example for Milwaukee and setting an example for her peers,\u201d said Erin Cherney, MATC\u2019s high school relations manager. \u201cShe relates well to people and she is going to be a role model.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During her sophomore year at Rufus King, Imunique got an email about the LPN program at MATC and didn\u2019t give it a second thought. \u201cBlood? People? Yuck,\u201d she said. \u201cI never really wanted to be in the health field at all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But she did her research, weighed the pros and cons, then decided to start the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At MATC\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe is the first student to complete the LPN M\u00b3 pathway on schedule,\u201d said MATC\u2019s Cherney.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As she contemplates her future, Imunique said she\u2019ll never regret her decision to enter the MATC LPN program. \u201cI would do it all over again in a heartbeat. Once I discovered what I wanted to do, the nursing program aligned right with it,\u201d she said. \u201cIt gave me practical experience, networking experience, and learning experience. The faculty and everyone at MATC was super supportive and provided inspiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was worth every tear I shed and every night I stayed up late studying,\u201d she said. \u201cIt has been a very special experience.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"