A Citrus College nursing instructor died on Feb. 7, due to a brief illness.
Julie Ettesvold Wong, 59, worked at Citrus College for 27 years. Students and colleagues said she was admired and loved by everyone who knew her.
Wong began teaching at Citrus College in September 1991, and over the course of her 27 year career, she taught classes in vocational nursing, certified nursing assistant and registered nursing.
“She was very passionate for nursing and setting an example for her students,” Nursing Professor Gail Tucker said.
Her students said Wong’s knowledge, experience, compassion for her patients, and dedication to the nursing profession were an inspiration.
“She was inspiring in how she treated the patients; she was really warm, and she was a foundry of information,” said Brady Abanto, a licensed vocational nursing major.
Several students said Wong was very dedicated to her students, mentoring them and being a very caring and supportive presence to them.
“She was like a mom to me.” licensed vocational nursing major Renuka Acharya said.
In addition to being full-time nursing program faculty, Wong served as the vocational nursing coordinator for several years.
Director of Health Sciences, Salima Allahbachayo said Wong was instrumental in the development of Citrus’ registered nursing program.
“Julie helped in developing the curriculum and helped in establishing the different components of the RN program,” Allahbachayo said. “Her very strong communication skills… helped the program establish clinical placements/partnerships.”
Allahbachayo said Wong was also adept at managing educational crises within the nursing program.
“Her critical thinking skills were very sharp,” Allahbachayo said. “She would start coming up with solutions to educational program problems very quickly.”
Wong’s selfless dedication to the nursing program was illustrated by her actions after two long time faculty retired.
“She was willing to do whatever it took to ease the transition of the two new faculty and maintain the stability of the nursing program,” Allahbachayo said.
Wong developed lasting friendships with her colleagues, who remembered her for her warmth, sense of humor and numerous stories.
“She was a great storyteller with a great sense of humor,” Tucker said.
Whoever is hired to replace Wong has big shoes to fill.
“It’s hard to believe that she’s gone,” Allahbachayo said. “But we have to keep moving on and we have to move on without her, which is hard. We have to replace her as faculty, but we can’t replace Julie as a person.”
Wong’s family, friends and colleagues in the Health Sciences Division established a scholarship in her name called the Julie E. Wong Memorial Nursing Scholarship that will provide scholarships to students pursuing a nursing degree from Citrus College.
Donations to the Julie E. Wong Memorial Nursing Scholarship fund can be made to the Citrus College Foundation (noting the scholarship name on the check) or online using the link: https://14682.thankyou4caring.org/donatenow
