Nurse at WCC Receives Nursing Excellence Award

Regina Gillespie, a nurse in Student Health Services who serves Rider’s Lawrenceville and Westminster campuses, was recently honored by the New Jersey College Health Association, receiving the 2004 New Jersey College Health Association Award for Nursing Excellence, at its recent meeting.
     Gillespie was one of the first nurses in New Jersey to become nationally certified in college health nursing when the certification became available 12 years ago. Over the years, nurse Pat Sheridan, her fellow co-worker, has been most impressed with Gillespie’s perseverance and high energy level.  “Regina has always put her all into treating students on both campuses,” said Sheridan, who nominated her for the award.  “She is a very caring, knowledgeable person in the college health field.”
       Since joining Rider in 1979, Gillespie has worked on the Lawrenceville campus and assumed duties at the Westminster Choir College (WCC) campus in 1995. Responding to the high level of stress among students, she became a certified massage therapist and soon began administering massages to students at the College’s Wellness Center.       
    Gillespie, a proud mother of seven, accomplished all of this while raising her family.
    Three of Gillespie’s children are Rider graduates. Brian ’97, received a bachelor’s degree in fine arts; Sean ’99, a bachelor’s degree in mathematics; and Mary ’2002, a bachelor’s degree in sociology. Currently, her son Patrick is a junior English major at Rider. Son Michael just completed his residency this May at the University of North Carolina, where he will stay on to pursue a specialization in cardiology. Son Anthony is working in an art business venture with son Brian and her youngest child, Theresa graduates from high school this year and will study at Virginia Tech. Another source of her pride and joy is the birth of her first grandchild, Alexa, this year. 
    Gillespie received R.N. diploma from St. Agnes Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA.  She is a member of the American College Health Association and the New Jersey College Health Association.  In addition, she plays guitar for the music ministry at her church, Nativity of Our Lord, in Warminster, PA, and has taken voice lessons at Westminster Choir College.

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