Judy Cato, adjunct professor of religious studies, has taught at IU Southeast and Spalding University for more than 20 years.

Cato recently went back to school for a nursing degree and is attending Galen College of Nursing in Louisville.

“I will graduate with my [registered nurse degree] in March 2012,” Cato said. “I chose Galen over a school like IUS, Spalding, Bellarmine or U of L because it’s fast.”

Cato said she will be graduating from Galen in two years, and it is the largest nursing program in Kentucky.

Cato said in order to make a living, she needed to make a change and nursing was the right choice.

“Nurses get to be deeply involved with people at crucial times in their lives, such as birth, illness and death,” Cato said. “That’s being more deeply involved than a teacher.”

Cato also said adjunct teaching does not pay enough. With teaching, the most Cato has made was $45,000 in one year.

“The average nurse will make $60,000 a year just starting off,” Cato said.

Cato said teaching doesn’t stress her out but how many classes she taught did stress her out.

“Adjuncts have to teach way more than full-time professors because we don’t get paid as much,” Cato said.

Other adjunct professors agreed, including Roy Fuller, adjunct instructor of religious studies.

“It is difficult to make a living from adjunct teaching alone,” Fuller said. “You also end up teaching at more than one institution, so your time and energies are divided.”

Money is not the only reason Cato decided to make this change.

“Teaching a few classes a year is fine, but teaching a lot is a little boring,” Cato said, “and I really don’t like grading papers that much.”

Cato said she believes nursing is similar to teaching.

“Nurses teach patients how to better care for themselves and how to manage their illness, whatever it may be,” Cato said. “I am also finding that what I learn in one area can crossover and influence other areas.”

However, Cato said she still enjoys teaching.

“I enjoy being in the classroom with students. I love the group dynamics in my classes,” she said.

This semester, Cato is teaching Religions of Asia. She said if world religion was taught at the high-school level, there would be more religious tolerance in America.

“It seems to be a very urgent problem in the world today,” Cato said. “I can make a difference by teaching the complex issue of similarities and differences among the world’s religions.”

Although Cato was raised Christian, she took an interest in other religions.

“My childhood religious education definitely had an impact,” she said.

Cato said Hinduism and Buddhist meditation are interesting to her.

Theresa Imhof, general studies junior, said she enjoys having Cato as a professor because of the classroom discussions.

“She makes everyone feel comfortable, and the tone of our class is very relaxed, which I really enjoy,” Imhof said. “This religious studies course has made me more curious about other parts of the world.”

Besides enjoying teaching, Cato said she loves being a student again.

“I love being in the class and studying and taking tests,” Cato said. “Going back to school can be a lot of fun.”

Her colleagues said going to school for nursing is a good choice for Cato.

“I think her going back to school is very brave,” Fuller said. “It’s not easy to change careers, especially as it involves going back to school while still working.

Tim Fout, adjunct lecturer in philosophy, said he agreed with Fuller.

“I think that it is a great move, and she will find it very fulfilling,” Fout said.

However, Cato said she hasn’t decided which nursing field to go into yet.

“I first wanted to go with Hospice because of my experience with teaching about death and dying in religion,” Cato said.

Cato has had training in many fields and trained at Suburban, Kosair and Central State Hospital in Louisville.

By KRISTINA BLEUEL

Staff

kcbleuel@umail.iu.edu