Amber
Schmidt
December 2024
Amber
Schmidt
,
PhD, MSN, BSN, RN
Methodist College
Peoria
,
IL
United States
She uses evidence-based practice, developing unfolding case studies and other active learning such as escape rooms, concept games using headbands, and so much more! She takes her role to facilitate learning seriously always looking at outcomes and consistently treats students fairly.
I have known this faculty member who has been working at Methodist College for at least 13 or 14 years. When I started teaching in Med Surg as new faculty member, she was already working as full time faculty teaching it and was a tremendous resource to me. She has been involved in numerous committees as well as serving as chair, co chair of several through the years and course coordinator of med/surg. I have had the opportunity to serve on committees she is also part of and she is one of the people who participates, contributes and follows through with tasks that are assigned. One of her greatest qualities I admire is her fairness and consistency in all she does and the way in which she demonstrates interest and respect for students.
As her office mate, I have a unique perspective on the work that she puts into creating her classes, the availability she makes to meet with students, and the joys and struggles with student performance. Any student who has questions or wishes to review a concept, she welcomes them and is patient as she explains the concept. She continues to look for ways to motivate student learning. She uses evidence-based practice, developing unfolding case studies and other active learning such as escape rooms, concept games using headbands, and so much more! She takes her role to facilitate learning seriously always looking at outcomes and consistently treats students fairly.
Holding students accountable can be one of the hardest parts of being faculty, and she continues to do this time and time again. This particular semester has been difficult. I have watched her be heavy-hearted over the student performance and go over her exams, looking for trends, reviewing performance and statistics, and always looking into the "why" of this. While I have shared in this difficult part of our job on occasion, I think she has had one of the most difficult semesters in this way and it can be so discouraging. It is because she is doing a good job of holding students accountable and some may need to repeat her course, when they do get through, future instructors don't have to go through this anguish as often because the student has achieved what was needed. I'm sure this isn't really comforting at all to her, but it is faculty like her that help create stronger students, even if they need to repeat or not proceed in the program.
Most recently, I shared in her rejoicing as she successfully defended her PhD. What a journey this has been for her! I watched her navigating work, further her education, raising children and supporting her spouse through a challenging medical diagnosis.
I am so glad that Amber has continued to work at Methodist College through the many ups and downs over the years. It is clear she enjoys her role of teaching and providing future nurses with the tools to care for patients safely and efficiently, it is her "why" of doing what she does. I believe she deserves the DAISY Nurse Educator Award.
***
This second nomination is from a student: since last semester, she has pushed me and motivated me to succeed when I thought I didn’t have enough to keep pursuing Nursing. She made me realize that I do I just like in a lot of confidence which I have built so much thanks to her.
As her office mate, I have a unique perspective on the work that she puts into creating her classes, the availability she makes to meet with students, and the joys and struggles with student performance. Any student who has questions or wishes to review a concept, she welcomes them and is patient as she explains the concept. She continues to look for ways to motivate student learning. She uses evidence-based practice, developing unfolding case studies and other active learning such as escape rooms, concept games using headbands, and so much more! She takes her role to facilitate learning seriously always looking at outcomes and consistently treats students fairly.
Holding students accountable can be one of the hardest parts of being faculty, and she continues to do this time and time again. This particular semester has been difficult. I have watched her be heavy-hearted over the student performance and go over her exams, looking for trends, reviewing performance and statistics, and always looking into the "why" of this. While I have shared in this difficult part of our job on occasion, I think she has had one of the most difficult semesters in this way and it can be so discouraging. It is because she is doing a good job of holding students accountable and some may need to repeat her course, when they do get through, future instructors don't have to go through this anguish as often because the student has achieved what was needed. I'm sure this isn't really comforting at all to her, but it is faculty like her that help create stronger students, even if they need to repeat or not proceed in the program.
Most recently, I shared in her rejoicing as she successfully defended her PhD. What a journey this has been for her! I watched her navigating work, further her education, raising children and supporting her spouse through a challenging medical diagnosis.
I am so glad that Amber has continued to work at Methodist College through the many ups and downs over the years. It is clear she enjoys her role of teaching and providing future nurses with the tools to care for patients safely and efficiently, it is her "why" of doing what she does. I believe she deserves the DAISY Nurse Educator Award.
***
This second nomination is from a student: since last semester, she has pushed me and motivated me to succeed when I thought I didn’t have enough to keep pursuing Nursing. She made me realize that I do I just like in a lot of confidence which I have built so much thanks to her.