Northwestern College Appoints Dr. Bonnie Beardsley Dean of the Violet Schumacher School of Nursing

[Bridgeview, IL] – Northwestern College President Lawrence Schumacher announced the appointment of Bonnie J. Beardsley, PhD., R.N. Dean of the Violet Schumacher School of Nursing. Dr. Beardsley comes to Northwestern College most recently from Western Governor’s University where she was responsible for curriculum development for their Faculty Graduate Degree Program as their Product and Program Operations Manager.  The Violet Schumacher School of Nursing opened in the fall of 2010, graduating its first class of nurses this past summer. 

Dr. Beardsley comes to the Violet Schumacher School of Nursing with a great deal of experience and a history of building and growing nursing education programs at all degree levels.  Prior to her role at Western Governor’s University she served as Associate Director for the School of Nursing at Aurora University; Professor and Chairwoman of the Department of Nursing at Olivet University; and Founder and Director of the Graduate Degree Nursing Program at Benedictine University. She has launched online nursing programs, served as a professor at several institutions and has worked in the field as a nurse at hospitals such as Loyola University Medical Center where she served in the Shock Trauma Unit of the Emergency Department, and at Brook Army Hospital in Texas where she served in the United States Army. Dr. Beardsley has worked as a consultant for Herzing University, Gonzaga University, Excelsior College, American Military University and American Sentinel University in various roles, including program and curriculum developer, accreditation consultant, and subject matter expert.

In addition, Dr. Beardsley recently completed her second appointment on the United States Army Advisory Board as a Liaison to the Department of Defense.  While serving in the US Army Nurse Corps she was attached to the 900^th Mash Unit and the 801^st General Hospital.  She received an Honorable Discharge at the rank of Major from the Corps.

Dr. Beardsley earned her BSN from Olivet University, her MSN from Lewis University, and her PhD from Walden University with a specialization in adult education.  She completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Academic Leadership as a Fuld Fellow through the American Association of Colleges of Nursing in Washington, DC.   

Dr. Beardsley is a 10 year resident of Plainfield, Illinois where she resides with her husband Jacques Beardsley and two grandchildren, Mckenzie and Steven.

About Northwestern College:

Northwestern College (NC) is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, http://www.ncahlc.org.  The college offers focused career-oriented associate degree and certificate programs with flexible schedules and a supportive faculty. Day, evening, weekend, online classes and online programs are available with campuses in Chicago, Bridgeview, and Naperville. More information can be found at www.northwesterncollege.eduor by calling toll-free (888) 205-2283.