Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost
2009 Award Winners
Linda Herrick
Clinical Associate Professor, University of Minnesota - Rochester
Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Bob McMaster and Linda Herrick.Imagine yourself having the responsibility for opening a new campus facility for a brand new cohort of students enrolled in the University of Minnesota School of Nursing. The very “success” of those bright new undergraduate students rests in your hands. Key to the success of that undertaking is the recruitment and retention of the student body and, perhaps most importantly, competent student academic advising. Dr. Linda Herrick took on such a role as Advisor, Faculty, and Coordinator of the Rochester undergraduate nursing program., In 2002, she ushered in a new era of Nursing in Minnesota by working with the first cohort of undergraduate nursing students served through distance education technologies on the Rochester Campus. Advising took on a holistic nature as Linda worked with the new undergraduate nursing students in Rochester.
A previous supervisor writes: A very meaningful part of advisement to the undergraduate students is “having a person to turn to” for ongoing advice, and to help students integrate their academic, personal, and professional needs. Indeed, Linda understands her students. Linda is consistently student-centric while maintaining high standards for achievement and academic excellence. Linda encourages her students to achieve their potential. She encourages them to be involved in leadership development opportunities, to be involved in professional organizations, and to go on to graduate school. I have been told that the satisfaction of our undergraduate student body, in nursing, with the advisement that they have received over the past several years has been rated among the highest---or the highest---among all undergraduate programs at the University. I would attribute a good share of this satisfaction to the work of Linda.
Her students in Rochester treasure her. One student writes:“She is so encouraging, motivating, and infectious that after a session with her you can’t help but be excited about being a nurse. Her past experiences and knowledge in different areas of nursing make her perfect at advising. She is able to tell you what is out there, and answer your random questions about different areas.”
Another student says: “I cannot count the number of times that people have asked me “what would the Rochester campus be like without Linda?”
Still another students proclaims: “I personally believe that she is the single greatest asset that the School of Nursing has to offer.”
Dr Herrick also serves as faculty advisor to the Nursing College Board and the Minnesota Student Nurses Association. In these advising positions she acts as a role model and fosters leadership skills to students not only in the Rochester program but also in other Minnesota Nursing programs.
Finally, A professional colleague writes:“Dr. Herrick serves as a role model for me in her interaction with students. She quickly and effectively forms relationships with students that are built on mutual trust and respect. Dr. Herrick is a rich resource for those new to the advisor role and is always ready and willing to help when asked. These are the qualities I wish to emulate. Dr. Herrick exemplifies the academic advisor role. Her excellence in advising arises from her ability to build relationships with the students and advocate for them.”
Since the beginning of the program in Rochester, Linda Herrick has served as the faculty advisor for most of the nursing students at that location. This is a tremendous task for a faculty member who has an active program of research, teaching, and managing the logistics of the School of Nursing at the satellite location. For your dedication to the University of Minnesota and the School of Nursing, we congratulate you Linda!