Head of the Class

Ben Lippen School

7401 Monticello Road

Columbia, SC, SC 29203

Phone: 803.807.4106

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Sherry Shoup, Coordinator and Instructor for the Health Science Academy Health Science & Certified Nurse Aide Programs

Sherry Shoup has worked with a variety of patients, from infants to the elderly, in a variety of medical contexts, including ambulatory and critical care, over the course of her career. But now she is zeroed in on one group in particular: high school students at Ben Lippen School.

The mother of two alumni, Sherry was already well acquainted with Ben Lippen, but she took a further step once she became the Coordinator and Instructor for the Health Science Academy Health Science & Certified Nurse Aide Programs.

“After our youngest graduated Ben Lippen, I never imagined I would be back as an instructor,” she says. “It is amazing how God opens doors when we least expect it.”

Ben Lippen’s Nurse Aide Training Program, approved by the state of South Carolina in October 2022, provides a way for students interested in the medical field to gain hands-on experience and skills before starting college. If they complete their 100 classroom and clinical hours and pass the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program exam, they are then Certified Nursing Aides and are cleared to work in health care. Such a distinction will set them apart in higher education, with experience giving them an advantage when vying for limited spaces in jobs and classes.

“The opportunities that Sherry has established within the program will impact these students for many years to come,” says High School Principal Max Russell.

Associate Head of School for Academic Affairs Dr. Monica Remer also acknowledges the benefits of the program. “The students have a wonderful opportunity in the program to be able to fulfill their passion of serving others in the health care profession,” she says.

As instructor, Sherry strives to pass on her love for the job and empathy for patients to her students. The work can be challenging mentally, emotionally, and physically, but she insists that at the end of the day, there is nothing better. “Health care is hard work, long hours, and it takes a toll on you,” she said. “But it is also the most rewarding career I can think of.”