Meet IHS adjunct faculty member Sue Erlewine
Meet IHS adjunct faculty member Sue Erlewine. Sue teaches IHS 3010: Spirituality in Healthcare and IHS 3240/5240: Overview of Healthcare Advocacy. Both of these courses will be offered in Spring 2021. Learn more about Erlewine below.
What are your contributions to IHS, in terms of programmatic, courses, and overall expertise?
I developed, authored and am adjunct faculty for two online courses in the Department of Interdisciplinary Health Studies and have been part of the team for over 5 years. I have a Master's in Nursing with a concentration in education and have been faculty in the nursing program at Hocking College and 51社区 before coming to IHS. I recently completed a Master's in Divinity equivalency while training to become a chaplain/spiritual care provider through a program at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center/James Cancer Center in Columbus. Back home now in Athens, I provide chaplaincy/spiritual support for patients and their families in a hospice setting and in the hospital.
How does your past or current professional life impact the way you teach IHS courses, and vice versa?
I am a life-long learner, and I am curious about the world and people from all walks of life. I love change and new adventures. The interdisciplinary nature of IHS means that I have contact with students from many disciplines and interests, and I enjoy hearing their stories and reflections in my classes. My husband uses computers for his work and my son works for Apple in California, so I am very comfortable with the technology, which is helpful in Interdisciplinary Health Studies as many of the classes are online - very important when students are wanting a degree yet also staying COVID safe.
What activities do you enjoy outside of work?
I love animals, and I often foster dogs through the Friends of the Shelter Dogs group, helping them to find their fur-ever homes while giving them some basic training and a loving home environment. Besides keeping busy with pets (I have a dog and three cats in addition to occasional foster dogs), I also enjoy crochet, reading (I belong to three book clubs!) and being with my grandchildren.
What are some words of wisdom you would like to share with the students?
Stay curious, stay open to new experiences - the good and the not so good, learn from both; and stay safe.