How One Nurse’s Dedication has Helped Thousands of Lives
Hallmark University established the Martha Fessler School of Nursing in 2003, but the story behind the name has never been shared. A legacy of compassion, skill, and a desire to help those in need drove the school’s founders to recognize the career of Martha Fessler. She helped thousands of lives during her lifelong devotion to caring, and her story is used to inspire future nurses at Hallmark University.
“Why name it after her? It was almost a given,” said Richard Fessler, founder of Hallmark University. “Right before us was the legacy of a nurse that started from the very bottom. Martha was inspired and motivated to answer a calling to help others in need, and excelled in her mission to transform lives. Naming it the Martha Fessler School of Nursing was far more than just honoring her marvelous life. It was to allow her life’s story to continue impacting others by inspiring students to go out and begin their own story by helping others in need. Martha’s actions have helped countless people around the world, and now she is helping our students begin their journey in helping others.”
Martha Fessler’s legacy began with her time in nursing school during the Great Depression, where she was committed to learning what was needed to provide the best care for others. After finishing school at the top of her class, Martha and her husband traveled the world as missionaries, providing expert care for people who often had never received professional treatment before. Her lifetime devotion to helping others is a motivator for the faculty at Hallmark University’s Martha Fessler School of Nursing, who strive to train nurses capable of caring for their patients in the same way.
“Martha Fessler dedicated her life to serving others through her skill in nursing. Not just in America, but all over the world,” said Brent Fessler, Chief Advancement Officer at Hallmark University. “We wanted her purpose of existence to help guide our nursing students, and we believe that her heart and passion is a part of our program. Our faculty exhibit that same passion, not just in how they’ve demonstrated care as a nurse, but in how they demonstrate care towards our students.”
The faculty within the Martha Fessler School of Nursing is dedicated to giving students a comprehensive education so they can skillfully care for others in need. The training that nursing students receive is designed to incorporate Hallmark University’s Character Training program, ensuring that students live their lives with traits like integrity and stewardship in mind. Training nursing students in this thorough environment prepares them for the care they will provide out in the real world, all while encompassing the care and compassion of Martha Fessler.
“Employers often tell us that our graduates are not only highly skilled by the time that they start working, but that they are very compassionate,” said Brent Fessler. “There are multiple hospital systems that are very eager to hire our graduates because of this, and we have very close to a hundred percent placement rate of our graduates that come out of our nursing programs. The Martha Fessler School of Nursing has been growing in excellence over the years, and we intend for that to continue well into the future.”
Measuring the quality of a nursing school is commonly done by examining their first-time NCLEX pass rate, meaning how many students passed this standardized exam on their first take. As Hallmark University’s first-time NCLEX pass rates approach 90%, the effectiveness of following Martha Fessler’s legacy becomes apparent. Graduates of Hallmark’s nursing school will go on to help in their communities and make a real difference in the lives of their patients.
Learn more about the history of the Martha Fessler School of Nursing
Learn more about the programs in the Martha Fessler School of Nursing Here