The Foundation
Growing up on MidAmerica Nazarene University’s campus, Jared Kellum (’16, ABSN ’19, MSN ’25) always felt at home among the brick paths and friendly faces. His mother, Janell (Crenshaw ’78) Kellum, worked at MNU as associate registrar. So, when it came time to choose a college—and later, a second career—MNU was a natural fit.
Jared earned his first MNU degree in mathematics education and briefly taught middle school. But something didn’t click. He realized that while he loved mentoring youth at church, teaching math in the classroom all day just wasn’t a good fit. Life would soon point him in a new direction—one marked by compassion, courage, and a calling to care.
Finding a New Purpose
When his mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Jared became one of her primary caregivers. It was a sacred and difficult season—but also one that revealed his deeper purpose. “The home health nurse who cared for my mom told me, ‘If you can do this for your mother, you can do it for anyone,’” he recalled. While his mother sadly did not survive her illness, that encouragement sparked a major life and career shift.
Jared enrolled in MNU’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN)—a one-year intensive program designed for students with significant college credit. “I wouldn’t want to do it any other way,” Jared said. “It’s like drinking from the firehose of information. It’s a tough program, but if you’re on top of it—if you love learning—you get it done and get going so much faster.”
Jared graduated from the ABSN program in 2019, and went “straight into the world of COVID,” as he described it. He began working on the cardiac floor at Olathe Medical Center, then transitioned to a medical clinic at the University of Kansas Health System.
Milestones
Jared’s calling extended far beyond the bedside. While still a student, he traveled to Guatemala on a nursing mission trip, visiting remote villages to perform medical checks and deliver vitamins and water filtration systems. The experience solidified his desire to serve both locally and globally.
Even as he advanced professionally, he remained deeply connected to MNU. “I wanted to teach the next generation of nurses coming into the field,” he asserted.
So, he returned as a graduate assistant while pursuing his Master of Science in Nursing with a focus on nursing education, becoming a clinical instructor in MNU’s simulation and skills labs.
Special Mentors Made an Impact
Fast forward to this summer, when Jared became an assistant professor of nursing at MNU, where he teaches students nearing the end of their degree programs, including courses in med-surg and intensive care. “It’s been a winding road to get to this point, but shorter than it could have been because I did the accelerated BSN,” he said.
He believes strongly in MNU’s approach to nursing education. “We do such a good job of not only teaching the skills side but also the caring side,” Jared said. “The hospitals see that and want their nurses to have that. They don’t have time to teach bedside manner once you’re in the hospital—they’re looking for those who are already prepared for that side of it.”
Reflections & Advice
From math teacher to nurse to professor, Jared Kellum’s journey has been anything but straight. But it’s precisely the kind of life MNU prepares people for—a life of purpose, compassion, and service.
“There are so many opportunities in nursing,” he said. “And MNU equips you for all of them—not just with knowledge, but with a sense of calling. That’s what makes the difference.”
“Nurses are almost guaranteed to get a job,” Jared said. “You can go wherever you want. You don’t have to work in the hospitals; you can work remotely on a hotline, you can teach others, and with all the opportunities available for new nurses coming, you’re not worried about getting a job.”
Thinking About A Nursing Degree?
Learn about all the options for a nursing degree at MNU at mnu.edu/pgs-nursing. Read more profiles of purpose at mnu.edu/purposeful-lives.
