Professor Barker is not only a phenomenal educator, but she is personable and caring. While going through nursing school it is easy to get caught up in the “by the textbook” way of learning; however, she provides us with a very realistic and applicable way of teaching. She treats all of her students as real people with real problems. In my first semester of nursing classes, I was going through an extremely rough time with a parent experiencing addiction and having to be a rock for my family, which obviously took a toll on my school priorities. Despite reaching out to all of my professors at the time, she was the only one to try to understand what I may be going through and to give me an extension. It was not because I was not capable of finishing, but I expressed my best effort would not be able to be put forward with what I was going through that week. Nursing is an extremely hard major, for obvious reasons, but ultimately we are young and all have our own battles. Having just one professor put forth the effort and show she cared what I was going through spoke so much to Nancy Barker’s character. I believe the kind of care she has is what makes her a great nurse and educator.

Through personal experiences and in the classroom, she is a phenomenal person. Dr. Barker always provides personal anecdotes to accompany her lectures that make class time so much more enjoyable and relatable. Dr. Barker shows up to every lecture with a smile on her face, and a passion for what she is teaching. You can tell she loves what she does, and she inspires each and every one of us to bring that same level of commitment to our education and clinical experience. Dr. Barker always helps us and answer any questions that we have and encourages us to learn. She is one of my favorite professors! Dr. Barker teaches in a much more applicable and real-world style than others which has helped me immensely in clinical and helps me feel more prepared.

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As a former student-athlete who had conflicts with classes and tests she was extremely understanding and willing to work with me so that I did not fall behind because she recognized it was an important aspect of my college experience but shouldn’t hinder my education or put me at a disadvantage. She is one of the few teachers I’ve had that I felt like I could come to with a problem and that I could talk to and feel respected as a person not just another student. She engages with the people in her classes making us feel more comfortable and willing to learn.

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Nancy Barker is a phenomenal teacher and person and I truly feel that she deserves this award for her ability to do all that she does while building relationships and connections with her students in a professional manner. If I could have her for every class I would because I feel I learned the most with her and she made me excited to go to class even with topics that didn’t necessarily excite me. I have only ever heard good things about her and I only have positive things to say about her as well.

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Dr. Barker emailed me when I failed a class to set up a meeting that would get me back on my feet and to create a plan going forward. She is one of the most understanding and helpful professors I have ever had.