100 Extraordinary Women

My Mother, Vivian Harris Keiser, was raised on a dirt poor farm outside Chapel Hill, North Carolina. As a child, she dreamed of doing two things: living in the North, and becoming a Registered Nurse. Immediately after high school, she wrote in her journal that she boarded a train in the middle of the night heading for Richmond to attend the Medical College of Virginia. “As I looked at Daddy standing alone on the unlit train platform,” she wrote, “I felt the weight of my family's hopes and dreams resting on my shoulders.” While working her way through nurses’ training, she was an assistant to the Dean of the School of Nursing. The Dean admired her tenacity, and she asked Vivian to consider succeeding her when she retired from the Medical College in a few years. But Vivian had other ideas.

Soon after completing her RN, she headed north to Columbus to pursue a degree in Nursing Education at The Ohio State University. While working weekends in the University hospital, Vivian met a MD student, Harold Keiser, a patient hospitalized for minor surgery–a different twist to the nurse-meets-doctor story. Soon they began dating. In 1939, they both finished their degrees, married in North Carolina, and moved to Ohio. Harold headed to Toledo Hospital to begin an internship and a residency in anesthesiology. But a year into his residency, American involvement in WW II was ramping up, and he was drafted into the Army Air Corps and assigned as Chief Medical officer on a Navy hospital frigate in the Pacific to provide medical support for troops battling at Saipan and Iwo Jima.  

When the war ended, he returned to his Fremont, Ohio hometown, to Vivian, and their daughter who had been born during his Army basic training in Texas. Given the desperate need after the war for general practitioners, Harold opened a family practice rather than pursuing his interest in anesthesia. My brother was born the following year, and I came along four years later. By then, Daddy’s practice was blossoming, and Mother helped with her own bevy of patients who sought her out for routine shots and minor treatments. Meanwhile, she continued her nursing education with a focus on geriatric medicine. Soon she became Director of Nursing at a Fremont nursing facility.

When I enrolled in a country day school in Toledo, Mother became a charge nurse at the Lucus County Nursing Home and soon became Director of Nursing at the large facility. She took great pride in wearing her nurse’s uniform to work: her Medical College pin on her collar, the white cap she received upon her RN graduation, a crisp white dress with white stockings, and polished white oxfords.  

With Toledo suffering a desperate shortage of RNs and other medical personnel, Mother began working a second job to teach courses in nursing education at a medical training facility which evolved into the University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences. Soon after, Daddy started teaching aspiring MD’s at the same Medical College.

Shortly after I graduated from college, Daddy suffered a stroke at age 62, and he didn’t teach or practice medicine again. But Mother kept working until they “retired” to the Harris family farm in North Carolina. Before long, Mother started having minor medical issues. Her physician suggested that, since she had nothing seriously wrong, perhaps she should return to work. Soon she was Director of Nursing at a nursing facility in Chapel Hill. When Daddy began a battle with cancer several years later, he came to that facility where she could oversee his care while continuing to work.

Daddy passed at 75, and Mother continued working another four years. She lived an active and healthy life until she was nearly 85, when she suffered a stroke, was confined to a wheelchair, and entered an assisted living facility in Raleigh near my sister. Even then, Mother didn’t stop being a nurse. “Gladys is getting the sniffles. I think she needs an antibiotic,” she would tell the morning nurse.  The last thing Vivian wanted was a virus raging through her nursing home. Mother lived to the age of 95, and she was laid to rest along side Daddy in the cemetery by the country church where they were married.   

Photo: Vivian Harris Keiser, RN   

What inspired you to pledge your support for the 100 Extraordinary Women nursing student success initiative? 

My aunt, Sophie Higareda Gonzalez and my sister, Vicky Higareda Toland, were both great nurses who I admired. This is one way I could honor them. 

Why would you recommend others join this initiative to support the Sandburg College of Nursing and nursing students?

There are many who can barely afford tuition and there are so many other expenses associated with their education. It is a great way to honor nurses who have been influential in my life. 

Please tell us more about your college/career pathway and/or describe the college/career pathway of the extraordinary woman you are honoring. 

My sister graduated from Cottage Hospital School of Nursing in 1965. They took some of their classes from Knox College professors who came to their classrooms at Cottage for three years. She married and had three children by 1970. As she advanced in her career from medical-surgical nursing, to dialysis, to an administrative position of Associate Director of Nursing, her supervisor, the Director of Nursing, encouraged her to pursue a Bachelor's degree in nursing. Taking classes part-time while working and raising three kids took many years. She retired from Cottage in 2002 after 37 years at Cottage Hospital. She graduated from St. Francis University in Joliet, Illinois in 2003. 

What inspired you to pledge your support for the 100 Extraordinary Women nursing student success initiative? 

I was inspired to pledge my support for the nursing program for a number of reasons.: 1)First, I served as an advisor and counselor at Sandburg for almost 26 years. During that time I advised and counseled many nursing students. It was such a blessing to see so many students reach their goals and change their lives. It was inspirational. 2) Second, nurses are the backbone of our medical care. We all need medical care at some point in our lives and nurses should be supported and honored for all the work they do. 3) Lastly, and most importantly, I wanted to honor my mother - Sue A. (Johnson) Colvin, who graduated from Sandburg's RN program in May 1982. My mom is a very loving and compassionate caregiver who has helped so many. To this day, at age 86, she continues in her caregiver role, caring for my step-father who has significant medical issues. I wanted to honor her for all of the love and compassion she gave me, as well as all the people who were lucky enough to be under her care. 

Why would you recommend others join this initiative to support the Sandburg College of Nursing and nursing students?

It is a worthy cause and Sandburg offers a great training for our future nurses. The faculty and staff are top notch. 

Please tell us more about your college/career pathway and/or describe the college/career pathway of the extraordinary woman you are honoring.

My mom became an EMT in the mid to late 1970's and liked it so much that she went in to become a Registered Nurse. 

Place of employment for the extraordinary woman being recognized. 

Sue is retired. She was previously employed by OSF - Galesburg as well as a few nursing homes in Southern California. 

What inspired you to pledge your support for the 100 Extraordinary Women nursing student success initiative? 

My mom was a nurse for 25 years. 

Please tell us more about your college/career pathway and/or describe the college/career pathway of the extraordinary woman you are honoring.

My mom didn't attend college until we were in junior high school. She worked part-time and went to school while going to all of our sports. She graduated and went to work at OSF St. Mary Hospital in Galesburg. She worked her way up to become the third shift supervisor and remained in that position until she retired. Her coworkers still comment what an excellent nurse she was and how she taught them so much. 

What inspired you to pledge your support for the 100 Extraordinary Women nursing student success initiative?

It was my daughter. As she was going through the program she was always telling me of friends, and many were single moms, that were struggling to stay in the program as they couldn't afford books, supplies, daycare and other things needed. Knowing there is a shortage of nurses in the country, I think this is an excellent way to help in some small way.

Please tell us more about your college/career pathway and/or describe the college/career pathway of the extraordinary woman you are honoring.

Ashley decided to go to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville her first year in college; however, she disliked the distance from home. After completing her first year, she returned home to attend Carl Sandburg College. She met with an amazing counselor that helped her plan a path to her nursing degree. She has since graduated with her bachelor's in nursing, works at OSF Orthopedics in Peoria and has become an amazing mom. 

Photo (l to r): Lucas Fox, Ashley Conlon Fox, Randy Conlon

What inspired you to pledge your support for the 100 Extraordinary Women nursing student success initiative?

I know the transformation power of education and appreciate the flexibility a community college can provide. 

Why would you recommend others join this initiative to support the Sandburg College of Nursing and nursing students?

A $1,000 pledge can be broken down over four years to less than $5 per week. That's little to achieve so much. 

Please tell us more about your college/career pathway and/or describe the college/career pathway of the extraordinary woman you are honoring.

I have a Bachelor's in English Education from Western Illinois University and a Master's in English Writing and Literature from Bradley University. 

What inspired you to pledge your support for the 100 Extraordinary Women nursing student success initiative? 

My inspiration to pledge came from a Sandburg student. As an advisor for nursing students, I handled many requests for emergency funds. A student was short funds to start her summer classes, she didn't get paid until the end of the week, and was going to drop the program. She was a single parent and counting on the nursing program to help improve her life. The Sandburg Foundation awarded funds so the student could continue her studies. I will always appreciate how departments come together to help students. 

Why would you recommend others join this initiative to support the Sandburg College of Nursing and nursing students? 

Financial aid and grants are available to most students, but some student are ineligible. LPN to RN articulation students are often challenged to find funding. I urge others to help these students continue their education in nursing. 

Jennifer Holmes is a retired Sandburg Nursing Advisor.

100 Extraordinary Women Celebration on September 24, 2023

Photo top row (l to r): Susan Bailey, Laura Lane, Tina Hope, Jennifer Holmes

Bottom row (l to r): Penny Gold, Nancy Eberhardt, Jan Lundeen

What inspired you to pledge your support for the 100 Extraordinary Women nursing student success initiative?

I am proud to be involved with Carl Sandburg College's Nursing program and I donated in honor of my mother, who was a nurse her whole life and loved working with student nurses through the Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital. She spent her career at the VA Hospital. 

Why would you recommend others join this initiative to support the Sandburg College of Nursing and nursing students? 

The supplies and academic materials needed to study nursing are expensive and we should support people who want to enter this incredibly selfless profession, and who choose our exceptional college to complete their studies. 

Please tell us more about your college/career pathway and/or describe the college/career pathway of the extraordinary woman you are honoring.

I have my bachelor's degree from Central College in Pella, Iowa and my master's degree from Western Illinois University. I am finishing my doctoral degree at WIU currently. My mother finished her bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Iowa. She began working for the VA after her undergraduate degree, starting her career teaching student nurses. She progressed to administration with the VA, retiring as a chief of staff from the VA Hospital that was in my hometown of Knoxville, Iowa. My mother also had ties to the VA in Iowa City, Iowa and had taught classes at the University's College of Medicine periodically. She was also the author of at least one textbook chapter on geriatric medical issues and numerous journal articles on issues surrounding nursing. 

Jodi Pospeschil is the Director of the Sandburg Branch Campus in Carthage. 

What inspired you to pledge your support for the 100 Extraordinary Women nursing student success initiative?

My mother's career as a nurse. She was an early pioneer, graduating from nursing school in the 1930s. Additionally, my sister, two sisters-in-law, and a brother-in-law are nurses, and my niece is contemplating nursing school.

Please tell us more about your college/career pathway and/or describe the college/career pathway of the extraordinary woman you are honoring: 

I am a first-generation college student with a graduate degree in acting. My mother graduated from Roger Williams Homeopathic Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island in the 1930s. She did clinical rotations at Harvard University and subsequently served three years with the US Army's "The Harvard Unit" of doctors and nurses as an operating room nurse, which traveled to England to help tend to World War II wounded soldiers. Following the war, she served as Chief Operating Room Nurse at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital and the Deaconess Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. She married in 1951 and variously worked in Army base clinics, industrial nursing, a nursing home, as a private nurse and concluded her career as a summer camp nurse at The Episcopal Conference Center in Pascoag, Rhode Island.  

Additional comments you wish to include:

Brownie's intelligence, skill, and talent as a nurse placed her in positions of authority and responsibility in which she contended with the "silent and serve" tradition of nursing as nurses strove for recognition and respect in the male dominated medical profession. She stood her ground advocating for nurses and patient care, care of the indigent, and earned the respect and admiration of her peers. All the years in which I grew up, my mother continued to work when feasible and always was the go-to neighborhood nurse tending to scrapes and cups to providing first responder level care for serious injuries before an ambulance could arrive. From her I learned to be calm and effective in a crisis, to advocate for people, recognize levels of medical emergencies and to be certified in First Aid. 

The troop ship on which the Harvard Unit traveled to England was torpedoed off the coast of Ireland. Florence Rozella Brown Carlin's lifeboat made it safely to the coast and she and the others onboard spent a month in Ireland until they were reunited with the rest of the unit in Salisbury. 

Read: Related Article

What inspired you to pledge your support for the 100 Extraordinary Women nursing student success initiative? 

I was inspired to pledge in memory of my mother, Roberta Reeder, who obtained her nursing degree in 1953. Mom benefited greatly from the support of the administration at her nursing school, which made it possible for her to obtain her education in spite of having very limited personal resources. She and my father later established a scholarship endowment at Carl Sandburg College to help enable current and future students reach their goals. 

Why would you recommend others join this initiative to support the Sandburg College of Nursing and nursing students?

Carl Sandburg College nursing graduates enrich our community tremendously through their contributions to local health care. 

Please describe the college/career pathway of the extraordinary woman you are honoring.

My mother had always dreamed of becoming a nurse. She did not grow up in a family of means, but was fortunate to meet some caring women on staff at St. Francis School of Nursing in Macomb in the early 1950s who helped her achieve her goal. She was forever grateful.

Photo: Roberta Reeder

What inspired you to pledge your support for the 100 Extraordinary Women nursing student success initiative? 

My mom was a nurse. She received her associate degree in nursing from Nicholet Community College in the late 1970s. She did this while working and helping take care of me and my four siblings with my dad. She loved helping others and was an amazing nurse for 20+ years. 

Why would you recommend others join this initiative to support the Sandburg College of Nursing and nursing students? 

We need more nurses. As of now, most nurses are working above their normal hours which can lead to burnout. If we can assist more students in achieving their dreams, we will have more nurses and this will lead to less burnout in the field.  

Please describe the college/career pathway of the extraordinary woman you are honoring. 

I was very young when mom graduated. I was born in 1974 and my mom graduated in the late 1970s. I remember my mom holding me while I watched cartoons and she was studying. I also remember rolling down the hill at Nicholet College when she graduated! 

Place of employment for the extraordinary woman being recognized:

My mom passed away in 2004. Her last place of employment was Cottage Hospital. 

Sandburg Alumna: Pamela Godsil '16 & '22

Place of employment: Beacon of Hope Hospice

What inspired you to pledge your support for the 100 Extraordinary Women nursing student success initiative? 

I attended Carl Sandburg College for my certified nursing assistant, practical nursing and associate degree in nursing. I want to help keep the program modern and have the funding to provide the best experience possible for future nurses. 

Why would you recommend others join this initiative to support the Sandburg College of Nursing and nursing students? 

Everyone will need a nurse and most people know a nurse. Carl Sandburg College is a great institution for both traditional and non-traditional students. 

Please tell us more about your college/career pathway:

Thanks to my educational opportunities at Carl Sandburg College, I have had many experiences in healthcare. From long-term care to hospital, home health/hospice, each experience was made possible from the education I received at Carl Sandburg College. 

Additional comments you wish to include:

My picture hangs in Sandburg's College of Nursing building and my daughter's is in a classroom. I hope to someday have a grandchild's picture hanging there as well. 

Captions: Pamela Godsil speaking at the Nursing Professions Student Success Open House on May 10, 2023 and Pamela with her daughter Kristen Mulvey '21 at the practical nursing pinning ceremony.

What inspired you to pledge your support for the 100 Extraordinary Women nursing student success campaign? 

My mother, Hazel Marie (Williamson) Dunphy, was a graduate of the Cottage School of Nursing and worked as a RN in the area for more than 40 years. 

Why would you recommend others join this initiative to support the Sandburg College of Nursing and nursing students?

To support local students become nurses -- it takes a special person to be a nurse, and sometimes they need a little help. 

Please tell us more about the college/career pathway of the extraordinary woman you are honoring:

My mother grew up in the London Mills area and graduated from Cottage School of Nursing in 1962 as a Registered Nurse. She worked as a nurse for over 40 years until her retirement. She loved nursing and the many opportunities the profession offered throughout her life. 

What inspired you to pledge your support for the 100 Extraordinary Women nursing student success campaign? 

My mom, Becky, saw cancer from both sides — as a caregiver on the hospital's floor and as a patient. Becky was diagnosed with uterine cancer in 2013. She underwent many surgeries, several forms of chemotherapy and radiation, but nothing even stopped her from caring for her patients. She treated all her patients with the utmost care and compassion. Becky never complained and always had a smile on her face. She was always willing to help, she loved working with nursing students on the floor and was supportive of their learning. She was a role model as a professional and as a person. I look up to her in so many ways. 

Why would you recommend others join this initiative to support the 100 Extraordinary Women campaign? 

Becky was a non-traditional student at Sandburg. She worked long hours to be able to pay her way through nursing school, while also being a full-time mom. I remember her working so hard and being so concerned about finances. I hope my donation will help another future nurse be as great a nurse as she was. 

Please tell us more about your college/career pathway and/or describe the college/career pathway of the extraordinary woman you are honoring: 

Becky graduated from Galesburg High School in 1991 and began working for Sirloin Stockade. As a single mom, she put herself through nursing school and graduated from Sandburg in 2008. Becky found her calling as a registered nurse, working at OSF St. Mary Medical Center. Becky worked on the third floor in acute care/oncology from 2008 until 2018. In June 2013, Becky was awarded The Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses. When Becky's cancer returned in 2018, she switched positions to an OSF on-call nurse. This position allowed her to continue to provide patient care with less direct in-person care due to her weakened immune system. Becky continued her career with OSF until she lost her battle to cancer in December 2020. 

Additional comments you wish to include:

Having battled cancer herself, Becky felt a special bond with patients who received the frightening and life-changing diagnosis. In 2015, she said, "They're often feeling at their worst, and preparing to fight with everything they've got." Becky urged her patients to come back and see her when they completed their final chemotherapy treatment. She received hugs and shared in their moments of triumph. "Patients don't feel their greatest at that time, but they get to say, 'I made it.' Getting to see that is amazing, and a great reminder of why I come to work every day." 

What inspired you to pledge your support for the 100 Extraordinary Women nursing student success campaign? 

All the Carl Sandburg College women leaders changed my focus to education, which has led me to now work full-time educating future CNAs and RNs. We are all part of a wonderful world of women leaders, and I am proud to represent. I feel it is my duty to help pay it forward through this wonderful initiative of 100 Extraordinary Women. 

Please tell us more about your college/career pathway and/or describe the college/career pathway of the extraordinary woman you are honoring: 

My journey began when I first entered the doors of Carl Sandburg College in the summer of 1986 to start classes that fall. I was excited to begin this journey, but after two semesters I found myself aloof and not attending classes. I was a good student entering, but before I left, I had ruined my grade point average (GPA) to a 0.38. You read that correctly. I wasn't a terrible student; I just didn't attend classes and I didn't drop when I should have. I quit school, got married and had children. I then found myself without a job in 2008. I returned "home" to Carl Sandburg College to finally finish what I started — nursing school — this time with a GPA of 3.45 (cumulative 2.5 due to the old GPA). 

After I graduated with my ADN, I worked as a registered nurse, completed my bachelor's with online courses and returned to school to obtain my master's in nursing. I began with a focus on leadership and management at Walden University. I continued to work full-time while working on my master's degree. On December 10, 2013, I received a phone call that would change my life forever. The director of health professions at Carl Sandburg College offered me a teaching position based on a previous nursing faculty member's recommendation. I accepted, and I have been working at Carl Sandburg College as an adjunct instructor ever since. I began teaching the medical assisting program, then other courses followed, including biomedical ethics, nutrition, ADN clinical instructor, CNA clinical instructor and theory. 

I completed my master's practicum with assistance from Carl Sandburg College and assistant professor of nursing, Chrissy Stone. I graduated with a 3.76 GPA with Sigma Theta Tau honors, while working full-time, teaching part-time and helping take care of my father before he passed away January 16, 2014. 

[In 2012, Susan and her daughter participated in the same graduation ceremony. Read more].

Additional comments you wish to include:

I am a mother of a beautiful, blended family that includes my husband, five children ages 24 to 34 and have three grandchildren, two boys ages 3 and 5, and a 6-month girl. I am a full-time assistant professor of the bachelor's program at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing and an adjunct CNA instructor at Carl Sandburg College.

What inspired you to pledge your support for the 100 Extraordinary Women nursing student success campaign? 

I have been very appreciative of the education I received from Carl Sandburg College. The need for nurses is a growing concern. If my donation can ease the ability for someone to complete their education, I want to support them. 

Please tell us more about your college/career pathway and/or describe the college/career pathway of the extraordinary woman you are honoring:  

In 1982, I graduated from Sandburg with an associate in applied science degree in banking, finance and credit. I worked in the banking industry for 10 years before returning to Carl Sandburg College as a non-traditional student to pursue my nursing degree. I graduated from Sandburg's nursing program in 1994 and earned my bachelor's in health arts from the University of St. Francis in 2005. I worked at Galesburg Cottage Hospital for six years. In 2000, I began working at ImpactLife (formerly Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center) as the Galesburg donor center supervisor. I advanced to the home office in Davenport, IA, as the director of donor services in 2002. I held several positions at the blood center including vice president of process improvement (receiving my Green Belt in Lean/Six Sigma), vice president of quality support services, and retiring in the fall of 2021 as the vice president of blood services, where I oversaw a team of more than 400 throughout a four-state region including telerecruitment, marketing & public relations, donor services and training. 

Additional comments you wish to include:

My two associate degrees and bachelor's gave me the foundation to advance in my career. Having the banking background combined with nursing was very beneficial. In my career at the blood center, I led several new donor center projects as well as two acquisitions of two blood organizations into our organization. Understanding the financial, business and medical side was crucial in my roles. Having worked in hospital nursing, I clearly knew the need for a ready blood supply. I had hung many units that saved or improved patients' lives. This experience helped me in leading the team in the importance of their roles.