MSN Alumni Update: Michael Kremer, PhD, CRNA, FAAN
Michael Kremer MSN ’91 is a professor in Chicago at Rush University’s College of Nursing Department of Adult Health and Gerontological Nursing. He’s also director of the Rush University College of Nursing Nurse Anesthesia Program, and co-director of the Rush University Simulation Lab.
Along the journey to his current prestigious appointments, he was part of the first master's in nursing cohort at Seattle Pacific University, which he remembers as “a pretty cohesive group.”
“It was great to have evening and weekend classes in those pre-distance learning days so that we didn't have to give up our day jobs to go to school,” Michael says. “Our curriculum reflected current thinking and practices in leadership combined with SPU's values, which the faculty were all clearly committed to — especially Annalee Oakes, who became an incredible mentor and friend. We are still in touch.”
Dr. Kremer worked at Rush University from 1993 until 2006, finishing his doctorate there in 1997. From 2006 to 2009, he was involved with a new nurse anesthesia program initiative at Rosalind Franklin University in North Chicago. “After the first class graduated, I had the chance to go back to Rush as the anesthesia program director and co-director of the university simulation lab,” he says. “All of our advanced practice programs transitioned to the DNP last fall, when we also changed from academic quarters to trimesters. I have post-master's DNP and PhD students, too.”
Now far from Seattle, Kremer still remembers where he received his MSN. “I hope the tree and plaque from our class of ’91 is still in place,” he says. “If I remember, the inscription was dedicated to the SPU faculty for their vision. I'll always be grateful that they took a chance on me.”