Nielsen Lending Library Supports Leadership

Offering a valuable resource for graduate students

The Nielsen Lending Library is located in the School of Leadership. (Photo by Darren Heslop)

This year, the Andrews University School of Leadership launched the Nielsen Lending Library (NLL), a collection of approximately 500 texts on topics including K–12 administration, higher education administration, qualitative and quantitative research, and faith-centric leadership. The library was established by the family of Arne P. Nielsen, former vice president for education for the North American Division (NAD), in honor of his passing earlier this year.

The library was launched in July 2024, during the school’s graduate student orientation event. “The idea of this unique and incredibly valuable new resource is to encourage graduate students in need to 'borrow' books they may need, and then return them after they have used them for a course or specific research purpose,” shares Doctor of Leadership program director Sharon Aka.

Nielsen served the Adventist community in the areas of education and leadership throughout his life. Born in Ghana to missionaries from Denmark, he graduated from Andrews Academy and later Andrews University with a Bachelor of Science in physical education/health in 1983. His first teaching job was at Mount Pisgah Academy in North Carolina, teaching physical education, health and biology lab; coaching gymnastics; and serving as boys’ dean. Nielsen later became principal at Mount Pisgah, serving from 1991–1996 while also earning a Master of Arts in school administration at Western Carolina University. After this, he served for seven years as principal and business manager for Maxwell Adventist Academy in Nairobi, Kenya.

Nielsen was superintendent of education in the Idaho Conference from November 2003 to July 2006, then superintendent of education in the Florida Conference until December 2010. After that, he became vice president for Integrated Youth Ministries in the Florida Conference, overseeing Youth and Young Adult Ministries, Children’s and Family Ministries, Camp Ministries and the education department.

After transitioning to work at the NAD, Nielsen served as director of secondary education and accreditation from 2014–2018 and later as the vice president for education from 2018 until his passing. Nielsen managed numerous department initiatives at the NAD, including school accreditation visits for the Guam-Micronesia mission schools; supporting and advocating for the development of a mental health website, mental health training for educators, and NAD social-emotional standards; developing the Grade 1–2 Encounter Bible program for NAD schools; and co-founding the international Encounter Bible committee with the Australian/New Zealand Union.

During his time at the NAD, Nielsen earned his PhD in leadership from Andrews University with his dissertation "Coaching and Being Coached: A Qualitative Study of the Experiences of Education Leaders in the Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.” He continued to be involved at Andrews as an advisor to the Andrews University Board of Trustees and chair of the Griggs International Academy Board.

The Nielsen Lending Library can be found in the School of Leadership and has already aided multiple graduate students since its opening. In addition to the 325 texts gifted from Nielsen’s professional and home library, the collection has continued to expand.

“We are going to extend the life of this library by seeking additional donations of recent, relevant books from graduate students who have graduated from one of our many programs and no longer need textbooks,” says Aka. She shares that several alumni, faculty and graduate students have already come forward and committed to contributing to the NLL so that its benefits can continue to aid students in the years to come.