Inger Nielsen and Gretchen Schmelzer

Recorded June 3, 2016 00:00 minutes
Audio not available

Interview ID: MBX008526

Description

Inger Nielsen (63) recounts to her friend Gretchen Schmelzer (50) how after she immigrated to the US from Denmark as a midwife, she decided to go back to school, started a women's crew team made up of non-traditional students, and how they supported each other through school and later through some of life's hardest situations, including her bout with cancer.

Subject Log / Time Code

Inger describes how she and a group of non-traditional students decided to organize a crew team on Lake Waban.
Inger describes the group "as her American sisters." They evolved to support Inger through her bouts with brain cancer
Inger tells the story of moving to the US from Denmark in 1980 with her husband and child. She was drawn to Wellsely because she could take her time in getting her 2nd degree.
Inger describes how different it is being a midwife in Denmark compared the US and how competitive it was to receive that training.
Inger describes herself as "independent" and school allowed her to meet people and learn something new which she always brought home and told her kids.
Inger describes feeling incredibly "safe" with the group and be allowing to be how she was when she needed to be.
Inger relates that "flexibility" to her experience at Wellesley and her decision to have a second child.
Inger describes helping her another friend in their group with cancer and driving down to Jersey to support her during her chemotherapy treatments.

Participants

  • Inger Nielsen
  • Gretchen Schmelzer

Recording Locations

Wellesley College

Partnership Type

Fee for Service