Two UW-Oshkosh Faculty Members To Be Honored As Veterans Of The Game
The Armed Forces careers of two UW-Oshkosh faculty members will be celebrated during Veterans Appreciation Day activities at the Titans' 1 p.m. football game against UW-River Falls on Saturday (Nov. 9) at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.
Morgan Bailey, of Chicago, and Catherine (Katy) Schmitt, of Menasha, have been chosen as the 2019 UW-Oshkosh Football Veterans of the Game.
Bailey earned a doctorate in nursing from UW-Oshkosh in 2012 and serves as an adjunct faculty professor for his alma mater. Schmitt also is a faculty member with the College of Nursing, joining UW-Oshkosh in 2014.
"The UW-Oshkosh Veterans Appreciation Football Game is our humble 'thank you' to the veterans community," said UW-Oshkosh Veterans Resource Coordinator Timber Smith. "It symbolizes that UW-Oshkosh and Titans everywhere recognize and are grateful for the service and sacrifice of our military community. This year's Veterans of the Game are outstanding examples of those who have served our nation humbly, honorably, and above all else, proudly."
Veterans and those currently serving in the Armed Forces will receive free admission to the football game and a pregame tailgate party sponsored by Zack Zabel State Farm Insurance in the Associated Bank parking lot across from J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium. Frankie Mascato – an Oshkosh resident and American Idol Golden Ticket winner – will perform the national anthem.
In 1989, Bailey was commissioned as a First Lieutenant (66H8A) in the U.S. Army Reserve Nurse Corp Branch and assigned to the 452nd General Hospital, serving as a coordinator and liaison for the critical care preceptor-training program. Two years later, he entered active duty service, attending the Preoperative Nursing Program.
Bailey continued to advance his education and take on more diverse positions of increasing clinical and leadership responsibilities, including serving in some of the most challenging nursing positions: staff nurse, head nurse, supervisor and director.
He earned the highly coveted Expert Field Medical Badge, along with the Order of Military Medical Merit (O2MC), Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (OLC), the Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal with star, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon and the Air Assault Badge.
Bailey currently works as a nursing supervisor and quality director at a local facility and has served UW-Oshkosh in a variety of ways since 2009, including as a College of Nursing instructor in the Accelerated BSN program and a member of the Board of Visitors.
Prior to obtaining his doctorate at UW-Oshkosh, he earned a bachelor's degree in nursing from Cardinal Stritch University, an MBA from Western International University (Ariz.) and a master's degree in nursing from the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
Schmitt began her military career in September 1987 with a direct commission as a second lieutenant with the Army Nurse Corps, Wisconsin Army National Guard.
As a member of the 13th Evacuation Hospital, out of Madison, Schmitt was called to active duty on Nov. 21, 1990 in support of Operation Desert Shield/Storm. She traveled to Fort McCoy for training in anticipation of service during the conflict and was deployed to the Persian Gulf on Jan. 11, 1991. The 400-bed hospital became fully functional 11 days before the ground war began. She helped care for many of the 3,907 outpatients and 435 in-patients the hospital admitted between January and March 1991.
Schmitt was discharged from active duty in May 1991 and returned to the Wisconsin Army National Guard. In December 1992, she transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve Control Group, served until February 1997 and was honorably discharged at the rank of captain.
She earned several awards throughout her career, including the Army Service Ribbon, National Defense Service Ribbon, Southwest Asia Service Ribbon and the Army Commendation Medal.
Schmitt earned a bachelor's degree in nursing from Marian University in 1992 and a master's degree in nursing education in 2005. She completed her doctorate in nursing from UW-Milwaukee in 2013 and shortly thereafter accepted a position at UW-Oshkosh.
As a member of the UW-Oshkosh faculty, Schmitt has been instrumental in making sure College of Nursing soldier students are recognized during graduation. She also works to help serve other UW-Oshkosh student soldiers by maintaining a close relationship with the Student Veterans Association.
Written by Liz Smith, UW-Oshkosh University Marketing & Communications