Dr. Nicole Poellet is an assistant professor in the Department of Nursing.
How many years have you been at Capital?
I’ve been at Capital for about 6 years.
What is your favorite place/building/room at Capital and why?
My office/”The Alley”: My office is tucked away on a little back hallway on the third floor of Battelle (The Alley). There are only a few offices on the Alley, but there’s always a stream of foot traffic from the nursing skills lab on one end, and the faculty kitchen on the other. It’s always full of people who are supportive, nurturing, and really care about each other and students. AND my office is awesome: There’s a Ginko tree growing outside my window with a resident squirrel who likes to sit in the branches and hang out with me while I work. (He likes students the best– he shows up the most when I’m doing exam reviews.)
What was a career-defining moment for you?
Ok, wow, these questions just got real… 🙂
It’s hard to boil it down to just one. I think my career has been a series of adjustments and realignments, each one triggered by a moment of clarification of some sort. In terms of Capital and teaching, the moment where I realized that I loved teaching came while I was co-teaching one of the MSN courses with one of our emeriti, Dr. Sharon Stout-Shaffer. As we were preparing for class one afternoon, I had a moment where I looked and her a blurted out my realization about how much teaching is like doing psychotherapy (which is what I was trained to do as a psychiatric nurse practitioner.) Teaching and psychotherapy are both about figuring out where someone is stuck and helping them figure out how to get past that block so that they can learn and grow. I realized that I had really been training to teach for a decade and just didn’t know it. And, that I really loved the challenge and puzzle of teaching.
Do you have a favorite comfort food or restaurant?
Favorite food: Raspberries with cream
Favorite restaurant: Pacific Rim in Ann Arbor. I drool just thinking about it. Although, a big shout out to Momo Ghar and Lalibela here in Columbus.
What is your favorite TV show/movie?
I’m not sure about all-time favorite, but I generally enjoy things from the Marvel Universe.
Do you have a favorite music genre or artist?
I’m all over in my musical tastes. I was a swing dancer for many years, so that genre is a soft spot for me. I’ve enjoyed a lot of Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox covers. I work well to classical guitar music. I bonded with my husband over Broadway musicals. Classic rock and current pop/dance music are also high on my playlist.
Do you have any pets?
Two dogs, a shepherd-husky mix and a terrier-plus-at-least-5-other-breeds mix. Both rescues.
What inspires or motivates you?
People. Personally, my kids and family. Professionally, patients, students, and colleagues.