Joan Flanagan earned her bachelor's degree from Ball State University in 1976 majoring in nursing with a biological sciences minor.

Joan is currently the Dean of Health Career Programs and a Nursing Administrator at McHenry County College.  Most of her nursing career has been in nursing education as a faculty member and administrator.  She currently has what she describes as "the opportunity of a lifetime."  She is establishing the first-ever nursing program at McHenry County College.  She has recently gotten the approval from the appropriate agencies and boards in the State of Illinois and is currently finalizing policies and procedures and accepting applications for the first nursing students to be enrolled in the fall of 2008. 

While a student at Ball State, Joan was a member of the Student Nurse Association and worked in the Department of Journalism.  She also assisted at journalism workshops that took place on campus during the summer months.

When asked about her Ball State experience, Joan says "I am so thankful for the wide variety of opportunities afforded me at Ball State.  Through a wide variety of clinical experiences in school, I was prepared to branch out into any number of specialties and career paths.  Although it has been over 30 years since I walked the halls, I clearly recall the high standards expected of BSU nursing graduates.  My McHenry graduates will have to meet equally high standards, as this BSU grad would have it no other way!"

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