Hands-On Training

Phyllis Kalanquin was a nurse at St. Joseph Hospital in Flint for 30 years. The Mott Community College nursing program graduate always tried to balance clinical skill with kindness and compassion. She carried those values into every part of her life. By her example and a gift in her honor, the lab fosters critical thinking skills through hands-on experiential learning and real-world problem solving helping prepare students pursuing nursing careers today and well into the future.

Nursing Students at the entrance of the Phyllis C. Kalanquin Health Science Lab
Nursing Students at the entrance of the Phyllis C. Kalanquin Health Science Lab
Phyllis C. Kalanquin commemorative plaque
Phyllis C. Kalanquin commemorative plaque
Reception desk
Reception desk
Two women discussing in front of tri-folded presentation board
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Patient beds
Patient beds
Two women monitoring SIM mannequin patient
Monitoring SIM manikin patient
SIM mannequins mother and infant
SIM manikins mother and infant
John Kalanquin and Lennetta Coney-FMCC President
John Kalanquin and Lennetta Coney-FMCC President
Ribbon cutting - Kalanquin Family and MCC President Shaunda Richardson-Snell
Ribbon cutting - Kalanquin Family and MCC President, Shaunda Richardson-Snell
Ribbon cutting - Kalanquin Family and MCC President Shaunda Richardson-Snell
Ribbon cutting - Kalanquin Family and MCC President, Shaunda Richardson-Snell

Lab Features

  • Simulation Manikins

    • SimMan: Cutting-edge, High-tech Manikin that exhibits realistic blood pressure, heart and lung sounds, breathes, moans, and speaks.
      • Under instructor guidance, allows students to witness and respond in real- time to a variety of patient clinical situations, including cardiac arrest.
    • Labor and delivery mannequins that allow students to practice OB skills in a safe environment
      • Birthing simulator
      • Infant and pediatric simulation manikins.

  • Critical care simulation room:

    designed to teach proper care for critical care patients in a controlled environment

  • Pediatric training area:

    equipped with mannequins for hands-on learning and age-specific care practice along with common pediatric diseases

  • Open lab time:

    is available for students to independently practice and refine clinical skills Monday-Thursday 7am-5pm

  • High-fidelity simulated scenarios

    that promote critical thinking, decision-making, and teamwork

  • Supportive, skills-focused environment:

    that bridges classroom learning with real-world healthcare experience

Phyllis' Legacy lives on

Phyllis and her husband, John, started volunteering in Mott’s nursing simulations after retiring. They posed as patients so students could practice clinical and communication skills. “It was a way to give back,” John says. “And something we could do together.” In addition, he provided funding to dedicate the health sciences lab in his wife’s name.

Phyllis passed away in 2023, and John made a generous and lasting gift in her honor just six months after her passing. This two-fold contribution includes the naming of the Health Sciences Lab and the establishment of the Phyllis Kalanquin Memorial Scholarship, which will support nursing students in pursuit of their ADN degree at MCC, or in preparation for continuation toward their BSN. The scholarship has been designed to remain in perpetuity at the Foundation for Mott Community College, continuing to inspire and empower future generations of nurses. The scholarship is awarded to five students each year who embody Phyllis’ values of compassion, determination, and a drive to help others. “We’re looking for students who are financially struggling,” John says. “We also want to support someone who’s truly committed and sees nursing as more than a job.”

The Kalanquins’ eight children are deeply supportive of the scholarship. “It was really my dad’s wish,” says their son, Tom. “But we all felt it was the right thing to do. Nursing is so difficult. We want to help students who are dedicated and empathetic because those were the qualities mom had. We can continue her legacy.”

A lifelong Flint educator, John sees this as a gift to a city he believes in. He says, “I hope Phyllis’ story and this fund will inspire others—maybe to give, to start their own scholarships, or even to contribute to this one.” Friends, classmates, and church members have already given in her memory. Phyllis’ family sees that each recipient becomes part of her story—carrying her care and compassion into hospital rooms and the healing spaces where they will serve after graduation.