Feature Stories
Dr. Barbara Hooper '92 & '12
Barbara Hooper, ’92 & ’12, is an assistant professor in Grand Valley’s Kirkhof College of Nursing (KCON). Hooper joined KCON’s faculty in 2008 after 16 years of experience in medical-surgical nursing and management in Detroit.
Having a strong foundation in the nursing field has been critical to Hooper’s success as an educator. She weaves her work-related experiences into her lectures and uses storytelling to engage her students in conversation.
Hooper is well known for going above and beyond for her students. Some examples include working hard to know all of her 80 students’ names, conducting mock interviews, providing assistance writing resumes and cover letters, and even conducting clinical visits at three in the morning for students working the night shift.
Countless students have expressed their appreciation of Hooper. In class evaluations, students say that she is “one of KCON’s finest,” “one of the best professors at Grand Valley,” “very knowledgeable,” “kind and encouraging,” and that she “genuinely cares about her students’ learning.”
Alumni share that, out of all of their faculty, Hooper had the greatest impact on their time at GVSU. They say that “she was absolutely incredible and inspiring,” “I would not have made it without her,” and “her dedication to her students’ success and compassion were evident in everything that she did.”
Hooper’s colleagues are similarly quick to praise her, stating that she “successfully integrates her years of management expertise, formal education, scholarly work, faculty development activities, and community service in a way that effectively communicates a relevant perspective among our nursing students and alumni.” They also say that she is an “exemplary, passionate, engaging, and connected educator.”
Hooper earned both her Master of Science in Nursing and her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Grand Valley. She has her Michigan RN license, BCLS Certification from the American Heart Association, Board Certification as a Nurse Executive, and Healthcare Simulation Educator Certification. To continue developing her teaching effectiveness, Hooper participates in workshops offered by Grand Valley’s Faculty Teaching Learning Center.
Her dedication to her students was honored when Hooper received the 2018 Outstanding Educator Award. Alumni and colleagues nominate a faculty member who has had a significant impact on the careers of alumni, and the Grand Valley Alumni Association presents the award annually at April’s commencement.
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