Volunteering for your future

Mandy Lynch enjoys a conversation with Sister Bernadette Mary Carroll at Providence Health Care.

Early in her college career Mandy Lynch took an aptitude test that was supposed to tell her what career she would best be suited for after graduation. When her results came back “nursing home administration,” she was kind of taken aback. She had always had an interest in healthcare administration, but she didn’t know much about the nursing home sector.

Last summer, Mandy decided to explore her options.

She began a two-day-a-week volunteer stint at Saint Ann Clinic (now Wabash Valley Health Center) working with Sister Lawrence Ann Liston in Terre Haute as well as Providence Health Care working with director Gerald Dutton at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

Soon, those two days would become three, and eventually Mandy was immersed in volunteer life with the Sisters of Providence. She was kept very busy with filing, greeting patients, conducting research interviews, grant-writing, updating websites, contacting pharmaceutical companies and much more.

Sister Eileen Clare Goetzen admiring the aviary at Providence Health Care with Mandy.

About volunteering here Mandy says, “Everyone is just so kind and nice to me and it’s just a great environment where people actually care and they are interested to hear about my school and my life.”

Anyone who meets her can see her compassion and drive immediately.

Mandy has always felt a need to help others. Volunteering has been a part of her life since she was 7-years-old when her mom took her on her first mission trip to Mexico. She has always known that helping others and serving her community was the right thing to do. “I get as much out of it as the people I am able to help,” Mandy said. “I did a lot of volunteering in high school, just out of passion for it.”

Because of her commitment and dedication to volunteer work, Mandy received the Lily Endowment Scholarship, which will enable her to graduate debt-free. She realizes how blessed she is and is thankful every day for every opportunity that comes her way.

Currently, Mandy is a senior at Butler University in Indianapolis. She will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in science, technology and society and minors in healthcare administration and business information science.

Mandy valued her time working with Gerald at Providence Health Care in the summer of 2013.

Attending Butler University has only fueled her passion for volunteering; all students are required to have 20 hours of volunteer work per semester, which, of course, was not a problem for Mandy, who spent countless hours volunteering at A Caring Place in Indianapolis under Sister Susan Dinnin.

After graduation, Mandy plans to earn a master’s degree in healthcare administration with an emphasis in nursing home administration. “After working with Gerald [director of Providence Health Care] and realizing how much I love an environment like this, I know I want to pursue nursing home administration.”

Looks like that aptitude test was right after all…

As National Volunteer Week (April 6-12) draws to a close, we would like to take the time to celebrate Mandy and all of our selfless and dedicated volunteers.

Thank you for all you do!

Interested in volunteering with the Sisters of Providence? Contact Sister Rebecca “Becky” Keller at rkeller@spsmw.org or 812-535-2878.