Former area resident, Andrea Mengel, is now the Head of the Community College of Philadelphia’s Department of Nursing.
This fall, the Nursing Department of Community College of Philadelphia was designated a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing in recognition of sustained efforts to promote student learning and professional development. Only three programs in the entire country received this honor. Since its inception in the late 1960s, the nursing program has graduated over 3,000 registered nurses.
Andrea was known by the nickname “Cookie” to everyone while she was growing up in Tyrone. She graduated from Tyrone Area High School in 1965, from Philipsburg Hospital School of Nursing in 1968 and from Penn State with a bachelors degree in nursing in 1970.
While at Penn State, she met her husband, George A. Ritter, and soon after graduation they moved to Philadelphia. George started his own business in Philadelphia as a landscape architect, and continues to run the business today.
Andrea continued her education, completing a masters degree in nursing in 1974 and a doctorate in philosophy in 1987 at the University of Pennsylvania. Andrea began work as a professor at the Community College of Philadelphia in 1975, and she continues to work there, nearly 30 years later.
In 1998, Andrea joined the Board of Directors of the Independence Foundation, a foundation based in Philadelphia that is committed to improving the lives of underserved Philadelphians. The Independence Foundation provides grants to arts and culture, health and human services, and public interest law organizations in Philadelphia.
Andrea credits her upbringing in Tyrone for helping her succeed in her career.
“My childhood in Tyrone taught me the value of hard work and the importance of education,” she said. “I also learned the importance of a strong community.”
Andrea particularly remembers how the community reacted in the weeks following her father’s death. When her father, David G. Mengel, was in the hospital before his death, he was given over 80 pints of blood via transfusion. When the Tyrone community learned that the family wanted to replace the blood that was administered in the hospital, everyone rallied behind the Mengels and donated even more than the 80 pints of blood than the family had said that they wanted.
“The strength of the community in Tyrone was brought home to me then,” Andrea said. “It’s so good to see people helping each other in good times and in bad.”
Andrea’s mother, Helen, has other children living in the Tyrone area, and they are also working in occupations that contribute to the community and allow them to help other people. Margaret Mengel is a registered nurse in the Altoona Regional Health System, and Joseph Mengel is the Highway Supervisor for Snyder Township. Two others live in the Lancaster area: David, an engineer, and Sharon, a therapist. Another daughter, Suzanne, was a social worker in Allentown before her death in 1995.
“I’m proud of all my kids,” Helen said. “My husband Dave and I always encouraged the kids to do what they wanted, and we always pushed education. I’m happy to see my children helping people.”
The tradition continues with Andrea’s daughter Ann Ritter, who is currently studying law at Temple University with plans to enter the public interest field upon graduation. While in college at Yale University, Ann worked at The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp as a counselor for children living with serious blood diseases.
After graduation, she lived in San Francisco and worked for a small non-profit law office focusing on prisoners’ rights issues. Since her return to the East Coast, she has spent her time working for several non-profit organizations devoted to media reform, drug policy reform and improving healthcare for people receiving Medicaid.
“My Mom and my Gram are two of the strongest women I know, and I appreciate the lessons about community that they’ve taught me over the years,” Ann said. “I didn’t grow up in Tyrone, but I know that something special must have happened there to produce two such caring people.”
