UNC IPEP Faculty Spotlight Video | JoAn Stanek Case Study

A Faculty Spotlight on Compassionate Teaching and End-of-Life Care

When UNC-Chapel Hill’s Office of Interprofessional Education and Practice (IPEP) approached us to produce a faculty spotlight video, the goal was twofold: create a piece that could be shown at graduation and shared at national conferences to showcase the heart of their program.

To do that, we focused the story on JoAn Stanek, this year’s faculty award winner—and a hospice nurse whose passion for end-of-life care is matched only by her dedication to teaching.

Bridging Disciplines Through Compassion

JoAn co-teaches a course at UNC titled Death and Bereavement Across the Lifespan—an interprofessional class made up of students from nursing, social work, and the humanities. Alongside a professor from the School of Social Work, she guides students through one of life’s most profound realities: how to care for others—and themselves—through grief, loss, and transition.

Her mission goes beyond clinical skills. She helps students develop the emotional resilience and empathy they’ll need as future professionals in healthcare, social work, or counseling.

Capturing the Heart of the Story

Given the gravity of JoAn’s work, we knew this video had to walk a careful line—respecting the emotional depth of the subject without veering into over-dramatization. Authenticity, as always, guided our approach.

We began with a pre-interview to ensure JoAn felt at ease sharing her story. From there, we captured on-camera interviews with her, her co-instructor, and a former student—now a hospice nurse herself.

B-roll footage brought JoAn’s world to life:

Her daily commute home from hospice work—a time of reflection
Classroom footage of students exploring how to support families through sudden loss, including suicide
Scenes from the UNC-Chapel Hill campus that situate the story in place and purpose

UNC IPEP faculty Spotlight Video: A Project That Humbled Us

Topics like death and bereavement are never easy to discuss—but they’re essential. This video shines a light on a vital part of healthcare education: preparing students to support patients and families through life’s hardest moments.

We were honored to help tell JoAn’s story, and proud to support the IPEP team’s mission of shaping healthcare professionals who lead with both skill and heart.

Final Thoughts

Sometimes the most powerful stories are the quietest ones. This project reminded us how meaningful it is to create space for conversations around grief, humanity, and healing.

Want to tell stories that elevate people, purpose, and impact? Let’s make it amazing.