Some of my co-workers

This is a work related post... it's about where I spend 30 hours a week, 10 months a year.

I wanted to introduce the other 3 administrative assistants that I work with in the Nursing Department at Biola University. In some ways it's like we live together! We have good fellowship and work well together, which is a huge blessing.

We don't normally take pictures of ourselves together but last Thursday we were celebrating April's birthday. Thursday's are pretty quiet days in the office since students are out at their clinical assignments, so it was a perfect day to gather in our lunch room and celebrate. We each brought something for the lunch and grabbed the homegrown carnations off the front reception desk for a centerpiece! They were brought in by Heidi Romero, one of our faculty members with a green thumb.

April is our supervisor, our boss, but I like to say that she's not "bossy." April grew up in Whittier and went to Whittier High School. She was recently in charge of her class of '71 40th reunion! 

Left to right; Tami Auda, April Morrow, me and Glenda Lord.

Tami is our newest member of the group. Since we're taking in more students now, our department was given the budget for an additional part-time administrative assistant and they hired her! She had worked in our department last year as a temp, when Glenda injured her shoulder, so we already knew she would be a perfect fit.

Glenda has worked in the Nursing Dept. the longest - I think 16 years or so - and she's the receptionist, plus does lots of other things too. I've worked there for about 9 years now, as the faculty's secretary.

One of the things I've really enjoyed about this group of ladies is that we have grown in friendship and spiritually, too, as we have shared our lives, prayed for one another through the difficulties of life, shared scripture and just enjoyed the wonder of God's goodness together.

Of course there's lots of normal work related give and take and planning, but I have been especially blessed by the times when we've supported one another with encouragement and prayer.

Faculty Members

On Saturday we went to a house warming for Akiko Kobayashi. She bought a home in La Mirada and had lots of beautiful work done on it! She's been with us for (I think) three years now and came from San Francisco where she earned her doctorate in oncology nursing. She's a wise, fun and sensitive addition to the faculty.

Last spring there was a shower for Rachel Van Niekerk, so I'll show you a few of the pictures. Rachel teaches pediatric nursing and now has a darling little baby girl who was born on my birthday in July. She took off first semester and this semester she's had her mother-in-law here from South Africa to watch little Kayla for the first couple months, and now, till the end of the semester, her mom is here, from Colorado.

Behind Rachel is a student, then Shannon Gramatky, one of our instructors and an advisor, then Annette Browning, who teaches Critical Care and Advanced Nursing. Glenn Styffe is next to Annette. He teaches Level 1 Medical Surgical nursing and has taken students to Rwanda several times. He and his wife met as students in our program and in addition to their family of 4 children, they have adopted 3 children from Rwanda. Next to him is a student.

Akiko is standing next to Julie Neiggemann, who is now teaching full time. In the fall semester she teaches Older Adult Nursing and in the spring she teaches in the Level 1 Medical Surgical Nursing course.

Behind Rachel is Anne Gewe, our Assistant Director. She graduated in the first nursing class at Biola and is a well loved and very valuable member of the faculty.

Here, Rachel is with Maria Dixon who teaches in the Medical Surgical Nursing class as well as Critical Care. She also works with students on skills training. Her daughter is in the nursing program as well and she has another daughter coming up!

Well, that's a peek at a few of our faculty members and my office in general. So many wonderful people are doing a fantastic job of educating Christian nurses who are caring and prepared. If you're ever in the hospital, be sure to ask for the Biola nurse!