Bonnie Grusk, chair of the health professions division and director of nursing, announced at the January meeting of the College Board that she will be resigning her posts as soon as a replacement can be found.
She plans to stay at IVCC as the new coordinator of a continuing education program for the health professions, a part time position.
Commenting that she hoped a replacement would be found by the end of this semester, Grusk said she is resigning her full-time work because she is "the mother of three high maintenance children."
Grusk said she is committed to being there for her 14-year-old and her 7-year-old twins.
"It's been a balancing act, and I was lucky for this opportunity to arise," she said.
In her new post, a non-teaching position, she will do the groundwork for bringing more credit and non-credit courses to IVCC for people in the health field. She will find teachers and assess needs to be met in the education of health professionals.
Grusk has been on the IVCC staff since May 1991. In July 1996 she took the position of Director of Nursing, and in March 1998 became the chair of Health Professions, a new division created when the academic areas of the college were restructured.
Grusk received her Bachelor's degree from Illinois Wesleyan University and her Master's from Loyola University. Prior to joining IVCC, she worked as an acute care hospital nurse. Before completing her Master's degree, she coordinated a heart and lung transplant program at Loyola.
In 1999, while Grusk served as chair of the division, IVCC received a National League of Nursing Accreditation. During her tenure as chair of the division and director of nursing, the nursing department has established a computer lab with nursing software, hired a full-time lab assistant, and organized tutoring and study programs. A therapeutic massage program has also been added to the health professions division.
Reviewing her decision to step down, Grusk said: "I have thought long and hard. I love what I do, but I had to set my priorities, and the opportunity for part time arose that allows me to continue at IVCC.
"I like the direction IVCC is heading. This will be the best of both worlds for me at this time.
"I have been blessed with quality faculty that let me help others. They really know their stuff."
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