Dr. Carmen Dielman, Coordinator of the IU South Bend Bachelor of Science in Applied Health Science, will be leaving IU South Bend at the end of June to focus on her family business and grandchildren.
Carmen has a Doctorate in Health Sciences with a concentration in Global Health from Nova Southeastern University and is a Licensed Dental Hygienist. After the inception of the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences and the Online Collaborative Academic Program in Applied Health Science began, she moved from Dental Education to Health Sciences to teach courses related to her Doctorate. In addition to global health, she has developed courses on environmental health, intercultural health communication, and cultural diversity. She also developed one of the campus’ first online community-engaged courses.
Carmen is respected as a servant leader and community builder. Her personal qualities make her a joy with whom to work; she has a sunny disposition, is generous with her time and talents, and is always looking to uplift others. It’s no wonder that her colleagues rave about her.
Dr. Thomas Fisher, Dean and Professor of Health Sciences of the Vera Z. Dwyer College of Health Sciences, described Carmen’s service to the College as “impeccable.” As the first coordinator of the online collaborative Bachelor of Science in Applied Health Science, Carmen played an important role in the growth of that program, according to Dean Fisher.
Dean Fisher also appreciated Carmen’s professionalism and commitment to students. “She poses ideas and comments in a calm, reassuring and empowering manner,” he said. “Her collegiality is commendable and has influenced the ability of others to be collegial. She’s student-centered and rigorous in her instructional expectations.”
Carmen explained that her dental missions to Haiti “…is where my passion to serve and give back to the community and the less fortunate began. Many past students and faculty members that I have worked with have gone with me to provide dental care and public health education in Haiti. Those have been some of the most rewarding times of my career—watching past students give of their time and resources to learn about another culture and to give of themselves to serve others. Most of them also engage and serve in their local communities and it is heartwarming to hear about their work changing the lives of others.”
In addition to her own community service, Carmen encourages students to serve their community in Intercultural Health Communication, a course where students perform 20 hours of community service working directly with someone from a cultural background different than their own. According to Carmen, the course encourages students to provide “…authentic service to meet a community need, applying the principles of intercultural communication to interactions with people of another cultural background, and reflecting on knowledge of and skills in working with people of another cultural background.” The benefits of the course extend well beyond the semester as many students continue to work with their community organization.
Dr. Gail McGuire, Director of Community Engagement, also had nothing but praise for Carmen. McGuire worked closely with Carmen on the Carnegie Engaged Campus Taskforce for three years. “I can honestly say that we would not have made the progress we did without her steadfast involvement,” said McGuire. Carmen was also an important source of personal support for McGuire. Carmen “…was a constant cheerleader and supporter, which boosted my confidence in this uncharted territory. I will be forever grateful for her kindness, generosity and service.”
Carmen’s contributions to the campus, her discipline, and communities in need have been recognized on and off campus. Her excellence in teaching was recognized by a Trustees Teaching Award. She was the first recipient of the Carol Dee Minichillo Leadership Award from Dental Education in 2017 and was the Dental Education Distinguished Alumna in 2013. She has also received many UCET grants to support her student-centered teaching.
It’s clear that Carmen has left her mark on her college, campus, and community. Quimby said, “She will be greatly missed by her Dwyer College of Health Sciences family. We are forever grateful for her and her lasting contributions to our students, faculty, and campus.”
Carmen herself hopes that by her own example and student experiences, “they will continue to ‘pay it forward’ with their time, resources, skills, and God-given talents. That will be my ultimate legacy.”
Leave a Reply