Back Story: Lauren Clark ’92

An old adage states, “Patience is the first step”. At ND, this quality was demonstrated by everyone. I have a memory of patience in Chemistry class, with Mr. Joven. Science did not come easily to me and required daily after-school review. This would have been difficult, had it not been for Mr. Joven demonstrating the quality of patience. He never gave up on his students, and gave you all the time in the world through multiple trials until you were confident. He always included a few jokes to keep positive. Because of his patience and encouragement, I became a straight A student in Biochemistry in college, which was an essential factor to complete my nursing degree and graduating Magna Cum Laude. In dealing with the challenges of working with families with a variety of disadvantages, patience has been key to helping them be successful in their lives.

Father Pat Higgins, my faith and justice teacher, demonstrated compassion. Father Pat educated us about the world and about how we had the power to change things. In order for us to do this, he exposed us to the harsh realities of past and current world events, and, with thoughtfulness and kindness, challenged us to find ways to solve them. As I have worked in public health for the last 15 years, I continue to utilize this quality in my interactions with families of different socio- economic backgrounds. As Maya Angelou said “They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” I certainly can relate to this as many nurses do.

Working as a registered nurse in a hospital setting in maternal child health, there were many opportunities to utilize my compassion to support the diverse families in their journey to wellness. This was especially a necessary skill guiding parents through childbirth, especially with patients from multi-cultural backgrounds. In order to accommodate their needs and truly be a help to them, I needed to understand them and where they were coming from.

The Notre Dame staff demonstrated the power of resilience and community during the school relocation of 1989. This change was not easy for everyone, as change never is. However, together we pushed through. ND worked hard to get the building at St. Mark’s Place up and running quickly. Parents and students participated in getting the school ready both physically and financially in order that it could continue to be Chez Nous for us.

Versatility is the ability to transfer information and knowledge in different forms for different minds. The staff of Notre Dame showed this perfectly to me. Sister Virginia, my counselor at the time, would guide me towards my career as a nurse. She would review all of my options, break them down, and show me how to apply my talents to the challenges of being a healthcare worker. She also had the patience to observe my strengths and lead me towards realistic opportunities that would help achieve my academic and career goals.

I have been in a leadership role for ten years as the Director of Children with Special Healthcare Needs. Early Intervention versatility has been a key quality for me. I have found myself in challenging situations, often ‘building a plane in midair’ as healthcare regulations and circumstances change at any moment. My most recent experience is with the COVID-19 pandemic. I was tasked to put my scrubs back on and administer testing while doing contact tracing as a team leader. Being a part of the experience of Notre Dame High School ‘building their own plane’ at St. Mark’s Place, I am able to fully appreciate the versatility and flexibility it took.

I am thankful for the road map that Notre Dame provided, leading me to a fulfilling career in healthcare, and I will always hold dear the values I learned Chez Nous, that include patience, compassion, resilience, versatility, and community. It is these values that I share with my husband who has faithfully served in law enforcement for over 15 years. And together we have instilled them in our two children, who because of these values, have chosen paths of service. My daughter works in special education. And my son is a volunteer firefighter and is pursuing a career in aviation.

Notre Dame gave me the foundation to make a difference in the world, and the ability to ‘pay it forward’ through the service to others that I, as well as my whole family, carry out each day.

“I will always hold dear the values I learned Chez Nous, that include patience, compassion, resilience, versatility, and community.”

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