Marti Doyle

Marti Doyle, MSW, PhD
Associate Professor, Social Science
(515) 643-6774
mdoyle@mercydesmoines.org

Office Location
ACE - 233

Mailing Address
Mercy College of Health Sciences
928 6th Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50309-1239


Year Started at Mercy College: 2005

  • Department: Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS), Social Sciences

Education

  • PhD, General Human Services, Capella University (2008) 
  • MSW, University of Iowa (2004) 
  • BA, Human Services and Sociology, Grand View College (2002)
  • AA, Iowa Central Community College (1979)  

Courses Regularly Taught

  • SOC 102 Introduction to Sociology
  • SOC 360 Death, Dying, & Bereavement  
  • SOC 415   A Social Justice Approach to Social Issues
  • PSY 101 General Psychology 
  • PSY 410 Social Psychology  

Clinical/Field Experience

  • Student Enrichment Coordinator  
  • Hospice Bereavement Counselor 
  • Parenting Educator 
  • Homeless Youth Specialist 
  • Protective Service Worker

Research Interests and Professional Projects

  • Application of Cummins Model to Retain Limited English Proficiency Learners. Co-presenter.  NCA Higher Learning Commission Annual Conference. (2013)
  • A Mixed-Method Study on the Meaning of Compassion as Perceived by Faculty and Students in a Small Health Sciences College. Group Poster Presentation: Mercy Hospital Advancing Evidence Based Practice Program  (2010)
  • Transformation of nursing students' attitudes, assumptions, and beliefs on death and dying: A mixed method study (2008) 

Professional Memberships

  • American Association of University Professors

Community Service Involvement

  • Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement

Advice to Students

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." -- Aristotle

 

Personal History

My path to the educational field has been a non-traditional one. In 1979 I left college after receiving an Associate of Arts Degree in order to support and raise my two children. When my youngest child went to college I followed her and received my bachelors two years later. I thought that I would feel old returning to college in my 40’s but I discovered that I had never felt younger.

After receiving my Bachelors, I went on to earn a Masters. A few months later, I taught my first class as an adjunct professor at the same college where just four years earlier I had been a student sitting in my first college class in 21 years. It was then that I discovered my love of teaching. I was working in the hospice field at the time and the experience of working with dying and grieving individuals taught me to not put off my dreams. I took a leap of faith and began to teach full time.

I completed my doctorate in April of 2008 with my father, husband, children, son and daughter- in-law, and grandchildren all in attendance. My 4 year old grandson went to day care a few days later and proudly announced, “My grandma is a doctor!” 

I truly believe that education is my calling and I feel privileged every time I step in front of a classroom full of students. 

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Admissions: admissions@mchs.edu

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Admissions: (515) 635-1133
General: (515) 643-3180

About Us

Mercy College of Health Sciences has been transforming students into healthcare professionals since 1899. Located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, we offer master's degreesbachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, certificate programs, and continuing education courses.

Mercy College is the only private Catholic college in central Iowa and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), in addition to numerous programmatic accreditors.

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Mercy College is a Catholic, accredited, nonprofit institution of higher learning.