Nancy Banman to retire as Associate Professor of Social Work
The Bethel College alumnus is the third staff member to announce their intent to resign this fall.
An email sent on Tuesday to the Bethel College community from Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty Robert Milliman announced Nancy Banman’s letter of resignation and intent to retire as Associate Professor of Social Work, effective at the end of the 2022-2023 school year, following commencement.
Banman is a Bethel College alum and was an adjunct instructor in 1992 for the Bethel College Social Work department and has worked at Bethel in her current role since the fall of 2020. Banman spent her final three years educating at Bethel before retiring.
In her years as a student at Bethel, Banman reflects on what she had learned as a student along with how those have shaped the way she thinks today. In college, she began her journey of learning about simple living, consumption, and environmental concerns related to poverty and justice issues.
Although these are not at the forefront of her career, she has always attempted to keep these lessons close in her life choices as well as staying involved in efforts for changes in policy, community resources, and support systems related to these values. All of which she hopes to continue in retirement.
Banman has been a professor for many years, teaching social work at Colorado State University, Bluffton University, and Colorado Mesa University, before coming back to Bethel in the fall of 2020.
“This is my second stint at Bethel as a faculty member as I started my teaching career at Bethel in the mid-1980s,” Banman said. “Both experiences have been good, and the past three years have had new challenges, particularly as my first semester was fall of 2020 — when all classes and meetings were online due to COVID-19.”
Banman holds respect for her students here at Bethel as their lives today, as she says, are more challenging and highly structured and scheduled than her past experience. Their efforts inside and outside of the classroom are what she values most as well as her time with colleagues over the years.
“We have wonderful students,” Banman said. “I miss the regular informal gatherings of faculty over coffee that occurred in the late 80s and early 90s. I value the opportunities to visit with my colleagues whenever possible. The richness of experience, expertise, and skills as educators are inspiring, as is their graciousness,” Banman said.
As an employee at Bethel, Banman is thankful for her relationships with students, faculty, and other colleagues and leaders on campus. She specifically notes how the Bethel community is different from other areas in which she’s worked.
“The sense of community is important to me, and the willingness to listen and learn from one another is not always found in institutions of higher education,” Banman said. “I've especially appreciated Dr. Milliman's support and willingness to hear ideas and concerns.”
“I hope to be successful in retiring this time — my second attempt,” Banman added humorously.