Sheri Tesseyman, PhD, RN
Dr. Sheri Tesseyman (MS '89) has retired after teaching at BYU College of Nursing for the past eight years. As the oldest daughter of a large family, Dr. Tesseyman was accustomed to taking care of her younger siblings. "I always had somebody to take care of, and I got comfortable doing it," she said. Her love for nursing grew when she took a tour of a hospital as a young Girl Scout. From then on, she knew that she wanted to make caring for others a career.
Dr. Tesseyman served a Spanish-speaking mission in Southern Texas and then enrolled in the University of Utah's nursing program. After graduating, she wanted to take Spanish classes from BYU but learned that she needed to be in a graduate program to do so. Taking advantage of the requirement, she chose to complete her graduate capstone in BYU College of Nursing in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico, working with public health initiatives such as immunization.
During her time as a graduate student at BYU, Dr. Tesseyman had a wise faculty mentor who encouraged her to consider anthropology studies. Skeptical at first, Dr. Tesseyman found a love for the field and took equal credits in Spanish, Nursing, and Anthropology to complete a master's degree. In search of a medical anthropology graduate program, she pursued a doctorate in the United Kingdom, graduating from the University of Manchester in nursing history.
Dr. Tesseyman's first brush with teaching was as an adjunct faculty member at Weber State University, where she found she enjoyed teaching more than she had anticipated. She then taught full-time at Westminster College before joining the faculty at BYU. In clinical education, she found several ways to both teach and motivate students. "I most like to remember the students who had challenges to overcome, and [I am grateful] I could help them make it through," she reflected.
In addition to helping individual students, Dr. Tesseyman also enjoyed mentoring groups. She fondly remembers being asked to join a group photo after they all bonded during their clinicals. "Every day was just a joy being with those kinds of groups that worked so well together," said Dr. Tesseyman.
Being part of BYU College of Nursing enabled her to work on research related to one of her passions: the history of nursing. She worked closely with several librarians in the Harold B. Lee Library to create an exhibition about the history of nursing in Utah and in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The stories featured midwives and female doctors in nineteenth-century Utah.
Dr. Tesseyman's retirement plans include spending time with her three grandchildren and remodeling a home in Pocatello, Idaho. She also plans to write a book on nursing history with one of her colleagues in the UK. She'll forever remember her time as a faculty member at BYU. "I'll miss being with students," said Dr. Tesseyman. "I'll miss being with the other faculty and the people at the library that I've gotten to know. I really enjoy being with them."