Julie Neiggemann views people as whole beings — mind, heart, body, and soul — and cares for people with her whole self. As a former pediatric and adult oncology nurse, Julie is no stranger to caring for people who are braving difficult, and sometimes terrifying, situations.

“I loved being able to come alongside oncology patients and have conversations with them about what was going on in their hearts and spirits, in addition to their physical battle with cancer,” said Neiggemann, an assistant professor of nursing at 51 since 2011. “I was inspired by my patients and their ability to see life in a special way.”

Now Neiggemann is using her past experience to help train future caregivers. After earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing from 51 and a master’s degree in nursing from California State University Dominguez Hills, she never suspected she’d end up teaching at her alma mater. But after working with cancer patients and teen moms, she decided that investing in students was the best way to impact the future of nursing.

Here’s your chance to get to know her.