To the Campus Community:
It is with great sadness that I share news of the death of Carole Schoffstall, dean emerita, Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
Carole died around midnight on July 26 at her home following a long fight with cancer. Memorial services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Aug. 2 at the Shrine of Remembrance, 1730 E. Fountain Blvd. A reception is to follow. The time and location will be announced.
Carole served as dean of the Beth-El College of Nursing before its merger with UCCS and helped lead the 1997 campaign leading to voter approval of the college’s move from Memorial Hospital to UCCS. She served as dean from 1990 until her 2008 retirement and was associated with Beth-El since 1974.
In 2010, Carole received the Florence Nightingale for Human Caring Award in recognition of her many accomplishments. These included the merger with UCCS, an expansion in the college’s academic programs, bringing a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program to the college and involvement in several violence prevention programs. She worked closely with many local agencies to develop collaborative models of primary care delivery, made extensive private fund raising efforts on behalf of the college, and led the 2004 celebration of Beth-El’s 100th anniversary of service in Colorado Springs.
Please join me in offering condolences to the Schoffstall family including Carole’s husband, Al, professor of chemistry.
In coordination with Al, I will share more information about Carole when it becomes available.
Respectfully,
Pam Shockley-Zalabak, chancellor
My thoughts are with the school and family. Dean Schoffstall made it possible for many of us to lead successful nursing careers, for this we are eternally grateful! Sincerely, Frederick McNeil
A great and wonderful lady and a wonderful friend. Carole was Beth-El! I shall miss her desperately! Much love goes to al and her family. I cannot tell you how much she is missed.
CJ Moore
It is great sadness that I read about Dean Carole Schoffstall’s recent death. Carole hired me in 1992 as a faulty member at Beth-El College of Nursing and it was under her leadership that Beth-El grew and flourished as one of the benchmark innovative nursing colleges in Colorado and nationally. During Carole’s tenure, Beth-El grew from a single purpose college with a bachelors in nursing program to a college with bachelors, masters and clinical doctorate nursing and a number of health sciences bachelors and masters programs. A very big achievement rooted in Carole’s vision for the college.
Carole had big dreams and ideas for the college and many of them are present today, particularly its presence as one of the larger colleges at University of Colorado Colorado Springs. She worked diligently to help others see her vision of what Beth-El “could be’ and then she “made it happen”.
My thoughts and prayers are with Al and his family. Carole will be missed by many that she touched in her life. It was a pleasure and honor to have known Carole. Also, I was fortunate to have been one of her colleagues over the years and I will miss her positive attitude and smiling face.
I was one of the lucky Georgians who was privileged to work for and with Carole. Those of you who knew her will understand why she continues to be ranked as the best boss and one of the best friends I ever had.
Our world has lost a light and a smile and I know I will take her energy and aura with me to “pass it on”.
It was my good fortune to work with Carole on the hospital side of healthcare and connect Memorial Hospital with Bethel as it grew and grew as a great nursing program. We worked together to develop many student nurse experiences and explored even more programs that were needed within the Health Sciences world! She was my inspiration and certainly the reason my husband and I now support the program with an endowed scholarship. Always an inspiration and always positive and so very creative. Blessings to Al and family and all sympathy. What a fighter she was. She was one special Grandma too. Godspeed!
I was a student of Carole’s at Beth-El from 1975-78. She was a role model, mentor and friend. She was extremely encouraging to all the students and made us all feel special. She remained a friend throughout my career, inviting me to the celebration of Beth-El. She was a special lady with special talents. She will be missed.