<p>I would be interested in hearing from any Jewish students attending evangelical Christian colleges. I am an observant Jewish girl considering nursing programs. One of them is at Belmont University in Nashville, TN (I live here currently). I am aware that Belmont does not generally hire Jewish faculty. I am also aware that the nondiscrimination statement on their undergraduate admissions application omits two categories: sexual orientation, and religious affiliation. It is not a requirement to disclose religious affiliation on one's application, but I would not be comfortable NOT disclosing this information.</p>
<p>My questions are: Any issues with admit at an evangelical school? Any experiences with required activities or courses, campus culture, etc.?</p>
<p>That you want to go in for nursing makes a big deal difference, I think.</p>
<p>I’m asking this as an honest question here, and hope for informed answers. What I wonder about, given you want to train as a nurse, is whether the evangelical Christian college will prepare you appropriately for all kinds of nursing procedures available to people under American law. Birth control training, abortion, transfusions, neo-natal and end-of-life decision-making, hospice care (for example, questions about feeding tube removals) and other medical matters differ between the two faith communities here. If you want to be able to work in any hospital in this country, I’d want to be sure I’d be getting a full range of exposure to all medical procedures. On top of that, realize that this venue for nursing training will not offer you critical thinking on ethical decision-making which differs between observant Jewish tradition (Talmud-based) and some evangelical Christian schools (strictly Biblical). There is not just one answer to many bedside medical decisions that nurses must implement. In fact, you’re the one who has to actually pull a plug and watch someone breathe their last, which is truly hard to watch. Most families don’t even see that when the nurse dismisses them from a room. To me, it’s important for a nurse to be ready for working in all kinds of hospitals. I’d want to know how they prepare - do they say those things just “shouldn’t” happen? Because, they do. Or is their approach to teach you to refuse to do any procedures outside your own conscience? It’s important that you know these answers before enrolling, even if it’s closest to your home.</p>
<p>If this student were interested in studying nursing at CW Post (which is in partnership with Long Island Jewish Hospital), would he point out the lack of “Christian” ethics that would be provided there???</p>
<p>Are ethics even a part of a nursing curriculum? My understanding is that a nurse needs technical abilities, and the decision making is made by the physicians.</p>
<p>Is Belmont’s belief structure “strickly biblical” in the sense that is being portrayed by this CC moderator? There are some evangelical schools that are, but I find painting all schools thus with an evangelical label to be unfair, and hardly “moderate,” and has nothing to do with this specific college inquiry.</p>
<p>I have no children in evangelical colleges, so I have no personal bone to pick. But I do find that apparently it is ok to malign Christians, whereas it is not ok to malign those with other convictions.</p>
<p>Who maligned Christians? I think paying3tuitions pointed out some questions worth asking. Perhaps the answers, at Belmont or elsewhere, would be satisfactory to the OP, and maybe they wouldn’t.</p>
<p>Also, ethics is certainly a part of nursing curricula–in some places it’s required.</p>
<p>Based on paying3tuitions’ post and my own experiences researching Belmont, I wouldn’t apply for a nursing program there if I were you.</p>
<p>I, too, was considering the school because it has very respectable programs in contemporary/commercial music, which are rare throughout the country. I did some research through word of mouth and browsing their website, and ultimately decided that, as someone who does not consider herself to be a Christian, I would not be welcomed by the Belmont community. </p>
<p>It’s your decision to make, but be sure to consider (and possibly address to them) nursing ethics, social environment, peer and faculty discrimination, and any other concerning factors before making your decision. I heard somewhere that Belmont students are required to attend church once or twice a week. If this would make you feel uncomfortable (it would make me feel VERY uncomfortable), this should be a strong indication that maybe it isn’t the best fit for you.</p>
<p>My thoughts? Since you live there, visit and share your thoughts with current nursing students (and perhaps profs) and see what you think. You’d know if you felt welcome or not and could see how you felt about any requirements related to their being a Christian college.</p>
<p>Christian colleges vary considerably in just how “Christian” they are and how open they are to non-Christians.</p>
<p>The only person I know who went to Belmont went for music and loved it there, but she’s no longer in the area to ask about other things. She was/is a Christian.</p>
<p>btw, lest there be any doubt about one of the historic procedural variations between Jewish and their superior Christian nurses (at least in this procedure:eek:) …the latter are fully certified in the “art” of circumcision.:rolleyes: Unlike their Jewish sisters …no mohel necessary. </p>
<p>Hi Frogette- This post is older, but I wanted to add some clarification to it for future students. We are Jewish living in a small evangelical town with a small university and excellent nursing school. I dispute that there would be an issue with critical thinking. The medical professionals in our area are as qualified as anywhere. Our friends and neighbors are intelligent good people and do not deserve any malignment.
The issue I have is that an environment like this may not meet your social and spiritual needs. We are religiously isolated. We do not keep strictly Kosher, but if we wanted to, it is nearly impossible as there is little Kosher food and nowhere to eat. All activities are scheduled on Saturday. If you were shomer shabbos, you would be mostly alone on Saturday and miss out on much. School does not close on Jewish holidays and where would you go?
I have followed several threads here about schools with Jewish populations and some people have asked why this is an issue. It’s great to have friends from all different backgrounds, however being a minority religion, you need to have enough Jewish students and resources at a school to have a meaningful Jewish life- whether it is social and/or religious.</p>
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