Dr. Carole A. McKenzie
Chair of Nursing Division
Bachelor of Science – Texas Woman’s University
MSN – Yale University
PhD – Texas A&M University

Dr. Carole A. McKenzie decided to become a nurse in the fourth grade because, as she told her mother, “I want to help people.”

In the seventh grade, McKenzie said she told her she wanted to care for mothers and babies.

“I never wavered in my desire both to be a nurse, and I became a nurse midwife and always worked clinically to care for mothers and babies,” McKenzie said. “After I got my master’s degree, I decided to also teach and have always loved it.

“I believe it is my way of passing the torch, and I am energized every year with each new group of students. Nursing is a profession that is ever-changing and always stimulating. I have done many different things in my career and nursing provides that. If you want to try something new, nursing has an option for you. You can also always find a job – or two or three if you need them – so the security of the profession is wonderful. However, you do have to have a passion for it and retain it or you will be ineffective. You can never view it as “just a job.”

As for working at Northwestern, McKenzie said, “I love the area, the administrative support and the excellent students at Northwestern. Among my favorite things at Northwestern are the people I work with.”

McKenzie believes that a student can receive the best quality education at Northwestern with excellent faculty, in a supportive student environment, at a reasonable cost. She describes Northwestern with such words as “excellent quality, supportive, cost effective and great people.”

“I’ve been so lucky to have support to make the changes I have made (within the nursing program). The biggest high was going before the Board of Nursing and having them ask very few questions and getting total approval and being in the room for less than five minutes! The best part was sharing that with my boss and my assistant chair.”

When Dr. McKenzie is not busy in the classroom, she enjoys cross stitching, reading and watching movies. She also enjoys singing and judging at speech and debate tournaments and currently is working with her church to establish a parish nurse program.

McKenzie and her husband Roger have three children and one granddaughter who all live far away.

“They are the light of my life,” McKenzie said. I also have a supportive, terrific husband who is always there for me and our family.”

Q: What makes Northwestern unique from any other university you may have taught at or even attended?
A: “The small classes and supportive administration. Alva, Enid and Woodward are safe communities, the cost of living is low and cultural activities offered are excellent.”

Q: What does “Being a Ranger” mean to you?
A: “‘Being a Ranger’ means supporting all that the university does in the community and being committed to students and quality as well as always striving to make things better.”

FAVORITES
Color: Lavender
Book: Gone with the Wind
Type of music: Oldies
Music artist: Linda Ronstadt
Food: Steak
Movie: An Affair to Remember
TV Show: Grey’s Anatomy
Actor/Actress: Brad Pitt and Helen Mirren