Bobbi Schamberger ’90 spent nearly three decades in a career she loved at Gundersen Health System, working 17 years as a nurse in the ICU and 10 in outpatient surgery.

“There was a lot of intensity and adrenalin in the ICU, and it was so rewarding seeing patients who were so sick or injured get better and go home,” said Schamberger, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Viterbo University and a Master of Science in Nursing from Walden University. “And our patients in same-day surgery ranged from 10 months to 99 years old.”

As part of her duties, Schamberger often taught new nurses the roles and responsibilities of the department. She decided to “dabble in academia” by teaching an adjunct nursing course to see if education was a career path she wanted to pursue.

Today, Schamberger is a nursing faculty member at Viterbo University, a post she has held since 2017. She chooses to teach at her alma mater because of the history and quality of the nursing program and the university’s Catholic Franciscan values. She emphasizes qualities such as empathy, patience, compassion, and integrity to her students.

“The education we provide results in nurses I want taking care of me and my family one day,” she said.

Schamberger and fellow faculty member Jennifer Schmaltz ’94 led nursing students on this year’s clinical experience in Belize. This was Schamberger’s third time leading the trip.

“I am so proud of them,” Schamberger said of the participating students. “They come back with a great attitude, having grown both professionally and in their values. They have more confidence, cultural competence, and can think more quickly on their feet.”

Patient care was the aspect of nursing Schamberger valued most during her career, which she now fulfills through education.

“It is rewarding to support students in their clinical settings as they provide patient care and use their critical thinking skills,” she said.