NEUMANN UNIVERSITY ALUMNI NEWS

Winter 2002

"Find what you love to do and do it. I say this because I do what I love, and it is worth it every day."

Leaflady Found Her Roots Right Here

Neumann was wonderful for me," says Gayle Eversole, nursing graduate of 1974. This current herbalist, natural health consultant and educator values the fact that as a single parent, she was able to attend classes during the day, and be at home with her children after they came home from school. She also felt the broad base of classes made her a well-rounded person, and the caring environment helped her grow personally and professionally.

Eversole currently resides in the state of Washington where she moved to give her children a better place to live. Here she has embraced the countryside and has thrown herself in to the world of healing and helping.  Her professional journey lead her to the Puget Sound Indian Tribe where she acted as their health care director under the first grant funded by the Indian Self Determination Act. This specific clinic became the model for the health care units in many other Native American tribes.  Eversole continued her devotion to the Native American people by working with state and federal legislators on health and minority issues. She worked in business and economic development for small tribes and Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians. 

With a trail of credentials behind her name, such as her certification in aromatherapy, reiki, alignment techniques, and therapeutic touch just to name a few, Eversole’s life is now dedicated to educating the public on alternate forms of medicine and therapy. She appears at the Darrington Wildflower Festival every year to speak on her ever-changing topic, "Medicinal Uses of Wildflowers."

As the director of the Creating Health Institute, she works on a number of education projects and also on her website, www.leaflady.org, to help educate the public on her healing and herbal techniques. "The website has given me the opportunity to learn from a number of well educated professionals in nutrition, orthomolecular medicine, and many other related fields. I have been fortunate enough to help a number of people as well."

When asked what she would tell the students today at Neumann she states, "Every student has a gift and a challenge. The gift is that the fact they are attending Neumann College. The challenge is that the Franciscan model gives them a level of education beyond the majority of academic institutions. There is not one day that I do not do something that was influenced by my education at Neumann College."

Eversole remembers Neumann fondly and humorously recalls Mother Everilda stopping in the hallway to speak to her and tell her what a "very bright woman she was." And then, as Mother would go off down the hallway with a last glance at Eversole’s outfit of a t-shirt and jeans, she would say "I surely like those girls who still adhere to the dress code . . ." Eversole joined the college the year after the dress code was dropped.

Her favorite memories are of her classes with Sister Margaret Bonner and Sister Alice.

"Sister Margaret Bonner was such a positive influence on me, in what I do in my daily work, and life, and even today. I also treasure my classes with Sister Alice. If you had never seen the marvelous workings of a cell, you would appreciate it after her class. She had a way with words that made you visualize a cell in all of its dimensions."

Regarding advice for people looking for the right career path, Eversole offers these words of wisdom, "Find what you love to do and do it. I say this because I do what I love, and it is worth it every day."  

Alumni or students with questions or an interest in the field of natural health care are welcome to contact Gayle.

Gayle received her BSc degree from Neumann College in 1974.  She is a Charter Member of the Neumann chapter (Delta Tau) of Sigma Theta Tau, the honor society for nursing.