Assistant Dean for the Undergraduate Program Dianne Clemens will retire from Illinois State University Mennonite College of Nursing (MCN) in December. In November, the college held a retirement celebration in her honor for her 17 years of service.
In 1998, Clemens accepted a position with MCN as an instructional assistant professor. She remembers when President Kathleen Hogan hired her to teach part-time in Health Assessment, and Gay Dolan was her mentor.
When MCN moved to Illinois State University in 1999, Clemens continued in her faculty role. She taught Leadership clinicals, Professional Roles, Health Assessment theory and clinical, Adult I theory and clinical, and for the last 10 years she solely taught Psychiatric-Mental Health theory and clinical.
“When I first started teaching at MCN, the Leadership clinical was community based and I did my clinical out at Dixie Truck Stop!” said Clemens. “It was a very interesting experience.”
She has been nominated for several awards, and received the Outstanding Faculty Award in May 2012, 2013, 2014 and December 2014, by MCN’s senior class. She has been a member of several professional memberships, including Sigma Theta Tau International, Xi Pi Chapter, and the National Gerontological Nursing Association.
From 2007–09, Clemens was the acting undergraduate program coordinator. In 2010 she was appointed as the undergraduate program coordinator, and then in 2013 her title was changed to assistant dean for the undergraduate program.
“My favorite memory of MCN will be teaching psychiatric nursing and seeing student attitudes change,” she said. “I will carry that memory with me.”
When asked what she plans to do in retirement, Clemens responded, “BE and not DO…until I get my new direction!” She is looking forward to having less time pressures and more flexibility. She has two children who live in in two different directions out of state. Clemens and her husband look forward to spending more time with them and their grandchildren.
“It has been a privilege to serve at MCN,” said Clemens. “It’s been a good fit for my interests and skills. I have enjoyed the community of people working together to maintain the great outcomes MCN is known for.”
