I AM SKS
Winnie van der Woude-Hennessy ‘74
Where I’m from
I was born in NYC and now live in Charleston, South Carolina.
Educational and/or career highlights
I completed a Master in Nursing Administration in 1998 and
PhD in Nursing Science in 2006. I specialize in intensive care,
palliative care and research and currently lead professional
development and nursing research for the Roper St. Francis
Healthcare system.
Why I came to SKS
Honestly, my parents made me.
My best memories of SKS
Mr. Bernstein, the science teacher, running into the science
room with a gas mask on and bag full of some anti-gas
powdered emergency stuff because Renee (Paolini Cusack
’74)
and I apparently leaked bromine gas while attempting to
make moth balls — the science building was evacuated; Jon’s
(
Jonathan Keeve, MD ’74) face when Renee and I emptied our
left-over pure sodium into the sink and turned on the water. He
was making a joke — we thought he meant it…the sinks blew
up; Headmaster Frank Brogan’s poetry; Herb Sauer’s patience
for us to learn calculus; Moments of profound camaraderie.
How SKS shaped who I am
I was an emotionally young, insecure and socially awkward 14
year old girl, “thrown” into a school of young men, while the
school was changing its 100 year identity. Over time, I was
able to hear Headmaster Brogan’s messages and those of the
faculty who were shaping our minds/our ability to critically
think. We learned about the dynamics of human community,
to trust, to reflect and accept our strengths and weaknesses,
to find meaning in poetry, laughter or silence, and have the
courage to pioneer ideas. As I look back, SKS prepared me for
my career, shaped how I balance compassion, vulnerability, and
intelligence to succeed and have impact as a woman in a man’s
world.
My advice for SKS students
Life is to be lived and the really good stuff is not embedded in
the dynamics of material technology.
| 11
Winnie, dancing with her daughter,
at her daughter’s wedding.
