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At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented and diverse community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, Couriers and preceptors. Spotlight blogs feature members of our FNU community that are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations.

In 1928, Mary Breckinridge, founder of Frontier Nursing University established the Courier Program, recruiting young people to come work in the Kentucky Mountains and learn about service to humanity. Couriers escorted guests safely through remote terrain, delivered medical supplies to remote outpost clinics, and helped nurse-midwives during home visits and births. Frontier has benefited tremendously from the 1,600 Couriers who have served since 1928.

Rebecca Stanevich learned of Frontier Nursing Service as she was flipping through an old book about different occupations, one of which was nursing. The Courier Program at FNS interested Rebecca because she wanted to learn more about the profession of nurse-midwifery. With the help of her mother and a neighbor, she had the opportunity to travel to Wendover in 1970 to serve as a FNS Courier alongside 4 or 5 other young people her age for six weeks.

As a Courier, Rebecca remembers driving for a district nurse, who had recently been injured in a car wreck, in the Wendover area.  She accompanied the nurse on visits and was able to see everything that a district nurse did in the community. She remembers walking into log homes or shanties on visits with the nurse, many of which had dirt floors, which was something very different than what Rebecca was used to seeing.

One of Rebecca’s most memorable experiences is a driving test that the Couriers did with Kate Ireland, a staff member at FNS who worked with the Courier Program. Rebecca had prepared herself prior to traveling to Wendover by learning how to drive stick shift, something she had a feeling would be useful in Wendover.  Kate Ireland had the Couriers drive down a very steep hill and engage the emergency brake upon her command. It was an nerve-racking experience that Rebecca will never forget.

Before coming to Kentucky, Rebecca was under the impression that the area would be similar to that of Western Maryland, where her parents were both from and where she spent much of her childhood. However, after spending time in Eastern Kentucky, Rebecca was amazed at the differences. During her six weeks in Wendover, something that really stuck out to Rebecca was the community’s need for social services.

“The people were strong overall, but too weak to get out of the spiral. I don’t know how they would have survived without social services.”

Although she did not become a nurse-midwife, Rebecca did pursue a career in the field of nursing. Her summer as a Courier provided her with a personal growth opportunity that she still carries with her today. It impacted her political views, career choice, and has provided her with personal strength during difficult times.  In fact, one of the most valuable things that has stuck with her is the strength of people she met there.

“Seeing the people in Leslie County be so positive with so little makes me feel like people are really strong. We can do a lot of things.”

Rebecca is still involved with the Courier Program and serves as a member of the Courier Advisory Committee.

At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented and diverse community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, Couriers and preceptors. Spotlight blogs feature members of our FNU community that are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations.

In 1928, Mary Breckinridge, founder of Frontier Nursing University established the Courier Program, recruiting young people to come work in the Kentucky Mountains and learn about service to humanity. Couriers escorted guests safely through remote terrain, delivered medical supplies to remote outpost clinics, and helped nurse-midwives during home visits and births. Frontier has benefited tremendously from the 1,600 Couriers who have served since 1928.

Lee Fox went into college with the intention of pursuing an art history degree. However, during her sophomore and junior year of college, life intervened. Lee grew ill and underwent many surgeries and chemotherapy. This unfortunate turn of events, however, had a silver lining; she was introduced to the world of healthcare and to the Frontier Nursing Service!

A friend of the family suggested to Lee that she look into the Courier Program. In 1976, Lee traveled from her home in Rochester, NY to Wendover and lived in the Garden House with a fellow Courier, beginning her adventure in the Kentucky mountains.

She spent her time driving the infamous FNS jeeps to the hospital to pick up supplies, making deliveries to the clinics the following mornings. Lee also assisted with clerical duties in the hospital, went on home visits with the nurses, and was able to attend a few nighttime births at the hospital.

During her downtime, Lee remembers listening to music, ogling beautiful quilts, and visiting Pentecostal churches. She gained wisdom from her conversations with Cecil Morgan, Helen Browne, and Kate Ireland. In the evenings, Lee enjoyed Opil’s delicious community dinners in the Big House.

Lee’s experiences in the Courier Program significantly impacted her life. “An amazing summer in the mountains with nurses, family nurse practitioners, and midwives providing most of the primary and OB/GYN care led me to nursing school and a career in home care nursing and public health,” she said.

Today, Lee works as an occupational nurse. She works with individuals who are on disability or leave, helping with their efforts  to return to work.

Lee stays involved with the Courier Program today as a member of the Courier Advisory Committee. She reflects on the opportunities that the Courier Program provided for her and continues to provide for Couriers today:

“Couriers have the opportunity to explore the mountains and their people and culture as it has changed and evolved since my brief but unforgettable encounter with coal trucks, black lung-affected male patients who were expert quilters, and the wonderful Frontier Nursing Service staff members.”

She believes in the importance of this program and thus remains involved in order to help introduce new Couriers to Frontier Nursing University’s dynamic model of primary health care and education.

At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented and diverse community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, Couriers and preceptors. Spotlight blogs feature members of our FNU community that are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations.

In 1928, Mary Breckinridge, founder of Frontier Nursing University established the Courier Program, recruiting young people to come work in the Kentucky Mountains and learn about service to humanity. Couriers escorted guests safely through remote terrain, delivered medical supplies to remote outpost clinics, and helped nurse-midwives during home visits and births. Frontier has benefited tremendously from the 1,600 Couriers who have served since 1928.

When she was 20 years old, Maggie traveled from Louisville, Kentucky to Wendover in the mountains. Being from Kentucky, Maggie and her family had heard of Frontier Nursing Service and the Courier Program long before she became a Courier. She had thoughts of joining the Peace Corps, and she saw some similarities in the Courier Program so she decided to join.

Although she was from Kentucky, Maggie had never been to the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. She knew nothing about Appalachia before she participated in the Courier Program. “At the time I went to FNS, no place had felt more different to me than Eastern Kentucky… I had my first sense of culture shock there.”

Although it seemed like a world very different from her own, by the time she left the program, she had a special place in her heart for Appalachia.

She spent her time as a Courier dropping off supplies at the clinics and hospitals, driving the infamous FNS jeeps, shadowing a social worker, and getting to know the other Couriers, midwifery students, and members of the community.  Maggie particularly remembers spending time with the Wooton family who lived down the road from Wendover–playing music and square dancing.

Although she was interested in poverty, women’s issues, and worlds outside of her own prior to becoming a Courier, her time in the Courier Program strengthened and grew these interests.

“Staying there and feeling very immersed, getting to know people there, midwives and people who lived there, I just felt part of this community.”

Her feelings and experiences as a Courier helped to influence her life in terms of what she wanted to do professionally in the future. The things that she experienced and witnessed as a Courier changed her direction from healthcare to journalism.

Maggie is now working as a freelance journalist who writes about race, poverty, and social justice issues. Since she has left the Courier Program, she has written a lot about health, specifically reproductive health. She would love to return to Eastern Kentucky to write stories, but she has not yet done so.

Her experiences and things that she learned during the Courier Program continue to have an influence in both her writing and her life today.

“One of the things that I liked the most about it is that it didn’t feel like we were just outsiders. It was a few months but it really had an impact on me… It was one of those life changing events and I am so glad that I did it. It was a rare experience.”

At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented and diverse community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, Couriers and preceptors. Spotlight blogs feature members of our FNU community that are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations.

In 1928, Mary Breckinridge, founder of Frontier Nursing University established the Courier Program, recruiting young people to come work in the Kentucky Mountains and learn about service to humanity. Couriers escorted guests safely through remote terrain, delivered medical supplies to remote outpost clinics, and helped nurse-midwives during home visits and births. Frontier has benefited tremendously from the 1,600 Couriers who have served since 1928.

While searching for her own life’s future direction, Marian Leibold saw the perfect opportunity to pursue a summer filled with adventure and service by traveling to help where her help could be used–Leslie County, KY. So in 1977, she, like many before her, embarked on her adventure in Wendover as a part of the Courier Program.

From her first day at Wendover, Marian felt as if she belonged. In a journal entry, Marian reflected:

“The veil of silver mist rising over the rich green mountains, the apples on the drive, the dusty pebbles on the road, the nasturtiums which leapt colorfully out of the cracks in the stone wall, the abundance of purple joe-pye weed behind the garden house, an old shed with sleeping tools, the chicken coup still offering up eggs for breakfast all invited me in…The first day we were introduced to our quarters and the ways of life here and our mission as Couriers.”

Although she never met Mary Breckenridge, Marian felt a strong connection with the spirit of her work. During her time in the program, she learned about Mary Breckenridge’s life, experiences, passions, and struggles. In fact, one of the many aspects of the Courier Program that attracted Marian was its foundation by a woman.

“I was moved by her willingness to leave her own comfort zone to bring a better life to others.  Such a courageous move is born out of tremendous character, conviction and compassion.”

As a Courier, Marian shared many experiences with other Couriers, nurses, and local residents, all of which left lasting impressions. She was at a point in her life where she was ripe with big questions about both herself and the world, so Marian stumbled upon the Courier Program at the perfect time.

Her time as a Courier impacted her career path as well. Marian met a nurse in the Midwifery program and later joined this nurse in Lesotho, Africa. In Africa, she learned about the nurse’s work and medical missions.

Later, Marian attended medical school at the University of Cincinnati. Just before finishing, though, she decided to turn her attention to her family; she now lives with her husband and four children in Cincinnati.

Marian continues to stay involved with Frontier Nursing University and the Courier Program by hosting and planning the annual Cincy committee dinner, personally supporting Frontier, and serving on the Courier Advisory Committee.

Marian strongly believes that it is important for young adults to have mentors, and she is grateful that Frontier Nursing University’s Courier Program was able to serve in that role for others, just as it had for her.

She speaks to how the Courier Program teaches the rewards of deep and lasting commitments, as well as the value of traveling outside of your comfort zone to experience other perspectives on life and using those experiences to better yourself and your communities. In this way, Marian believes, the Courier Program leaves lasting impacts on the Couriers who come to serve.

At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented and diverse community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, Couriers and preceptors. Spotlight blogs feature members of our FNU community that are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations.

In 1928, Mary Breckinridge, founder of Frontier Nursing University established the Courier Program, recruiting young people to come work in the Kentucky Mountains and learn about service to humanity. Couriers escorted guests safely through remote terrain, delivered medical supplies to remote outpost clinics, and helped nurse-midwives during home visits and births. Frontier has benefited tremendously from the 1,600 Couriers who have served since 1928.

In the late 1960’s, Phoebe Woods spent a summer in Wendover serving as a Courier for Frontier Nursing Service. The Courier Program was a family tradition: Phoebe’s mother and aunt had both been Couriers. Phoebe grew up being told stories of the Courier Program, Frontier Nursing Service, and Mary Breckinridge that had been passed down by generations of women in her family.

Phoebe remembers her first morning in Wendover, when she was awakened at 5 a.m. by someone in her room. It was a bit startling, as she recalled. As it turned out, it was an older gentleman named Henry. He and other FNS staff often did this to new Couriers as practical joke on their first morning there. Henry was doing his job and after that day, he came to her room every morning to light the coal fires so that Phoebe would stay warm.

At the beginning of the summer, Phoebe picked out her infamous khaki pants and white polo from the “Courier grab bag” in the Garden House basement–something that had been around since the time that her mother was a Courier.  There were khakis in the grab bag that dated back to the 1940’s and 1950’s. The Couriers were able to choose whatever clothing they needed from the grab bag and returned the items at the end of the summer.

As a Courier, Phoebe drove the FNS jeeps, cared for the horses and other animals, ran errands to prepare for tea and sherry hour, and even remembers shooting rats in the town dump, which was not something all Couriers did. Her favorite part of the day was exercising the animals. One day, Phoebe used Molly the Mule to plow a very steep hill by the garden, one of the most tiring tasks that Phoebe volunteered to do as a Courier.

She spent a lot of time transporting patients and nurses to and from the clinics and hospitals.  She also was able to work at these outpost clinics and hospitals in the community, assisting with whatever odd jobs may need to be done.  

There was no veterinarian at Wendover, so when there were emergencies with any of the animals, Phoebe volunteered to fill this role. She remembers giving medication to a sick cow and a shot to a farmer’s pig.

“I was always willing to do any weird, unusual thing…I was loving this life out there and anything I could do that was different or unusual, I was happy to do it,” she recalls.

After her summer as a Courier, Phoebe stayed at Wendover to serve as the Christmas secretary, a position that her mother had once held, as well. She remembers receiving truckloads of presents from all over for new mothers and families. Phoebe organized the presents by gender and age and loaded the truck according to what the members of the community might need.  

Phoebe became close friends with a fellow Courier, Effner Tudor, who also spent a large amount of time at Wendover as a Courier. When both Phoebe and Effner had finished their service at Frontier Nursing Service, they traveled around the United States and Canada together for three months, driving from state to state and camping out.

As she was growing up, her mother and other women around her did not work. Wendover was Phoebe’s first exposure to women working, and not only were the women working, they were running things. People came from all over the world to see how well the women at Wendover ran Frontier Nursing Service. This astonished Phoebe and made a lasting impression on her!

Phoebe’s time as a Courier profoundly influenced her life in many ways. In fact, Phoebe reflects, “There are very few things in my life that affected me more than FNS.” The Courier Program empowered Phoebe as a woman personally, professionally, and even inspired her continual love for Khakis.

At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented and diverse community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, Couriers and preceptors. Spotlight blogs feature members of our FNU community that are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations.

In 1928, Mary Breckinridge, founder of Frontier Nursing University established the Courier Program, recruiting young people to come work in the Kentucky Mountains and learn about service to humanity. Couriers escorted guests safely through remote terrain, delivered medical supplies to remote outpost clinics, and helped nurse-midwives during home visits and births. Frontier has benefited tremendously from the 1,600 Couriers who have served since 1928.

Sallie Bingham was a Courier in the year 1957. Sallie’s parents sent her from Louisville to Wendover as a way of avoiding a local traditional summer. She had just finished her junior year in college, and although it was the custom of that time, she did not want to make her “debut” like the rest of her classmates. Instead, they packed up the car and her father drove her down to be a Courier for the Frontier Nursing Service.

Sallie experienced a rough transition at Wendover. She struggled with feeling useful to the midwives. She recalls that there was not always something to do and in fact, there would be long stretches of time where there was nothing to do at all.

However, she was able to go on a couple of calls with the midwife and stood outside to hold the horse while she worked in the cabin. She also escorted a few guests and did some mucking out of the stables.  Although she did not see a delivery of a baby, Sallie was able to see a calf born in the middle of the night with one of the nurses!

During free time, she remembers riding on the mountain roads, singing along the way so that the moonshiners could hear her.

Sallie had the opportunity to meet Mary Breckinridge a few times at tea, although Mary was usually fairly quiet. Sallie was fascinated by her. She was deeply touched by the plaque that was in town commemorating Mary Breckinridge’s children.

Although her time as a Courier was not what she had expected, Sallie was exposed to a way of life that she had not previously experienced. She was amazed by the life of poverty and Appalachian culture of that time, which opened her eyes in many ways to other aspects of the world.  

Her love for the health and wellbeing of women has continued, and she has remained interested in the history of FNS and Mary Breckinridge and their role in Kentucky’s history.