Passionate Nursing Educator

Recognized as the MU Sinclair

School of Nursing’s Alumni

Achievement Recipient

Contact: Pam Roe
S218 School of Nursing
(573) 884-2690

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April 28 , 2004

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Nelda Godfrey will be recognized as the MU Sinclair School of Nursing Alumni Achievement recipient at the school’s annual banquet being held April 30, 2004. Godfrey will receive this award for the significant accomplishments she made in the nursing industry during her first five years after graduating from the School of Nursing.

A PhD graduate that continues to give back to her alma mater, profession and the next generation of nurses in a way that fuels her passion for the nursing industry. Nelda Godfrey, PhD ’00, returns every semester as a speaker to talk about a topic near and dear to her heart – the ethics of nursing.

“Nelda is a dynamic speaker and obviously loves what she does,” said Linda Evans, instructor of clinical nursing at the MU Sinclair School of Nursing. “The students are awed by her when she speaks to my class.”
Godfrey is the nursing department chair and teaches in the general education curriculum at William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo. She also works as a staff nurse in the cardiology unit at the University of Kansas Medical Center. She continues to work in a clinical setting to keep in tune with what nurses are doing and feeling “in the trenches.”

“Nelda maintains her clinical expertise and credibility through her practice as a staff nurse in telemetry,” said Ruth Edwards, professor of nursing at William Jewell. “She does not have the opportunity for clinical practice with students but sets the standard from her clinical experiences. Graduates have reported the respect gained from working with Nelda at KUMED.”

Students, faculty, staff and alumni of the school will be honored at the 100-year Mizzou Nursing celebration and 14th Annual MU Sinclair School of Nursing Banquet being held April 30 at the Holiday Inn Executive Center in Columbia, Mo. The gala, which will host more than 650 guests, will be held to recognize those individuals who have elevated the reputation, research, teaching and service at the MU Sinclair School of Nursing.

“The school’s annual banquet gives us a chance to honor those who have gone the extra mile and in the process elevated the bar of excellence in the field of nursing,” said Rose Porter, dean of the School of Nursing. “Nelda is an example of someone who has gone the extra mile in nursing education and given students the best possible foundation for successful careers.”

Her expertise and enthusiasm for teaching has resulted in recognition as an outstanding teacher in all the courses she teaches. Her creative passion for teaching students to understand the experiences of their patients takes hold in her nursing courses. She has students wear ostomy bags filled with warm mashed potatoes or play terminology trivial pursuit. Before and after graduation, students often quote Godfrey’s expectations about quality of nursing care.

Family, community and church always have been a priority for Godfrey. Her commitment to service and to sharing that service through participation with her children and husband is apparent in everything she does. She and her husband support their children through their many activities, such as swimming, theater and 4-H. Godfrey also is active in her church as a youth leader and worship presenter.

“Nelda is an outstanding graduate of the University of Missouri School of Nursing,” Edwards said. “She is a leader in the nursing profession.”

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