Student Health Clinic

Primary Care is your first stop for most health questions and concerns and we are proud to specialize in college health! Our staff includes a Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant who can address physical and emotional issues, acute and chronic conditions, sexual health, mental health, as well as providing wellness, prevention, and health maintenance services.

We offer scheduled appointments and same-day or walk-in care as available.

Services include:

• Routine preventive medical exams like physical exams, women's annual exams and pap smears
• Birth control consultation and testing for sexually transmitted infections
• Acute care for minor injuries and common illnesses
• Vaccines
• Laboratory testing
• X-ray services
• Physical Therapy
• Nutrition counseling

The Health Services fee included in your tuition allows our clinic to be FREE to you!

Please bring your student ID, so that we can confirm your enrollment. You do not need health insurance to access services at the clinic, however if you do have insurance, bring your health insurance card to your clinic visit as this helps to offset costs to the College.

Anxiety, low mood, stress, and low self-esteem can affect anyone. Sometimes these feelings are temporary and can be eased by taking care of oneself and having trusted supports in your life. At other times stressors, relationships, or past family experiences become overwhelming. When this happens and you find it hard to function, you may want to seek professional help.

The staff in our clinic includes licensed Therapists, a Licensed Drug and Alcohol Counselor (LADC) for substance use concerns, and a Nurse Practitioner for psychiatric medication management. At the first meeting, we will work together to assess your needs, clarify your concerns, and create a helpful plan. Sometimes the most appropriate care may be outside our clinic and, in this case, we will help you find those services. 

Services include:

• Diagnostic evaluation
• Individual therapy (number of sessions per year may be limited)
• Medication management
• Referral to appropriate Minneapolis College and community resources

The Health Services fee included in your tuition allows our clinic to be FREE to you!

Please bring your student ID, so that we can confirm your enrollment. You do not need health insurance to access services at the clinic, however if you do have insurance, bring your health insurance card to your clinic visit as this helps to offset costs to the College. 

The Medical Information Nurse Line is an after-hour phone service staffed by nurses that provides 24/7 health care advice and referrals as well as recorded topics on health issues for Minneapolis College students. If you are unsure what type of service you need, contact the Student Health Clinic Medical Information Nurse Phone Line by calling 612-659-6384 and choosing option 2.

The nurse will assess the severity of your symptoms and help you find the care you need. You will be instructed in how to receive the appropriate care, at the appropriate place and at the appropriate time. The nurse is an experienced professional who has the knowledge to help you make informed decisions about your immediate health concerns.

Sarah Kelley-Pegg, APRN, CNP (she/her)

Education: MS in Nursing, Metropolitan State University
BA in Nursing, College of St. Catherine
BA in Liberal Arts, The New School

About Me: I have been working at Boynton since 2008 and, prior to this, worked in a community clinic and also as a staff nurse in emergency medicine. I split my time between the University of MN and Minneapolis College (MCTC) and am continually amazed by the students I meet and love the diversity found on these campuses. As a clinician, I believe in the importance of listening and strive to provide care for the whole person. My clinical interests include women’s health, gender-affirming care, mental health, and preventive medicine. When not at work, I spend time with family and friends, enjoy home projects and yoga, and participate in many outdoor activities. My spouse and I also foster dogs who are in training to become service animals.
Credentials: Certified Family Nurse Practitioner 

Joel Norton, PA-C (he/him)

Education: Physician Assistant program, Augsburg College
MA in Psychology, University of St. Thomas
BA, Ripon College
About Me: I started my career in medicine working with an ambulance service as an Emergency Medical Technician while going to college. I went on to work in pharmaceutical research doing patient education and study recruitment and then decided to become Physician Assistant and began my practice in a student health care setting at Boynton Health and later with Minneapolis College. I really enjoy working with students who are always going places and doing things. I have special interests in preventive medicine, travel medicine and mental health. In my free time, I am an avid reader, runner, SCUBA diver, and busy raising three kids.
Credentials: Board-certified Physician Assistant 

Rachel Ans, LADC, LPCC, MPS (she/her)

Education: MA in Professional Studies, University of Minnesota
About Me: I believe when given a safe and supportive place to explore our experiences and ourselves, we have the ability to gain awareness of our potential. As a therapist, I strive to encourage autonomy, advocacy and personal growth within the individuals I have the opportunity to work with.

I am passionate about working with individuals to address concerns with substance use, traumatic experiences, coming out, exploring gender and religious trauma. I am polyam/kink aware and enjoy working within the LGBTQIA+ communities.

I believe antiracism is a lifelong actionable journey, and am committed to engaging in this work. I am an European-American, cisgender, bisexual, polyam, able-bodied individual, using she/her pronouns.
Credentials: Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
Licensed Drug and Alcohol Counselor
 

Candy Price, LICSW (she/her)

Education: MA in Social Work, Boston College
About Me: I have been working with college students for quite a few years and find my work to be rewarding! I especially enjoy collaborating with individuals as they navigate the challenges of life and school. I believe mental health is important to one’s general sense of well-being; finding time to reflect on our lives and then work toward the changes we want to make to feel better are so important. My experience is broad having worked with students in crisis to doing on-going therapy related to family issues, relationship concerns, anxiety, depression, identity and most everything in-between. I like to meet the client where they are at, listen intently to what is wanted, and take the journey together. My training has been varied and includes: psychodynamic, family systems, solution-focused, loss/grief, and narrative therapy.
Credentials: Licensed Independent Clinical Social Work

Dan McAlvin, APRN (he/him)

Education:
MS in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, Columbia University
About Me: I joined Boynton Health's Mental Health Clinic in the Fall of 2019, though have long enjoyed working in college health with undergraduate, graduate, and professional students of all stripes. I believe everyone should appreciate a sense of self-agency in their healthcare, and do my best to educate and empower students — a shared footing is generally the best approach. I completed my nursing education at Columbia University in 2010 and in 2018 moved to Minnesota from NYC after a tenure working at New York University's student health center. I greatly appreciate the quality of life here in the Twin Cities but can still empathize with those newly adjusting to the area themselves! My clinical interests include mood and anxiety disorders, trauma, OCD, and borderline personality disorder. While medication can play a valuable role in mental health treatment, it is only a part of a more practical approach aimed at personal growth and healthy choices.
Credentials: Certified Adult Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner 

Jenny Swanson, RN, BSN (she/her)
Clinic Manager (she/her)

Education: BS in Nursing, University of Colorado, Health Sciences Center    
BS in Education, Minnesota State University, Mankato
About Me: I started working at the Student Health Clinic in 2011 as an RN and clinic manager. Before working here, I worked as a nurse at a hospital in Colorado and before that was a middle school PE and health teacher.  Now, I absolutely love my job! I feel very fortunate to be a part of the Minneapolis College Community helping students be successful on campus through their health.  When not at work you can find me doing house projects, being outdoors, coaching mountain biking and baseball, and spending time with my two kids, husband and dogs. 

Ray Hope, CMA (she/her)
Nursing

Education: Diploma in Medical Assisting, Minneapolis Business College 
About Me: I have been a Certified Medical Assistant since 2016. I have worked in all departments, from family practice to various specialties. I love that I have the ability to make my patients feel very comfortable with me in order to share their experiences. In my spare time I am working on building my new business doing Mobile Notary work as well spending time with my family and friends. I am very grateful for being part of the Minneapolis College Student Health Clinic team. 

Krista Tomford, LADC, CRC (she/her)
Coordinator – Collegiate Recovery Community

Education: M.S. in Rehabilitation and Addiction Counseling, St. Cloud State University 
About Me: I strongly believe that a holistic, culturally competent, person-centered approach to recovery produces the best results and utilize this framework in my day-to-day practice. I feel each person is an expert on themselves and often use the phrase “you are the driver, I am the co-pilot” in my work with others. With this, I believe that each individual has the inner strength and personal knowledge to achieve their goals. My role is to help provide guidance, direction, feedback, education, and support in ways that are helpful to the growth process. I do not utilize an objective definition of recovery, as no two people are the same. 

I support abstinence and harm-reduction approaches equally—the end goal for all is to achieve and sustain a sense of stability, control, and contentment in their lives. I often utilize my own experiences to help connect and enhance empathy in my therapeutic relationships. I am a person in long-term recovery and have been on this path since December 5, 2016. I also found a sense of belonging as a student through the Collegiate Recovery Community at St. Cloud State and these experiences continue to fuel my passions today. 

Credentials:  Licensed Drug and Alcohol Counselor (LADC); Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC)