By. Sister Nancy Surma

My last blog shared the feeling of connection a graduate of Lourdes University had when she visited St. Joseph Regional Hospital in Bryan, Texas.  She discovered the connection turned out to be that both are sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio.  A few weeks ago, I visited Sylvania Franciscan Health's Continuing Care Retirement Community in Villa Hills. Kentucky, and met the Director of Human Resources there.  Her story is the topic of this blog.  I'll let her tell it in her own words.

My journey
My journey with the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio, started with a simple drive through the Toledo/Sylvania area during the winter months of 2004. I had just moved back to Toledo from Defiance, Ohio, and I was lost driving through Toledo. I ended up in the parking lot of Franciscan Care Center Sylvania (FCCS), wondering where I was at. I walked in to ask for directions home, then I realized it was a nursing facility. I felt drawn to fill out an application for a Nursing Assistant position. Later that week, I received a call and started two weeks later in March of 2004. I finally had the feeling that this is where I belonged for the first time in my professional career.
During my "lost" drive, I also ended up on the campus of Lourdes College (now University). To be honest, I felt completely at peace there without knowing why. But it came together during my orientation day at FCCS when Lourdes was introduced to me as another organization sponsored by the Sisters. At that point, I knew what I wanted to do in life. I wanted to stay with the Sisters of St. Francis in every way I could. 
During my six years at FCCS, I was so inspired by the management, the staff, and the mission/values that I wanted to seek my nursing home administrator license. I knew at that point there was no other place to get my bachelor’s degree than from Lourdes University. I worked full time at FCCS and attended classes at Lourdes starting in 2008 and finished in 2010 with a degree in Health Care Administration. During my time at Lourdes, I worked in various offices and as a tutor, and the guidance I received from fellow students, professors, and co-workers will remain with me for the rest of my life.
During my courses at Lourdes, one of the requirements was to complete a business internship. I knew I wanted to do that at FCCS because of my good experience there. During that internship, I learned about Providence Care Centers in Sandusky, Ohio. So I naturally googled it to find out if I could complete my Administrator-In-Training program there after my degree was completed. I contacted Providence and ended up starting my training in October 2010 and completed the training in July 2011. The staff at Providence shared their experiences with me and words cannot express what each staff member there did for my learning experience. 
During my whole time at Providence, the State did not complete its annual survey and that is something that I needed to be able to complete my overall training. So I was invited back for the survey. It was then that it was suggested to me that my knowledge could be used at Madonna Manor, another one of the Franciscan Living Communities which are a part of Sylvania Franciscan Health.  With no questions asked, I contacted Madonna Manor and was down there in a week. I have been at Madonna Manor since August of 2011, starting out in Medical Records then ending up in Human Resources.
My journey with the Sisters’ ministry has been a great ride. I knew from the first moment I walked into FCCS I wanted to stay with a company that I truly believe in. I believe in the core values of Reverence, Service, and Stewardship (and for Lourdes, Learning). This organization has been a saving grace to me in more ways than one. It gave me the stability I was lacking in my life, and it is my turn to do what I can to help carry on the mission and values of the Sisters of St. Francis.   That means staying with this organization wherever I am needed to serve. 
My journey could not have been possible if it were not for the residents, staff, students, professors, co-workers, and everyone else I have spent time with. Learning and giving back to all of the members of the Franciscan community to make this a family atmosphere has been the biggest reason why I have stayed. From the bottom my heart, to everyone that has touched my life in my journey, I sincerely thank you and say "keep up the great work you do for the ministry."

Desiree


This sounds to me like a strong affirmation of the Sylvania Franciscan Village.