Q&A with College Advisory Board Member Joan Wargo

Aug 30, 2021

Q&A with College Advisory Board Member Joan Wargo

What inspired you to get involved and support the College of Nursing as an advisory board member?
Upon graduating from high school, I pursued a nursing degree, often attending classes in the evening to complete my degree. I initially taught medical and surgical nursing. Then, in 1953, I moved to South Florida, serving first as a charge nurse at Jackson Memorial Hospital, then later providing in-service education. While at Jackson Memorial, I met my husband, Don, who was a physician. Together, we moved to Boca Raton in 1958. I didn’t feel comfortable working at the same hospital where my husband worked and served as a member of their board, so I decided to pause my nursing career. As they say, though, “once a nurse, always a nurse.” So, I sought ways to stay associated with the nursing profession. former-Dean Anne Boykin asked me to join the “Friends of the College” advisory group, and I accepted. Then, former-Dean Marlaine Smith invited me to serve on the newly-formed College of Nursing Advisory Board, and I have continued to serve on the board since its inception. I knew then there was a strong correlation between nursing and the science of caring. I have found it intriguing to watch caring science unfold through the years. FAU’s nursing students are some of the best and brightest, and I think it is the result of being taught caring science as the foundation of nursing by some of the most highly credentialed, expert faculty.

What do you admire most about our students? 
FAU Nursing students are incredibly enthusiastic, as they seek their degrees and advance in their professions. They are also culturally diverse, representing a variety of backgrounds and perspectives. This will help them care for their patients. We really need them. They will have such an impact on our community. 

What is your hope for the future of the College?  
I’m hopeful the College will remain top-ranked in the U.S. and serve as an international leader in caring science. I would also like to see more people with memory disorders, and their families and caregivers, utilize the services of the Louis & Anne Green Memory & Wellness Center. We are so fortunate to have this Center as a part of our community.