WILLISTON, N.D. - Liberty Peterson, a Williston State College nursing student, is the latest to achieve ALEKS success this fall.

Peterson earned his ALEKS certification and finished MATH 210 Elementary Statistics early with a 94% completion rate.

ALEKS was introduced at WSC in 2015 and WSC began using it in MATH 210 this past summer.

ALEKS, which stands for Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces, is software that designs a course shell for students based on their initial course assessment taken. Course shells provide each student a successful learning path with positive reinforcement along the way, and students learn the material at a rate that works best for them.

"I'm happy I finished the course early that way I could focus on my nursing courses," explained Peterson who is in the Dakota Practical Nursing Program.

Peterson graduated from Williston High School in 2000 and attended the University of North Dakota where he entered the aviation program. He earned his private pilot's license but decided to focus in Airport Management and graduated from UND with a degree in Business Administration.

"The reason I decided to return to school for nursing was because I wanted to do something that made a difference in people's lives," explained Peterson. "While in Fargo, I volunteered many hours with Fargo First Assembly of God and met a lot of amazing people and realized how good it felt to make a difference in other's lives. This helped me refocus my life's attention."

Peterson enrolled at WSC the fall of 2017.

"Peterson is a very dedicated student and is doing well in nursing," stated Gail Raasakka, Director of the WSC Nursing Program and Peterson's advisor. "He strives to do his personal best in all of his courses."

After becoming a licensed practical nurse (LPN), Peterson plans to continue on into the Dakota Associate Degree Nursing Program.

For more on this story, please contact Gail Raasakka at gail.raasakka@willistonstate.edu or at 701.774.4290.

For more information on WSC, please visit www.willistonstate.edu, call 1.888.863.9455, or stop by 1410 University Avenue, Williston, ND.