Dr. Shirley credits the Jesuits with awakening her own spirituality and personal growth. “They are so human, so for and with the people, and they make Christ alive.” In Dr. Shirley’s free time, she writes daily reflections for Creighton’s online ministries. All you need to know about the energetic, indefatigable, remarkable Dr. Nancy Shirley is illustrated by the passage she quoted in her recent reflection: 

I asked for Strength......... 
And God gave me Difficulties to make me strong. 
I asked for Wisdom......... 
And God gave me Problems to solve. 
I asked for Prosperity......... 
And God gave me Brain and Brawn to work. 
I asked for Courage......... 
And God gave me Danger to overcome. 
I asked for Love......... 
And God gave me troubled people to help. 
I asked for Favors......... 
And God gave me Opportunities. 
I received nothing I wanted; 
I received everything I needed. 

After growing up and working in Rhode Island, Nancy Shirley, Ph.D, RN, didn’t anticipate a “second life.” She traveled from the Northeast to Omaha, and in 1980 accepted a nursing faculty position. She loved the university, its students, and the Midwest, but in 1985 she found another passion—volunteer work to help the underserved. 

In 1985, Dr. Shirley answered the call to accompany students to the Dominican Republic for a summer service program associated with Creighton’s ILAC (Institute for Latin American Concern) near Santiago, and she understood that it dovetailed nicely with her interest in public health. What she did not know was that she would return with students many summers over the next 35 years, that she would create a complementary fall break program for nursing students to participate in a hernia clinic, and that she would become a leader in many aspects of the ILAC program. Dr. Shirley wanted to focus on sustainability, regularly asking, “How do we sustain good health here?” To ensure sustainability, she is now involved in improving the instruction of community health cooperadores trained by ILAC and meeting with faculty at the local university’s nursing program to review and improve their own clinical and academic training. 

If you were impressed by Dr. Shirley’s dedicated volunteerism with ILAC in addition to her rich professional life, consider that she is a veteran having served 23 years as a U.S. Army nurse and that she serves as a women's weekend retreat leader with the Ignatian Spirituality Project (ISP), a program that provides spiritual retreats for men and women who are experiencing homelessness and recovering from addiction. Just 10 years ago, ISP (founded by Fr. Bill Creed, SJ), was operating in only a handful of cities and now operates in 30+ cities in the U.S., as well as in Dublin. Dr. Shirley has traveled to numerous retreat houses to meet women where they are on their journeys. 

Steve Donaldson, regional director for ISP, says, “I’ve worked with Nancy since 2016 and would describe her as a force of nature. She is passionate about service to those on the margins of society and serves as an inspiration to those with whom she serves. She is truly a person for others; I am grateful to know her!” Dr. Shirley says, “I love the idea of a hand up, and I am so humbled by the way the retreatants’ faces change from Saturday morning to Sunday afternoon. They are lifted and have found peace.” For all these efforts, Dr. Shirley was the recipient of the Mary Lucretia and Sarah Emily Creighton Award in 2018. Professionally, Dr. Shirley serves as interim associate dean for the college of nursing at Creighton’s new Phoenix campus.