Local Dianne Nelson, who has the experience, personality and knowledge of the area to make it a success, will direct Eastern’s first nursing program.

The program has been a vision of Blair Lord for five years now and he is excited that it is becoming a reality.

“I see that it will grow and be a relatively small but important program,” said Lord, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs.

With an important program like this, Lord feels that Nelson was the best candidate for implementing it.

“She brings an enormous wealth of experience,” he said.

Out of three people interviewed for the position, it was Nelson who stuck out and landed the job.

“Certainly her experiences as well as her academic credentials make her an excellent choice,” said Mary Anne Hanner, dean of the college of sciences. “She knows the accreditation and credentialing processes for the field of nursing.”

Nelson worked at Lake Land for eight years and left in 2002 to teach at Indiana State University. She was at Indiana State for four years. She also worked at Arkansas Tech University for 10 years where she helped set up a nursing program.

“I’ve experienced all levels of teaching,” Nelson said.

Besides teaching, Nelson also has experience as a practicing nurse.

However, it is not just Nelson’s experience within the field of nursing that makes her good choice as director, but her personality as well.

“She’s got enormous energy,” Lord said.

Nelson’s excitement for the project made her a good choice.

“She is very enthusiastic and eager to establish EIU’s first nursing program,” Hanner said. “Dr. Nelson displays many characteristics that will facilitate her success.”

Nelson excitement began once she started hearing about the program on the radio and through newspaper articles.

“I think it’s a new direction for Eastern,” Nelson said. “I’m very excited about it.”

Experience and personality will help Nelson direct the program but her familiarity with the area will help her make a program that will adhere to the community.

Nelson has lived in Charleston for 12 years and her husband Thomas A. Nelson teaches biological sciences and coordinates the environmental biology program at Eastern.

Nelson thinks that establishing an integral relationship between Eastern and the community is very important.

“I have a vision of providing a program that meets the needs of the area,” Nelson said. “It is focused entirely on the population.”

Hanner also sees the importance of an integral relationship.

“[The program] meets a workforce need for the east central Illinois region and it brings program diversity to the campus,” she said.

To integrate Eastern and the community, Nelson will make the program adaptable to all who want to get their degree, especially the working nurses in the area.

“She understands the unique needs of nursing professionals seeking a baccalaureate degree,” Hanner said.

Nelson will adjust the program so that working nurses will not have to take time off. Also, material taught would not be repetitive of what they already know.

There is a lot of respect for the working nurse, Nelson said.

In order for the program to open in 2007, work on the project will begin July 1.

“There is much to be done with accreditation, curriculum, hiring staff and recruiting students,” Hanner said. ” I know that Dr. Nelson is ready to get started with all these activities and tasks.”

Nelson has already begun preparing herself for the workload she faces.

She has been researching what the nursing program was like at Indiana State University and the general education requirements at Eastern.

As well, Nelson is looking at the nursing program that she helped set up at Arkansas Tech.

“It’s going to be a challenging new opportunity,” she said. “I will learn a lot on the new job.”