Carole D. Liske

The nursing profession was a natural choice for Carole Liske, whose love language has always been expressed through acts of service. “In first grade I drew a life-size picture of myself as a nurse, as only a first grader could draw, wearing a nursing cap and holding a needle!” she says. Today, Carole celebrates 30 years of membership in Sigma!

“Sigma means many things to many different people, and I would say that as my professional experience has changed, so has the meaning of Sigma,” says Liske.

Inducted into the Theta Pi Chapter at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois (USA), in 1986, Carole initially equated membership in Sigma with academic achievement. Having joined her alma mater’s new chapter as an alumna, however, Carole had already achieved her MSN and demonstrated success as a professional nurse administrator. Thus she began to see Sigma as a means to influence others through service and scholarly pursuits.

As Carole’s career transitioned into academia, she began serving her chapter as faculty counselor and president elect. In those roles, she became acquainted with Dr. Carol Huston, then president-elect of Sigma, and current Sigma President Cathy Catrambone, both of whom encouraged her to become more involved with the organization at regional and international levels. Now, in addition to participation in various Sigma committees, conferences, and conventions, Carole enjoys active membership with four Sigma chapters and one honor society. She is currently president of the Phi Gamma Virtual Chapter and was also appointed chair of the Next Generation Leaders Task Force for the 2015-2017 biennium.

While her service record is beyond praiseworthy, Carole confesses that, not long ago, she experienced a significant workplace challenge that led her to consider changing professions altogether. “As I pondered my future in nursing, I reluctantly decided to attend the [Sigma] biennial convention – knowing that I had lost my professional compass,” she says. “Networking with nurse friends and colleagues at the event, and participating in the Career Connections Coaching event, was a defining moment in my career. Sigma helped me fall in love with nursing again, reset my professional compass, leverage my talents, and redefine my future as a nurse leader.

Today, Carole works as a program manager for the graduate nursing program of Western Governors University, a national, competency-based, online university. As program manager, she supports various course mentors in advocating for their students. “Ultimately I ensure the provision of academic mentoring to students that is streamlined, proactive, personalized, and promotes academic success.” She is also actively supporting the WGU Honor Society of Nursing in their journey toward chapter chartering.

“Being a nurse is not just about me or the care I provide to my patients and my faculty – it’s about nurses as global advocates of health, influencing healthcare and health policy from the bedside to the community,” says Carole. “It’s about serving other nurses to provide them the tools to teach and mentor the next generation of nurses. It’s about making our world a better place."