A Notre Dame College new nursing student has been named a Northeast Ohio firefighter.
Blake Kalina who joined the College as a first-year student in fall 2019 previously was a certified firefighter EMT and earned Ohio Department of Public Safety Professional Firefighter II credentials to serve as a volunteer firefighter. The nursing major at Notre Dame was appointed a one-year probationary term with the Hinckley, Ohio, Fire Department in November.
Kalina is a Medical Mutual Nursing Scholar at Notre Dame, where he was admitted into the Honors Scholar Program and as a direct admit pre-licensure nursing major.
Medical Mutual Scholar
Kalina is among the second cohort of Notre Dame’s Medical Mutual Scholar program.
First awarded in the 2018-2019 academic year with a gift from Medical Mutual of Ohio, the tuition scholarships are intended to aid in the recruitment of students traditionally defined as ethnic and racial minorities and men in nursing.
The Medical Mutual Nursing Scholar honors are awarded based on prospective students’ high school GPAs and test scores, with preference toward those with financial need. The aid is renewable based on student academic achievement, persistence and completion.
Notre Dame Honors Scholar
Kalina also is an Honors Scholar at Notre Dame. Students who have demonstrated superior academic performance during their high school careers or during their first semester at the College are invited to join the Notre Dame Honors Scholar Program.
The College graduated a record number of Honors Scholars, seven students, in 2019, including the first student to matriculate through one of its 3+3 law programs. Notre Dame has nearly 60 Scholars currently in the program.
Undergraduates must earn 21 honors credits over their career at the College to qualify for the distinction on their degree. Notre Dame, a member of the Mideast Honors Association, graduated its first Honors Scholars in 2014.
College Credit Plus
Kalina graduated high school with 56 hours of college credit.
College Credit Plus (CCP) classes at Notre Dame offer qualified and highly motivated students access to a broad range of college level coursework and the opportunity to earn college credit. The college credits are fully transferable to Notre Dame and are transferable to other institutions at the discretion of those institutions.
Students may take courses on the Notre Dame campus, at their school (if offered) or through the College’s online program. The high school credit is given at the discretion of the home high school and the college credit is given on a Notre Dame transcript.
High School Standout
Kalina earned his EMT and firefighter certifications while still in high school. He is a 2019 graduate of the public safety program at the Medina County Career Center and Highland High School, where he finished with magna cum laude honors.
At the Medina County Career Center, Kalina received the Superintendent’s Award as well as earning his Basic Life Support, National Registry Emergency Medical Technician and Ohio Department of Public Safety Professional Firefighter II certifications.
He was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa, Cuyahoga Community College’s Honor Society and has been recognized by The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars as the top U.S. Presidential Scholar Semifinalist for Career Technical Education from Ohio.
Kalina is the son of Christopher and Carrie Kalina of Hinckley.
More Information
To learn more about Notre Dame’s college credit, academic scholarships and Honors Scholar programs, schedule a campus visit online or contact the admissions office at admissions@ndc.edu.
November 2019
About Notre Dame College
For almost a century, Notre Dame College has educated a diverse population in the liberal arts for personal, professional and global responsibility. Founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1922, the College has grown strategically to keep pace with the rapidly changing needs of students and the dramatic changes in higher education. But it has never lost sight of its emphasis on teaching students not only how to make a good living but also how to live a good life.
Today, the College offers bachelor’s degrees in 30 disciplines plus a variety of master’s degrees, certification programs and continuing and professional development programs for adult learners on campus and online. Notre Dame College offers NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletic programs for men and women and is located in a picturesque residential neighborhood just 25 minutes from the heart of Cleveland. Hallmarks of the Notre Dame experience include stimulating academics, personalized attention of dedicated faculty and staff, and small class sizes.
Notre Dame College is located at 4545 College Road in South Euclid. For further information contact Brian Johnston, chief communications officer, at 216.373.5252 or bjohnston@ndc.edu.