Daemen University alumna Sandra Boneberg has been an instrumental part of the medical field within our local Western New York area. We are sharing her story with you to provide an in-depth look at how our nursing programs can best prepare you for your future in healthcare. 

Boneberg received her nursing executive leadership master’s degree with Daemen University.  Upon completing her program, she continued her role as nurse leader and then was promoted to director of nursing at Kaleida Health at The Buffalo General Medical Center. In her current role, she oversees 10 nursing units as medical/surgical director. 

A part of our collaborative partnership with Kaleida Health and Daemen University, Boneberg started off with taking just six credits and then, because she had a “fabulous” experience in the cohort program, she continued her studies with a scholarship and graduated from the program – all with the support of her family life, working full-time days professionally, and studying in the evenings to balance school, work, and life!   

When asked about her experiences with the courses and professors, Boneberg said, “My classes were quite diverse and the professors were wonderful. Dr. Frederick was a pioneer in the program and we explored multiple opportunities for growth and development. Joe Winter made the business course less stressful than anticipated. My professor for ethics has since passed away, Charlie Sabatino, he was one in a million. When I speak about this program, I am filled with excitement because it was a great learning experience for me. While the partnership between Kaleida Health and Daemen continued, I was a coach and mentor for all the future students whom we selected to be a part of the program.”

With the significant support of her professors and the campus being able to meet her needs, Boneberg learned important lessons that she continues to carry with her daily. She is building on her skills with patience and understanding to be able to cope with all aspects of life and balance the emotional intelligence to lead her team and constantly practicing the three big questions – “So what?,” “Now What?,” and “In what ways may I make this better?” 

Even after her studies, Boneberg continued her connections with Daemen as an adjunct professor for some time. Understandably so, with her promotion to director of nursing, she is not as free to teach, but is always remaining grateful for her time with Daemen. 

“I would recommend Daemen for nursing because the program is flexible to meet the needs of the students who are working full time,” Boneberg said. She also shared her words of advice to potential nursing students. “Learning is an ongoing process and we must not stifle ourselves and sit patiently. We have to continue our studies and our research with all the nuances that occur each and everyday.”