“Managing and developing people is so complex,” says Nancy Robinson ’26 Ed.D. “I’m a more direct, more confident, more structured coach and leader because of my educational experience in Olivet Nazarene University’s Doctor of Education in Ethical Leadership degree program.”
Nancy’s career path — which includes working at Taco Bell, as a legal secretary and a paralegal, as a hospitality manager, as the owner of a commercial cleaning business, and as a nurse in a hospital setting — led her to her current position as a nurse manager and process improvement manager for EagleOne Case Management. She also serves as deputy coroner for her county in Indiana. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degrees. Along the way, she married and has three children.
“I never saw myself as a leader,” Nancy says. “Now, I’m raising up and leading leaders. My favorite part of my job with EagleOne is coaching and empowering others to lead, to see them bloom and grow. Olivet’s Ed.D. program has given me practical application instead of abstract theory. I began using what I was learning immediately, day-to-day, in my job. I was able to connect my coursework to my professional responsibilities right away. I’m a more intentional leader now.”
Career Contentment
Nancy’s husband, Nick, is her biggest encourager and fan. She originally wanted to be a physician, but she wanted to be able to spend as much time with her family as possible. He suggested that she pursue a career in nursing, and that led her to her current leadership role with EagleOne.
In 2019, she was able to encourage him. “He was working in the trades, and he was miserable,” she recalls. “One morning, when he was putting on his boots and getting ready to go to work, I asked him, ‘What did you want to be when you grew up?’ He told me he wanted to be a nurse, but he got detoured when he enlisted for the U.S. Navy.”
Nancy insisted that he register for nursing school, and he did so that same day. “Now, he’s working as a nurse, and he’s the happiest I’ve ever seen him,” she says. “He shows me every day how important it is to do what we love to do.”
Making the Decision
Nancy began working for EagleOne Case Management in 2007. By 2023, she had reached a point in her career where experience alone wasn’t enough. She knew she needed more training in order to be the kind of leader she needed and wanted to be.
So she began searching for a doctoral program to provide that training.
She chose Olivet’s Ed.D. program because the focus aligned with her values as a person, a healthcare professional and a leader. “When I began the program, I was overwhelmed,” she says. “But in the best way! Everything came at me so quickly. It was so different from my MSN program. At times, I thought I couldn’t keep up. And I’m a person who never says that.”
At the conclusion of the Ed.D. program, Nancy had maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout. In the process, she had balanced her doctoral studies with a very demanding career and some significant, unexpected family issues. “In Olivet’s Ed.D. program, I learned to lead and live with intention, even when things are messy and uncertain,” she says. “You have to be clear about your why. That’s what carried me through.”
Benefits Abound
In her current job with EagleOne, Nancy manages and trains nurses. She is in the process of designing a new training program for her company and has helped the company move some of the training to an online platform. Her favorite part of her job is coaching and leading new leaders, and empowering them to lead. She sees that as her legacy.
“I am a stronger voice in my company because of my Ed.D. educational experience,” Nancy says. “I’m helping to shape processes and taking on some of the responsibility for leadership development. I’m more confident in asking hard questions and navigating difficult conversations. The new depth of knowledge and perspective that I bring to the table has changed my role in the company, even though my job title is the same.”
Nancy adds: “Olivet’s Ed.D. program strengthened my ability to manage competing demands and prioritize what truly matters. I lead with more purpose, clarity and compassion — no matter where I’m leading. And now, I’m helping people, including my kids, to figure out their why.”
Learn more about Olivet’s graduate degree programs at Olivet.edu/academics/graduate-programs. For more information or to enroll, email onlineadmissions@olivet.edu or call 877-465-4838.
