SIC’s 2019 Outstanding Teacher is Susie Lampley

In a vote of her peers, Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Instructor, Susie Lampley has been named the Loren P. and Velma Dallas Outstanding Teacher of the Year at Southeastern Illinois College for 2018-19.

Criteria for the award include at least three years of full-time employment; participation above and beyond classroom assignments; competence in one’s field or discipline; continuing one’s education and participating in professional development activities; rapport with students; personal commitment to higher education and the transfer of knowledge to students; upholding and encouraging ethical behavior of self and students; and giving freely to prepare students for their chosen careers.

Lampley is a graduate of Southeastern Illinois College where she received her Practical Nursing (PN) in 1977, her ADN in 1978 and her Associate in Liberal Arts in 1984. While at SIC, she was a cheerleader from 1975-76 and was a member of the Forensics team from 1975-1977. Between her times at SIC, Lampley went to Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (SIUE) where she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1990. In 1999 she decided to continue her education at SIUE and she completed her Master of Science in Nursing in 2001.

Before joining SIC in 2007, Lampley worked as a Family Nurse Practitioner and Staff Nurse at Harrisburg Medical Center, Herrin Hospital, Illinois Youth Center in Harrisburg and Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, Indiana. Lampley has worked as an ADN Instructor since starting at Southeastern and also worked as an adjunct PN Clinical Instructor in 2016. Lampley will be retiring from SIC May 31, 2019.

“My passion is empowering students to take ownership of their education and helping them realize their responsibility for their learning outcomes to achieve success,” said Lampley. “Investing the necessary time, expertise, resources, commitment and personalized attention to contribute to the quality of education through high standards in teaching and learning is what drives my teaching.”

Not only is Lampley a remarkable instructor, she is also a valuable member of the SIC Family. Lampley has served on countless SIC committees, been involved in numerous community events and has sponsored SIC’s nursing club.

“No one enjoys graduates’ successes more than Susie Lampley,” said Amy Murphy, SIC Director of Nursing and Allied Health, She is ahead of her time in developing innovative learning activities that provide community education opportunities.  Some of the students’ best memories include her community activity initiatives.  She is one of a kind and she will be missed.”

Within the nursing department, Lampley has developed and maintained high standards in the program for students to receive the knowledge and critical thinking ability needed to practice safe patient care and achieve passing National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) scores. For the past several years, SIC’s PN and ADN students have had exceptional pass rates placing SIC as the No. 1 ADN school in the state of Illinois.  Lampley has had a large hand in the ADN program’s success as she is the lead faculty in the nursing simulation lab and that she has also implemented electronic, interactive learning through Shadow Health and Adaptive Quizzing.

“Since I became an employee of SIC, I have driven my motivation from the mission statement, which requires that students be provided quality education and services,” said Lampley. “During my time teaching at SIC, the administration, faculty, and staff have developed various initiatives to meet their mission.”

SIC Executive Dean of Academic Services, Gina Sirach said, “Susie has inspired many nursing students through her knowledge, practice, and leadership roles in the classroom, clinical and community setting, as well as through the many personal and mentor relationships she has established. She has proactively worked to create a learning environment that ensures that nursing graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve success on the state board exam and to provide excellent patient care in a variety of health care settings.”

Lampley has also been instrumental in preparing for the initial Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) process by initiating curriculum and course changes for compliance.

“I am grateful for receiving the Outstanding Teacher award,” said Lampley. “I thank the faculty for finding me worthy to receive this esteemed award. I cannot forget the support that has been offered to me by my colleagues and my supervisors. They have accorded me a good working environment, and while this award is addressed to me, their efforts in making this possible should not go unrecognized.”

Sirach said, “The College will certainly miss Susie, with her remarkable dedication and passion for student learning. She will leave a void in the nursing program that will be difficult to fill.”

The selection of Lampley as SIC’s Outstanding Teacher for 2018-19 also makes her eligible for the 2019 Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA) Outstanding Faculty Member Award.

Lorna Dallas-Brown, who lives in New York and England, and the late Ellen Wiggins, daughters of the late Loren P. and Velma Dallas of Carrier Mills, established the Loren and Velma Dallas Outstanding Teacher Award in honor of their parents in 1996.  Their father, a founding member of the Southeastern Illinois College Board, was passionate about education.  Loren and Velma Dallas gave tirelessly to young people and wanted to provide opportunities for higher education in southern Illinois.  Each year the Dallas endowment through the SIC Foundation awards $500 to the Outstanding Teacher of the Year.

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