Inspire, Spring 2011

“E verything we do is ministry. Even giving pain medicine is ministry.” Spend time with Dr. Sharon (Klopfenstein) Christman ’92, and you will hear her describe Cedarville’s nursing program using words like “ministry,” “service,” and “compassion.” While nurses must learn tangible skills, such as how to start an IV and care for patients, Cedarville’s highly qualified nursing faculty members desire to take their students’ education to a deeper level. Embedded in the nursing department’s philosophy is the commitment “to prepare nursing professionals who excel in godly living, compassionate care, cultural sensitivity, and information management to use nursing as a ministry for Jesus Christ.” Thirty years after the program’s inception, the nursing faculty continue to demonstrate unwavering dedication to that common goal. Nine of Cedarville’s 24 nursing professors received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Cedarville. They sat under pioneers of the program like Dr. Janet Conway, who chairs the nursing department; Dr. Mark Klimek, who models service in his local church; Dr. Irene Alyn, who never considered any task to be too hard for God; and Dr. Lois Baker, who will lead her 20th cross- cultural nursing team to Togo this summer. Effective professors teach what they know, and these alumni nursing faculty learned from the best. They have joined the professors they call “heroes” and “friends” to continue modeling a commitment to ministry and excellence for today’s nursing students. P r a c t i c i n g W h a t T h e y by Cheryl (Warren) Brugel ’90 10 spring 2011