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Health Challenges Can’t
Stop “Outstanding Student”
Most Minnesotans can’t
wait to luxuriate in the upcoming summer weather. Not Jennifer
Nurnberg! Hot days, especially teamed with ungodly humidity, often
complicate an already complicated life. “When
it’s 90 percent humidity,” said Nurnberg, “then my legs aren’t
working right.”
Nurnberg, 33, has multiple sclerosis. When humidity soars, and when she’s
extremely fatigued at the end of the day, her legs feel heavy, almost like she’s
pulling along another person. At least for now, the Saint Paul resident considers
the illness a speed bump on her highway to success. Nurnberg has already accomplished
a lot. She graduated this month from Metropolitan State University with a bachelor’s
degree in Early Childhood Studies and was selected outstanding student in the
College of Professional Studies. In an heroic display of multi-tasking, she attended
school full-time, served as president of the Psychology Club, worked full-time,
had another part-time job, and reared two children as a single mother, all while
negotiating an ailment that may eventually rob her of her ability to walk and
live independently.
“I hope this doesn’t sound conceited,” she said, “but
I’m very proud of what I accomplished with all the things I have to deal
with.”
To peer into her future, Jennifer need only observe her 59-year-old mother, who
also has MS and is wheelchair bound. Still, her mother was expected to cheer
her daughter on during the university’s commencement ceremony last weekend.
Also expected at the ceremony were her entire family, including a brother and
sister-in-law flying in from Connecticut, and her two sons, a first and fourth
grader. When her youngsters discovered she was selected outstanding student,
they whooped. “They said, ‘Look at how cool mom is.’ So I guess
I’m now ‘cool’ to them,” she laughed.
Nurnberg is intent on setting a good example for her children about the importance
of education. So far, it seems they’ve received the message. “I contemplated
not going to college because of having to be away from my family at times,” said
Nurnberg. “But I can see the value of my education when I come home. The
kids are doing their homework. Their teachers tell me they love to learn and
ask questions and want to know ‘why.’” Serving as that educational
role model, she said, is the biggest gift she could give them.
Nurnberg’s success makes the daily challenges she confronts with MS more
tolerable. She has learned to prioritize her day and pace herself to save energy,
even thinking ahead about when she will perform mundane activities like doing
laundry. Paradoxically, she has discovered that the busier she is, the more energy
she has. “That’s the funny thing about my MS. I’m finding the
busier I am, the more productive I get. My legs won’t work if I don’t
use them.”
Jennifer is currently a teaching assistant at Highland Park Junior High School,
where she works with eighth grade students who have emotional and behavioral
disorders. Her own disability, she believes, accords her special insight into
their challenges.
She graduated with an associate of applied science from Saint Paul College in
2003. That graduation was also a source of celebration for her children.
“We videotaped that graduation and the best thing about it was hearing
my sons yelling and screaming as I walked across the stage when my name was called.
It was the most beautiful thing in the whole entire world.”
While attending Metropolitan State, Nurnberg has served as president and vice
president of the student Psychology Club. The self-described “outgoing,
determined and focused” Nurnberg was recently inducted into Psi Chi, a
national honor society for psychology students also engaged in community service
activities through the Psychology Club.
“I’ve formed some wonderful relationships at Metropolitan State,
including gaining access to more professional resources,” she said. “I
like the whole spirit of community that Metropolitan State emphasizes and I appreciate
the fact it’s for working adults.”
Nurnberg said she plans to pursue a master’s degree in special education
or organizational leadership. “Education is a big outlet for me. I love
learning.”
Metropolitan State University, a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
System, provides quality, higher-education programs for adults seeking baccalaureate
and master’s degrees. It is the only state university in the Twin Cities
metropolitan area.
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