We should all strive to be the nurse and person that Melinda is. She gives and gives and gives herself to the people around her, never asking for anything in return. I co-teach a course with Melinda and every day I try to emulate her actions. Some of the actions she displays that I feel strongly demonstrate the Bryan care values are, she knows all students by name and always says 'hi' to them by name. This makes them feel so special.
Melinda has a special warmth for needy or underprivileged students. She created a food pantry at the college for hungry students so they could have something to eat. She stocks it frequently. She is a leader by example. She promotes kindness and teamwork among the faculty. She creates events for team building with all faculty. She volunteers in her spare time for Clinic with a Heart, her church and with many of her children's activities. She is a co-sponsor of the Health Promotion club promoting physical and mental health among the student body, again participating in many weekend activities. She just is always available, always going above and beyond, always giving, always kind and caring. She is the kind of women you want to hate because she is so amazing, but you love her for it! I've noticed that Melinda always stops to say hi to people, to ask them how it's going, how their family is. She remembers important details of their lives, makes people feel like they are the only one in the room. She reads for self-improvement and then she does sweet things like have her advisees write down on decorated paper "how they are the good". She always remembers to thank the staff RNs, the unit, the nurse manager, and speakers with a card or small gift or donuts. She is the epitome of an extraordinary nurse. A true DAISY Nurse. God put her in my life for a reason, to make me a better human.