Even after publishing over 100 articles and researching childbirth in nearly 10 different countries, student success is still professor Lynn Callister's true passion.

"We are so blessed in the College of Nursing to have very, very motivated students," Callister said. "To see their profit and personal growth is very rewarding." .

The National League for Nursing recognized this BYU professor's dedication to education at the beginning of the month with the Excellence in Teaching Award.

The league award is the fourth official recognition Callister has received this year.

This honor is awarded to one member of the NLN at the organization's annual Education Summit. Contributions to teaching, scholarly expertise and support of students' self-direction are a few of the criteria to be a recipient.

Callister focuses her research on cultural perceptions of childbirth. "Nurses take care of women from all over the world," Callister said. "They can give better care... the more they know about different cultures."

Callister has mentored over 30 undergraduate students in their independent research projects during her BYU professorship. Cambria Jones, who took her nursing research course, is one of the five students Callister is currently mentoring.

Jones wrote her honors thesis, turned Office of Research and Creative project, about Hispanic immigrant childbearing.

"She really treats me as an equal even though she is helping me," Jones said.

Callister and Jones wrote a joint article based on Jones' research to be published in The American Journal of Nursing by the end of the year.

"I did the research and she did a lot of the writing," said Jones, who was impressed that Callister asked her for suggestions on how to improve the manuscript.

Stephen Wilkinson, a pre-med biology junior, asked Callister to mentor him in his honors thesis about perceptions of childbirth among Ghanaian women. Wilkinson learned about Callister's research experiences, which have taken her to Ghana, when they lived in the same ward.

"She really lets me be self-directed about my timetable and goals," Wilkinson said. "She has given me a lot of independence and a sense of ownership that made it a better project."



Copyright Brigham Young University 24 Oct 2007