Wilson, a registered nurse, says she’d always wanted to complete her bachelor’s degree, but a hectic schedule through the years made it impossible.
“I decided to look at online learning,” she explains. “From the first class on I was hooked — I loved the teachers, the students, and the team projects. The real life stories of what nurses and health care professionals dealt with daily.”
Diane completed her BSN , then jumped right into a master’s program — a dual masters in nursing and health care administration.
“Much to my surprise, I use it everyday and it helped me organize my time better, understand my employees, lead with confidence and understand the changing health care environment,” she says.
As she was completing her master’s degree, Wilson says she got the courage to run for the office of the president of the American Association of Tissue Banks for the U.S., which oversees all tissue banking operations in the nation.
“Before me — it was men only and doctors,” she says, proudly. “I broke the mold — a woman and a nurse ... I am now serving my second and final year as President.”
Her University of Phoenix counselor asked her to be part of an article for alumni, then asked if she was willing to be featured in one of the “I am a Phoenix” commercials to discuss what she does for a living. Wilson received no compensation, and had to take vacation time to go to Hollywood for the taping.
She’s glad she did. The response, she says, has been “wonderful.”
“I get about 10 e-mails a day from people across the nation, she said. “I am so honored that they asked me and so happy that they are bringing awareness to skin transplants and donation as we struggle daily to meet the needs of the burn centers across the U.S.”
Wilson is currently featured in TV spots, website links, radio spots and she believes billboards are planned as well.
To see Wilson’s University of Phoenix commercials and website interviews, visit www.phoenix.edu/cmp/icons/diane-wilson.html.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2440 or mmoss@Dayton DailyNews.com.
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