“I decided to attend Shenandoah because on my first day visiting the school, the faculty welcomed me with open arms, and showed me that this is truly an environment of care and growth,” said Benjamin D. Crowder ’20.
Crowder walked into the Office of Admissions on his first day and former Vice President for Enrollment Management & Student Success Clarresa Moore Morton gave him a big hug and welcomed him to the university. He would later be greeted with excitement by his fellow incoming students and the faculty and staff during Welcome Week.
Crowder is a registered nurse at in Rochester, Minnesota. In this position, he works in the Cardiology Progressive Care Unit, which specializes in inpatient medical intervention of heart diseases. “I assess patients, administer medications, take vital signs and collaborate with the providers to intervene on patient’s health conditions, mostly in acute situations,” said Crowder. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was also given the opportunity to work with COVID-19 patients and take part in cutting-edge research that now helps treat COVID-19 patients worldwide.
The most rewarding part of Crowder’s career is being able to work with cardiac patients to help resolve or reduce their medical needs, since heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States.
Crowder believes that the Eleanor Wade Custer School of Nursing prepared him to be a caring healer by teaching him that “each individual is unique and needs personalized care, so that they can get the proper care they need.”
“The education is top-notch and is not just about memorizing information,” said Crowder. “It is about readying oneself to contribute all they can to society, inside and outside of their career field.”
Crowder’s advice to students is: “Make the most out of your experience at Shenandoah, and remember to take time to step back and care for yourself as well. You cannot take care of others until you know you are taken care of also. While in school, participate in extracurriculars, and go on school trips, so that you get a widened perspective of the world.”