Bill and Karen Stair

Name: Bill Stair
Major: Respiratory Therapy '85

Name: Karen Stair
Major: Nursing '72

• Why did you choose this major?
  Bill: I entered as a non - traditional student. I was a clerk at the A&P Grocery Store that was facing closing. I had graduated from ACC in 1972 with a AA Degree in General Studies. I needed to pursue a new career path and found myself interested in the Respiratory Program being offered at the college.
  
  Karen: I lost my father at age 6 when he was killed in the Navy in a plane crash. I had an 18 month old sister. My Mom was suddenly a single parent facing multiple challenges. Family, friends, neighbors and teachers all stepped forward to insure we made it through some very difficult times. I quickly learned to value the importance of caring for one another. As I looked for a profession, Nursing seemed liked the perfect profession to fulfill my desire to care for others while using  my personal experience with loss and challenge to help others facing similar life experiences. 
• What advice would you give to students?
  Bill: Respiratory Therapy is a rewarding career that allows you to assist patients to improve their ability to breath and subsequently return to the things in life that make them happy.
  
  Karen: There are numerous paths to take in nursing careers today. Nursing is a rewarding but stressful career that requires both physical stamina and emotional commitment. Despite what path a Nurse chooses I believe that they must first spend time in direct patient care. It is essential to experience, first hand, patient care and interaction. All of the basic skills you need to move forward begin to develop there and should always remain the priority in whatever path you follow.
• What was your overall experience at ACC/ACM?
  Bill: My overall experience was very positive. Facing unemployment, I was able to pursue a secure career that allowed me to work locally until I retired.
  
  Karen: As a member of the “First Nursing Class” to graduate from “ACC”, my years there were filled with memorable firsts. My Nursing Instructors also served as mentors and counselors who steered all of us through those two years.

• Who was your favorite ACM faculty/staff member? Why?
  Bill: Bill Rocks was my favorite instructor. Entering college at age 30 as a non-traditional student, Bill helped to guide me through both the classroom and clinical rotation while balancing this with working.
  
  Karen: Bonnie Legg and Louise Maust were two of my favorite Nursing Instructors. They listened closely and helped me deal with all of the challenges, fears and emotions I was experiencing. Part of our clinical experience was at Martinsburg VA Hospital where we cared for veterans who had been injured in war, the most recent being Vietnam. Miss Maust not only taught us how to deal with the patient’s emotions, but also our own, after caring for veterans, some not much older than us, whose injuries changed their lives forever.
• What is your greatest achievement in your career?
  Bill: Successfully pursuing a Respiratory Therapy Degree which allowed me to subsequently acquire a job that provided me with a secure income.
  
  Karen: Easily it was the privilege to be part of the leadership team that brought  Advanced Heart Services to our community. The addition of Open-heart Surgery, Cardiac Cath/PTCI and Electrophysiology meant that patients no longer had to travel to Baltimore, Washington or Pittsburgh for these services. I am so proud to say that I participated in the development and implementation of these award-winning services. The last years of my career were spent as Director of Cardiac Services and were the most rewarding of my 42 years as a nurse.
• Additional Comments:
  Bill: ACM is a great asset to our community. You can pursue an education that provides you with the tools you need to secure employment both locally and in other regions. It was pivotal in meeting my needs when my other job was being phased out. I and my wife have both benefited from the educational opportunities that ACM provided us. We now want to pay it forward by providing scholarships to both the Respiratory and Nursing Programs to help insure that other students may enjoy the same successes and benefits that ACM gave to us.
  
  

  Karen: The foundation for my career accomplishments began at “ACC”. Getting my education there allowed me to get a job immediately, while preparing me to pursue my BSN. I was also able to stay in the community I had been raised in and ultimately assist in giving back to the growth and development of advanced medical services for the residents of the community. My husband and I have both benefited from the educational opportunities that ACM provided us. We now want to pay it forward by providing scholarships to both the Respiratory and Nursing Programs to help insure that other students may enjoy the same successes and benefits that ACM gave to us.