Stenberg success magazine 2014

Stenberg college

2014 / 2015

“I do believe that I deserve what I have.

I don’t think I’m entitled to it. That’s a big difference.”

– Adam Levine

Student of the year Finalists Inspire Student of the year Winners’ Profiles T o s u c c e e d , w e m u s t f i R s t b e l i e v e t h at w e c a n.

I changed me

Rupinder Bhangu Practical Nursing

Watch her story at ichangedme.com

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“The majority of us lead quiet, unheralded lives as we pass through this world. There will most likely be no ticker-tape parades for us, no monuments created in our honor.

But that does not lessen our possible impact, for there are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, our unique talents. Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took the time to share what we had to give. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have a potential to turn a life around. It’s overwhelming to consider the continuous opportunities there are to make our love felt.”

– Leo Buscaglia, author & educator

Mission Statement It is Stenberg College’s mission to offer exceptional career-oriented programs. We achieve excellence in education through our sustained commitment to program quality, outstanding student services and the professional development of our faculty, staff and alumni. We strive to develop caring and competent graduates who excel in their chosen disciplines and contribute meaningfully to their professional communities and society as a whole.

Contents 2014 Student of the Year Finalists Inspire....... 4 Kristie Baker: Making change.............................. 9 Justin Bote: You gotta have heart ..................... 13 Michelle Young: A very special E.A. ................. 15 Faith Malakoff: Faith emerges ......................... 19 Jeannette Leblanc: Breaking the cycle............ 21 Shelly Brick: Follow your heart.......................... 25 Atlantic Canada Cardio Tech Grads ............... 27

President: Jeremy Sabell Dean of Nursing: Dr. Jacqollyne Keath Director of Educational Development & Delivery: Jacquie Stene Murphy Director of Practice Education & Industry Relations: Wendy Turnbull Director of Operations: Gary Karbar Director of Marketing & Public Relations: Les Merson CREDITS Writing: Billie-Ann Woo, Les Merson Editing: Billie-Ann Woo, Les Merson, Julia Zado, Prab Samra Photography: Ken Villeneuve (unless otherwise credited) Design: Beata Stolarska Student of the Year Committee: Jag Tak (Practice Education), Deborah Solski (Educational Delivery, Billie-Ann Woo (Marketing & Public Relations), Les Merson (Marketing & Public Relations) Thanks to: The students, faculty & staff at Stenberg College for inspiring us.

This publication was produced by the Marketing & Public Relations Department of Stenberg College Stenberg College is owned and operated by TEC The Education Company © 2014 Printed in Canada

2014 Student of the Year Nominees Cardiology Technologist Kendra Boeve Naomi Cawley Raha Gerami Linda Sluchinski Manish Vanjara Bo Zhang

Cardiology Technologist (D)

Darlene Aquino Rosielyn Doucet Allan Intalan Doris McNally Aruna Nair Brandi Primor Wajeeha Zubair

Diana Blakney Shelly Brick Kelly Francois Denise Garnett Danielle Goff-Beaton Amy Harris Joyce Howard Steven Rutledge Ron Smith

Hospital Support Specialist

Community Mental Health & Addictions Worker

Medical Laboratory Assistant

Kalie Anderson Scott Deinstadt Jeannette LeBlanc Faarheen Meeajan Marjorie Sanchez

Community Support Worker Yeun Eun Kim Yuvika Sharma

Early Childhood Education Kholoud Androwis Jiwanjot Judge Nubia Otero Lopez Melissa Paras

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Health Care Assistant

Gagandeep Chahal Kristi-Lynn Culbertson Lerry Espiritu Ammini Gaundar Ioana Neamtu Beatrix Nielsen Lyndsay Salazar Cornilla Sobremonte

Practical Nursing

Mouna Amrani Sumeet Bajwa Justin Bote Bria Canil Ryan Dimaano Lily Hardy Julie Le Hyung Seuk (David) Oh Lovepret Sandhu Geoffery Schulkowsky Florence Sene Oleksandr (Alex) Shapoval Katrina Stinson Alyson White

Psychiatric Nursing

Jonathan Aquino Stacy Collum Fatemeh Ghalamifard Matthew Scott Clara Trueman

Chantal Aubin Kristie Baker Cassandra Chute Dermot Connolly Sarita Jaggi Ok-Soo Kang Nicole Reichenbach Amrit Sandhu

Nursing Unit Clerk

Special Education Assistant

Marilyn Bos Jennifer Chace Taylor Davidson Maricris Espinar Rae-Ann Koemsted Yvonne Lewis Kiran Parmar Emmylou (Jill) Tang

Yunjin Choi Jennifer Reuser Michelle Young

Special Education Assistant (D) Kerri-Lynn Doucet Tian You Chong

Therapeutic Recreation (Gerontology) Dani Beauchamp Faith Malakoff

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Success Magazine

2014 Student of the Year Winners

Winner ($20,000) Kristie Baker Psychiatric Nursing

1st Runner-up ($5,000) JUSTIN BOTE Practical Nursing

2nd Runner-up ($2,500) michelle young Special Education Assistant

2014 Student of the Year Finalists

Finalist ($1,000) Bo Zhang Cardiology Technologist

Finalist ($1,000) Shelly brick Cardiology Technologist (D)

Finalist ($1,000) amy harris Cardiology Technologist (D)

Finalist ($1,000) jeannette leblanc Community Mental Health & Addictions Worker

Finalist ($1,000) yuvika sharma Community Support Worker

Finalist ($1,000) NUBIA OTERO LOPEZ Early Childhood Education

Finalist ($1,000) DORIS MCnally Health Care Assistant

Finalist ($1,000) IOANA NEAMTU Hospital Support Specialist

Finalist ($1,000) jonathan aquino Medical Laboratory Assistant

Finalist ($1,000) Taylor Davidson Nursing Unit Clerk

Finalist ($1,000) Tian you chong Special Education Assistant (D)

Finalist ($1,000) Faith malakoff Therapeutic Recreation (Gerontology)

Success Magazine

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2014 Student of the Year Finalists

Student of the Year Finalists Inspire Celebrating growth, transformation and achievement While at first glance, having Adam Levine on the cover of Stenberg College’s Success Magazine might seem out of place, it is actually quite appropriate. Not because he was named People Magazine’s sexiest man alive, or because his band, Maroon 5, is one of the most successful pop bands in the world or even because the reality television show he stars on, The Voice, is one of the most watched shows in North America. Quite simply, he graces our cover because, like our students, he is successful in his chosen field. And whether you like Adam Levine and his music or not, you have to admit, he’s in good company with Stenberg College’s Student of the Year finalists.

Kristie Baker has wanted to become a psychiatric nurse since she graduated from high school.

However, unwilling to move away from family and friends on Vancouver Island to pursue a diploma or degree in Psychiatric Nursing, she became a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) as the first step towards her dream. A year after becoming an LPN,

Student of the Year Winner, Kristie Baker, RPN

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she moved with her husband Matt to Kamloops and was employed as an LPN at the Hillside Psychiatric Centre for 6 years. When all the LPNs at Hillside were replaced by RNs and RPNs and Kristie was laid off, she decided the time was right to enroll in Stenberg’s online-based Psychiatric Nursing program. Not only did Kristie excel in the program achieving a remarkable 98.3% Grade Point Average, but she grew as a person. Kristie has much to be grateful for. “I feel whole … I am doing the exact thing I was meant to do in my life and in all my roles. That is a feeling that Stenberg has allowed me to attain.” Shortly after Kristie completed her education she was offered four different jobs as a Psychiatric Nurse. Her life has come full circle and she is back at Hillside working in a permanent full-time position as an RPN. Kristie is this year’s Student of the Year winner and receives a tuition reimbursement of $20,000.

Whether you like Adam Levine and his music or not, you have to admit, he’s in good company with Stenberg College’s Student of the Year finalists.

After high school graduation, Justin Bote was torn between following in his father or his mother’s

footsteps. His father was a businessman and his mother was a Registered Nurse. Justin followed his father and took the Marketing Management diploma (Professional Sales option) at BCIT. After 10 very successful years in business, he rose to the position of National Sales Manager but something was missing. He wanted to give back and help others and so, at 35 years of age, he quit his job and enrolled in Stenberg’s Practical Nursing program. He quickly became a leader in the classroom and selflessly supported his classmates.

1st Runner-up, Justin Bote, LPN

2nd Runner-up, Michelle Young, EA

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Success Magazine

2014 Student of the Year Finalists We had two finalists from our online-based Cardiology Technologist program – Amy Harris from Winnipeg, MB and Shelly Brick from Saskatoon, SK.

Midway through the program, a heart attack and open heart surgery derailed his dream but only momentarily. In only 3 months, Justin was back in school completing his studies. He excelled on his practicums and was working two jobs shortly after passing the national registration exam. Justin is proof that you can’t keep a good man down. Justin is this year’s Student of the Year 1st Runner-up and receives a tuition reimbursement of $5,000.

Our 2nd Runner-up, Michelle Young, has found her passion and her purpose in life: making a difference in the lives of children and teens as an Education Assistant. As a former child at risk, Michelle knows, first-hand, what some of the children she supports endure. She can not only relate to their experiences but is proof positive that people can change their lives and their circumstances. During her studies at Stenberg, Michelle made a huge impact in the classroom supporting her peers unselfishly and with total commitment. A classmate said that “Michelle Young represents what Stenberg College is all about!” On her practicums, she soared and received high praise: “No better compliment can be paid to a practicum student than ‘I would feel very comfortable working with this individual and having this individual working with students or my own child.’ Such positive feedback was unanimous amongst our teachers and SEAs.” Not surprisingly, Michelle was hired by a school district only two months after graduation. Michelle receives a tuition reimbursement of $2,500.

The remaining 12 Student of the Year finalists each receive a tuition reimbursment of $1,000.

Our classroom-based Cardiology Technologist finalist, Bo Zhang, was also our ESL student of the year winner. Bo was born in China and worked as a

Amy Harris, CAT (D) Finalist

Success Magazine

As the result of her father’s illness, Amy Harris was exposed to health care from a very early age and always knew she’d work in health care.

She graduated from high school with a French immersion diploma and immediately began studying to be a Registered Massage Therapist, graduating with honours. After a few years working as a Massage Therapist, Amy was looking for something in healthcare that she would want to do for the rest of her life and chose a career as a Cardiology Technologist. She was very dedicated to and disciplined in her studies and worked very hard. She achieved a 96% Grade Point Average and got hired halfway through her program and is currently working fulltime.

Bo Zhang, CAT Finalist

Physician there. She came to Canada in 2003 with her husband and was licensed as an acupuncturist.

When she gave birth to her son a couple of years later at Women’s Hospital, Bo was impressed with the professionalism and compassion of the healthcare system in Canada and wanted to become part of it. She studied and worked first as a Nurse’s Aid and then as a Porter. Many of her colleagues at the hospital are very impressed that Bo had the ambition to go from Porter to Cardiology Technologist. Others wonder if she has a twin. Bo excelled at the program achieving a 97% Grade Point Average and received support from the ESL program. As soon as Bo passed the licensing exam she was hired as a casual on-call but is currently working fulltime hours.

Shelly Brick, CAT (D) Finalist

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Since she was a child, Shelly Brick has wanted to work in a hospital. And for more than 24 years she has, first in dietary, then housekeeping, on to x-ray porter and finally as a Unit Assistant in Emergency. After 12 and a half years as a Unit Assistant, she wanted more and chose to become a Cardiology Technologist. In order to satisfy the pre-requisites for her new career she had to redo most of her Grade 12. For 3 1/2 years she went to school at night and on weekends while working fulltime. Once she had completed her high school pre-requisites, she took a leave of absence from her job and gave everything to the Cardiology Technologist program at Stenberg. School has never come easy to Shelly and she had to work harder than most to achieve a 96% Grade Point Average. Shelly was a selfless student who was always willing to help her fellow students. Shelly was hired as a Cardiology Technologist prior to

Jeannette Leblanc, CMHAW Finalist

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2014 Student of the Year Finalists the classroom and on her practicum. “Nubia is an exceptionally gifted teacher and well-liked teacher and our programs have benefited immensely from her involvement.” Not surprisingly, Nubia was hired on a full-time basis by Wind & Tide.

graduation and loves her new career.

Our Community Mental Health & Addictions Worker finalist, Jeanette Leblanc, also won a $5,000 scholarship for her achievements in the program. Jeannette’s story is one of courage and resilience. She was born into poverty, addiction and abuse. In her mid-thirties, substance use became substance abuse and her life spiralled out of control. Realizing she had to give up the life she had to have the one she wanted, she got clean and sober and moved to BC. Her year at Stenberg has been a year of firsts and new beginnings. She has broken the cycle of poverty and addiction and now supports women and men who face the struggles she once faced. One of her classmates wrote that Jeannette “empowers and encourages those around her to become there best version of themselves.”

Our Community Support Worker finalist, Yuvika Sharma is a new immigrant from India. She was a Social Worker in India and has a Masters in Sociology and a diploma in Childcare and Family Counselling. Arriving a little over 2 years ago and not being able to find any work, life in Canada was very hard at first. Yuvika chose the Community Support Worker program at Stenberg as the perfect fit for her skills and abilities. With two young daughters, Yuvika was able to balance her family and her studies and excelled in the program. Only one month after graduation she was hired at Delta Community Living Society and Milieu Family Services where she averages 30 - 40 hours per week. Yuvika thanks Stenberg for helping her integrate into Canadian society and improving her life.

Doris McNally is the finalist in our longest running program – Health Care Assistant. Doris is a single mother who has always worked in the health care field. She graduated as a Registered Massage Therapist in the US but was disappointed to find that her massage license was not recognized when she moved back to Canada. For Doris, choosing a career as a Health Care Assistant was a natural extension of the care that she had provided for her parents for many years. Doris excelled in the program achieving a 94% Grade Point Average.

Doris has plans to pursue Practical Nursing in the future and has recently completed her practicum at Evergreen Baptist Campus of Care.

Nubia Otero Lopez, ECE Finalist

Nubia Otero Lopez is the finalist for our Early Childhood Education program. Her mother was

a Montessori teacher and she was a Montessori student. As a young child she was diagnosed with ADHD and with her mother’s love and support she succeeded at school and graduated from university with a degree in Electrical Engineering. She worked as an Electrical Engineer at the Goodyear plant in Mexico until her children were born.

After immigrating to Canada, teaching Sunday school led to substitute teaching at Wind & Tide Preschools. Impressed with Nubia’s natural abilities, Wind & Tide encouraged her to enroll in the Early Childhood Education program at Stenberg. Nubia was an inspiration to all who watched her juggle being a mother, a full-time student and teaching in two of Wind & Tide’s After School programs. Nubia has a love and passion for children and their development and excelled in

Our Hospital Support Specialist finalist, Ioana Neamtu, received high praise from industry. Her practicum preceptor said that Ioana’s “practicum was the easiest I can ever recall, because of what she brought to the experience. Although we appreciated her enthusiasm, intelligence and positive attitude, we were most impressed with the mature, capable manner in which she juggled her school and work-life responsibilities. I have seen many student and employees deal with the competing priorities of education, work, and parenting, but none have made it look as easy as Iona … The entire department is happy that Ioana has chosen to join us as our new casual. Ioana expresses gratitude for every opportunity given to her, and continue to demonstrate a capability I would not expect this early in her Health Record career.” Her sister, Vanesa Perte, also a student at Stenberg, sums up Ioana’s incredible year at

Yuvika Sharma, CSW Finalist

Doris McNally, HCA Finalist

Ioana Neamtu, HSS Finalist

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Success Magazine

2014 Student of the Year Finalists Stenberg: “My sister has grown so much as a person in this last year. She will always be her funloving self, but what I saw was a determination, confidence, more happiness, ambition, appreciation for things we forget to appreciate, self-discipline and striving to be a better person for herself and her family.”

Jonathan Aquino is an exceptional young man who has a passion for education and in his spare time tutors math and science students for free.

His students appreciate Jon’s knowledge, his joy of learning and the entertaining way in which he teaches. His former students credit Jon with much of their success including a student who achieved 98% on a university math final. All were inspired by his commitment and selflessness. Jonathan was equally inspiring as a student and is our Medical Laboratory Assistant program finalist. Jonathan achieved a remarkable Grade Point average of 98% but beyond his academic achievements, his instructors witnessed tremendous growth and development, not only in laboratry skills but in leadership, maturity and character as well. Jon began his studies at Stenberg at 19 years of age but is mature beyond his years and is an inspiration to the students, faculty and staff. Jon has a passion for education and providing exceptional care.

Even though he just finished the MLA program, he is enrolled to start Stenberg’s Cardiology Technologist program in 2015.

Taylor Davidson is the finalist for the Nursing Unit Clerk program. Taylor had no idea what she was going to do after high school graduation and completed two years of university trying to find her passion. She always knew she wanted to work in health care and was anxious to enter a career that she would find rewarding and challenging.

A close family friend who was a Unit Clerk said

Jonathan Aquino, MLA Finalist

Success Magazine

Faith Malakoff, THR Finalist

that Taylor had all the characteristics a Unit Clerk requires and recommended Stenberg’s program.

On her recommendation, Taylor enrolled and has found a career that she is perfectly suited for and is passionate about. Taylor achieved a stratospheric Grade Point Average of 99% throughout the 40 week program and loved every minute of it. She did her practicum with Providence Health Authority and was hired shortly after. “I love Providence. It’s an amazing health authority.” And she loves her career. “It’s challenging … I get thrown so many things at work … I have confidence going into work everyday knowing I can do this. I’m trained.

I’m educated.” For Taylor, Stenberg was more than a school, “it was family …”

Tian You Chong is the finalist for our Special Education Assistant (D) program. Tian was born

Taylor Davidson, NUC Finalist

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in China and came to Canada when she was 19.

It was a real culture shock for her. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years and her career as a Special Education Assistant is an extension of the volunteering she began when her children were in school. As a noon-hour supervisor in the Coquitlam School District, she also worked part-time as an Behavious Intervention Specialist supporting a special needs child. Tian enjoyed the flexibility of the program being online which allowed her to continue working while attending Stenberg. Beyond achieving a 95% Grade Point Average, Tian is “an excellent SEA and an asset to any teacher and classroom that is fortunate enough to have her service.” According to her Practicum Supervisor, “Tian was a wonderful member of our team. She demonstrated excellent work ethic and attention to detail. Tian is an approachable and very reliable person with good communications skills. She developed good relationships with the students; she was friendly and showed a great deal of care and desire to get to know them as individuals, while maintaining a professional role.”

Faith Malakoff is the finalist for our Therapeutic Recreation (Gerontology) program. As a testament to her character, over half of her class wrote letters in support of her nomination. When Faith was younger, she struggled to find meaning and purpose in her life but eventually found it supporting seniors as a Therepeutic Recreation Assistant. “I want people to know that they matter whatever their age, whatever they’re going though. Their dreams and feelings are still valid.

I want to help people to acknowledge that about themselves.” After 28 years, Faith finally believes in herself and says she owes it to “how amazing the program, the people and the support were.” Faith is our 2014 Valedictorian.

Tian You Chong, SEA (D) Finalist

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“I want to help people change their opinions of themselves and show them that you can do anything that you want.”

– Kristie Baker, Psychiatric Nursing graduate

Kathleen Ferguson Photography

2014 Student of the Year Winner: Kristie Baker, Psychiatric Nursing

Making change Kristie Baker wanted to help change others.

In the process she changed herself.

Kristie Baker became a psychiatric nurse to help change the lives of others. However, the life that will perhaps be most changed as the result of her education is her own. Her educational journey was, in her own words, a “journey of change.”

Stenberg College’s most rigorous program is its 23-month Psychiatric Nursing program. This year’s Student of the Year winner, Kristie, is a graduate of that program. Remarkably, she achieved a Grade Point Average of 98.3% (which she credits to her passion for psychiatric nursing). Surprisingly, Kristie struggled with confidence throughout the first year of the program.

“When I was younger I struggled with self-esteem and confidence and these issues really came back for me in the beginning of my studies. At times I wanted to quit and give into my insecurities and fears, especially before my first practicum and the end of our first year.”

But she didn’t quit.

Instead she reached out for help. “It didn’t mean there was something wrong with me,” Kristie explains. “It was just that I needed some support around anxiety and stress … If I can’t care for myself I certainly can’t care for others.

My counselor told me it would make me more empathetic and understanding and it has.” It was humbling for Kristie and required courage and strength to reach out for help but it was also character building and reinforced the importance of self-care in the field.

“Education is transformational.

It changes lives.”

– Condoleezza Rice Island College. Putting her dream of becoming a Psychiatric Nurse on hold, she chose to pursue a career as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), seeing it as a stepping stone and intending to follow her dream later.

A year after becoming an LPN, Kristie moved to Kamloops with her husband Matt and from 2006 until 2012, she worked as an LPN at Hillside Psychiatric Centre and loved it there. Sadly, at the end of 2011, all the LPNs at Hillside were laid off and replaced by RNs and RPNs. It was a shock for Kristie but it was also the impetus for change. “I was happy as an LPN but I always felt

there something missing … Pursuing a career in Psychiatric Nursing was always my passion.”

Kristie had “hummed and hawed” about Stenberg’s Psychiatric Nursing program, planning to wait until her young preschool aged sons were in school. However, the layoff prompted her to take action and turn “a negative into a positive … My husband and I agreed that it was something we could do together and that it would be better for me in the end, with more opportunities.”

Kristie started the Stenberg program just as her position at Hillside ended and she enjoyed that most of her coursework was delivered online.

With two young boys aged two and three, “taking the program in Vancouver wasn’t an option and even doing something locally would have been challenging with daycare, etc … It was nice to be able to do it here with my family. I had my kids with me here most of the time. I had friends who would take them if I needed some time or my husband would take them out on the weekends so I could write my papers. It really worked for us.”

“I reached out to a group which included some patients I’d worked with previously. They were very supportive and said ‘this can happen to anyone.’” It was a solutions-focused group on how to handle stress and balance in your life and “it definitely changed the way I talk to patients now.”

To become a Registered Psychiatric Nurse has been Kristie’s lifelong dream. After high school, she considered Douglas College’s program but didn’t want to move away from family and friends on Vancouver Island. Instead she took every psychology course that was available to her and completed two and a half years at North Success Magazine

Kathleen Ferguson Photography

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2014 Student of the Year Winner: Kristie Baker, Psychiatric Nursing

Kathleen Ferguson Photography

One of the world’s most famous teachers, Socrates, said that “education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” For Kristie, Stenberg’s Psychiatric Nursing program inspired her, it enlightened her, and ultimately it empowered her, preparing her for a successful career supporting and helping others. Academically, Kristie excelled in all her coursework, but some of the courses challenged her on a more personal level. The Introduction to Psychodrama course was a “great learning experience” that took Kristie outside her comfort zone and taught her new ways to look at herself and others. It gave her insight into why people are or act the way that they do and the tools to help others to change. As the English Philosopher Herbert Spencer observed, “the great aim of education is not knowledge, but action.”

And that is why Kristie is this year’s Student of the Year winner. Not because of a 98.3% GPA (although it helps), but because she synthesized her learning and experiences into becoming a better person and an excellent nurse. In spite of Kristie’s anxiety surrounding the first clinical practice, 10

her instructor observed that “Kristie is a warm, caring nurse who treats patients with empathy and respect. She brings a smile to their faces.”

“This has given me the confidence that I can be a mother, a wife, a friend, have a career that I love and have balance in my life.”

Like many people who are drawn to psychiatric nursing, Kristie is a compassionate person who has been touched by the struggles of people around her. “I want to take those experiences and share them with other people. I want to help people change their opinions of themselves and show them that you can do anything that you want.” www.StenbergCollege.com

Where does her passion for psychiatric nursing come from? Even when she was little, she would always stop and talk to people on the street. “I was always interested in what they had to say,” she remembers. When her father told her not to talk to strangers, she countered that “they needed someone to talk to.”

“I think it’s helping people and being there for them,” she explains. “A lot of the patients I see, even their families have given up on them at some point. I know it sounds clichéd but really, if I can reach out and touch just one person, help them to make changes and believe they can do something different in their life it will be worthwhile.”

Maintaining some semblance of work/life balance while doing her very best at school was important to Kristie. Over the 23 months that she attended Stenberg full-time, she not only continued to work as an LPN but she volunteered at her sons’ schools, their sport’s teams and at the New Life Mission.

Few achievements are ever accomplished alone and Kristie owes much of what she has achieved Success Magazine

2014 Student of the Year Winner: Kristie Baker, Psychiatric Nursing

“I feel whole … I am doing the exact thing I was meant to do in my life and in all my roles.

That is a feeling that Stenberg has allowed me to attain … ”

to her husband Matt. He is her biggest fan and has inspired and encouraged her to believe she can do anything she wants. “He has given me a lot of strength,” she adds.

Kristie made a big impression on her instructors.

Psychiatric Nurse and Stenberg instructor Marita Molloy says that “throughout this program, Kristie discovered and learned to honour the strengths, values and knowledge she acquired on her journey of learning. She continues to build on that foundation now that she has graduated from the program. Her positive, caring and proactive attitude was present throughout the courses in which she was a student of mine. “ In spite of just completing a rigorous 23-month program and embarking on a new career, Kristie has been inspired by her education and experiences to continue on to a Masters level and teach for Stenberg College one day. She plans to continue her education once her youngest is in school.

“As hard as it was, education and professional development are so important to me. This has given me the confidence that I can be a mother, a wife, a friend, have a career that I love and have balance in my life.”

Shortly after Kristie competed her education, she was offered four different jobs including employment at Hillside Centre. “I loved my time there,” she says. “I started at Hillside when it opened and we’re like a little work family. So I went casual at Hillside and about a month ago (six months after graduation) I was offered a permanent full-time position. I’m on the adult psychiatry unit.

I’ve gone full circle from LPN to RPN.” One of her colleagues at Hillside, Alicia Vicic, writes “everyone at Hillside was excited to welcome Kristie back after she finished her RPN training. She has an excellent reputation that follows her, and for good reason. Since rejoining the team, she has continued to take on leadership opportunities such as orienting new staff, joining committees and taking the lead in rolling out various Interior Health initiatives at a unit level, such as new medication management practices.

She does all this with a sense of grace and ease.”

Kristie’s first practicum was at the New Life Mission in downtown Kamloops, a community agency whose mandate is to “help alleviate Success Magazine

Kathleen Ferguson Photography

suffering for those living with poverty and mental health and addictions related issues.” Whether Kristie was supporting men in second stage recovery, helping out in the kitchen, or hanging out in the dayroom, chatting, playing cards and board games, she loved her time there. So much so that she continued to volunteer after her practicum ended and continues to volunteer regularly to this day. In addition to chatting, playing board games or dropping off donations, Kristie appreciates www.StenbergCollege.com

attending their gratitude meetings and sharing what she is grateful for.

Kristie has much to be grateful for. She explains, “I feel whole … I am doing the exact thing I was meant to do in my life and in all my roles. That is a feeling that Stenberg has allowed me to attain …

I received a lot of support; it truly is a wonderful nursing program.”

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After open heart surgery, Justin’s dedication to school was noted by his patient care team. Even as he was becoming incoherent he would continue to exclaim that he had midterms and studying to do. According to nurses on staff, the first time he opened his eyes after being sedated, he was anxious to get back to school.

2014 Student of the Year 1st Runner-up: Justin Bote Practical Nursing

You gotta have heart Even a heart attack and open heart surgery couldn’t stop Justin Bote from pursuing his passion Many of the students at Stenberg College who decide to retrain for a different career do so for many reasons. For Justin Bote, it was to explore a career that always seemed like a better fit. The Practical Nursing graduate actually completed his education at BCIT in Marketing Management – Professional Sales and for 10 years he worked in a mid-sized company, eventually attaining the role of National Sales Manager. He thought this was the path for him; he was, after all, simply following in the footsteps of his father. “In our culture, I always find that it’s either a career in Business or Medicine. I followed in my dad’s footsteps – he’s an accountant.” But as strong as his father’s influence was, so was his mother’s.

His mother was a Registered Nurse, a path that his sister followed as well. With two nurses in the family, he was able to see the rewards a career in nursing provides, both professionally and personally. “I saw the benefits of doing nursing – my mom is a retired RN and my sister is an RN at Surrey Memorial Hospital in the Orthopaedics Unit. In sales, the benefits weren’t there; it was more just doing sales for myself, working towards something for myself … In Nursing, on the other hand, you’re also working for yourself but you’re giving back. And after what happened to me, that’s totally changed my initiative for going into nursing.”

College’s modern campus and professionalism of all the staff. His meeting with Program Advisor Ashley and tour of the facilities convinced him.

“Before I went to Stenberg, I did my research on other schools. I wasn’t really familiar with Stenberg … I like to research things and I liked what I saw.

Stenberg has an excellent reputation in industry.

“If one of our fellow students failed, we offered our services to help them study.

No man or woman left behind.”

I was impressed with the fact that Stenberg was one of the first schools to do the year and a half program and update their curriculum whereas everyone else was doing the one year. They also had the highest percentage of graduates getting jobs, which I believe because I’ve landed two jobs.”

Justin decided to dedicate himself to his studies full-time and left the security of a job he’d had for almost 10 years. Even though he was older than most of his classmates, he used his natural sociability to become friends with everyone. He also used the leadership skills he learned in his previous career to help motivate the class towards success. “I made sure that they kept up with the learning activities or chapter readings and didn’t slack off. I did group sessions with classmates and shared resources … If one of our fellow students failed, we offered our services to help them study. No man or woman left behind.” Even to his instructors and staff, Justin stood out for the unwavering and unselfish support he provided to fellow students. Jag Tak, Stenberg College Practice Education Faculty and Student Manager congratulated Justin for the “leadership role you took on particularly with the students who were not as successful. You went out of your way in supporting other students and with the groups.”

But the stress and his admittedly poor lifestyle caught up to him mid-way through the Program.

Justin lost his father early in life and he assumed a stronger role in his family looking after others.

“I’m always taking care of family and friends. I’ve put them first instead of me. I’m always wanting to make everyone happy… When I started telling people about going into nursing, they all told me they could picture me being a nurse and that made me more interested that they noticed that about me, even before I started school.”

At 35, Justin was ready to embark on his second career. Initially, his brother-in-law recommended Stenberg College but Justin did his own research into the Practical Nursing program. He surveyed his family and friends, spoke to industry contacts and reviewed the educational curriculum of the Practical Nursing Program, all before coming in for an appointment. Justin was impressed with the Success Magazine

A family of nurses – Justin with his mother and sister who are both Registered Nurses.

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2014 Student of the Year 1st Runner-up: Justin Bote Practical Nursing “I woke up with an aching elbow and my stomach felt a little queasy … But all I did was take an Advil and Gaviscon and slept it off. The next day I went to school, suffering from what felt like a terrible case of heartburn. The next day I came back to school and I still wasn’t feeling right so I went and checked myself into Peace Arch ER to get some tests done. It was then that they found out that I had a heart attack. Sometimes in movies you see someone drop on the ground and grab their chest, with a sharp chest pain, I didn’t have that. I had a clogged artery – 70% clogged.

And at my age … I wouldn’t think anything bad would happen to me. There were signs when I was in school – I had high blood pressure … was a borderline diabetic, wasn’t eating properly, not exercising enough …”

But he was not out of the woods yet. Even though he was discharged after a few days and was at home, his condition worsened, “I woke up, walking down for breakfast and almost blacked out. I never felt that feeling before. I knew something was wrong. I told my mom to call 911 and the paramedics came. They were trying to take my blood pressure and my vital signs and they couldn’t even get a reading. They were still trying to take my blood pressure – still nothing – and they were amazed that I was still conscious during the whole ride back to emergency … The last thing I remember was getting knocked out. From what I

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heard from family and friends, I had emergency open heart surgery that day. They didn’t know if my stent was a problem and my sister had to hear from the doctor that if they couldn’t figure out what was happening that I might not make it. What they found out that was that I had a ruptured mitrovalve due to the damage from the heart attack. They said was that it was an unforeseeable freak accident that no one would have predicted.”

His dedication to school was noted by his patient care team. Even as he was becoming incoherent he would continue to exclaim that he had midterms and studying to do. According to nurses on staff, the first time he opened his eyes after being sedated, he was anxious to get back to school. After all, he had a midterm and a nursing skills test coming up! But his doctors told him to take it easy and suggested a 6 month break to recover. Stenberg staff also encouraged Justin to take as much time as he needed, and assured him that he could continue his studies whenever he felt ready. Against all odds he returned to school only 3 months after his heart attack. This time he decided to do things a bit differently. He quit smoking, started eating well, enrolled into a Healthy Heart program and volunteered as a spokesperson to inspire others to make positive changes in their lives.

After graduation, he found work as an LPN and health care aide at the same facility. He recognizes

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the importance of working in different areas of health care especially in private care facilities. “I wanted to work in hospitals – after being a patient – and give back as a caregiver. I interviewed as a care aide but they hired me as a care aide and an LPN. One thing that I like, at care homes, you’re not dealing with patients, you’re dealing with residents.

The care aides know the elders best. I will do the care aide role so I can get to know all the residents and when I take shifts as a nurse, they’ll know me.”

Justin is a great example of how excellent practicum performances can affect employment chances. He was recently offered a position as an LPN in Fraser Health, and he believes it was heavily influenced by his performance during practicum. “I loved my practicums at Stenberg College. It does help you land a job. I just got a job because they were impressed with my preceptorship … I was shocked and happy to know my nursing career was finally taking off!”

Looking into the future, Justin would like to complete his RN but is happy to work as an LPN for a few years and gain experience. His real payoff is seeing how happy his family is with his new career. “I feel happy and glad because I see the joy in my mom’s face. Everything I do now, I’m grateful to her … I saw how hard my mom worked to put my sister and I through school. It’s all about making my mom proud. I love my mom.”

Success Magazine

2014 Student of the Year 2nd Runner-up: Michelle Young, Education Assistant

A very special education assistant Michelle Young changes her life and supports others to change theirs When Michelle Young speaks about being an Education Assistant, she glows. It is clear she has found a career that she finds rewarding and fulfilling. Michelle speaks about making a difference in a child or teen’s life with great passion and it is obvious that she takes her role very seriously. Michelle had a tumultuous upbringing and although she overcame those difficult circumstances, perhaps it is her past experiences that makes her an exceptional Education Assistant.

While she was in elementary school, her home life was extremely chaotic and dysfunctional.

She witnessed and was the victim of significant abuse and had to develop the personal skills to survive. Her father died in an accident when she was 16, forcing her to move out and live on her Success Magazine

own. Somehow she managed to graduate high school on time while supporting herself. She continued her education in tourism and worked in the travel industry for over 15 years.

Along the way, she met and married her husband

“She was always caring and concerned for others around her … Michelle Young represented what Stenberg College is all about!

She changed her life course and others in the process.” www.StenbergCollege.com

and added 2 more children to their family (he had 3 children from a previous marriage). In a loving, stable, and supportive family, she started to evaluate her own childhood as a way to ensure a better one for her kids. Counselling was key for Michelle in coming to terms with her past.

After being a stay-at-home mom for 13 years, she was ready to have a career again. As a mother with children with learning disabilities, she knew all too well about the challenges of specialized support.

Although her kids did not need a Special Education Assistant (SEA), she had met many and greatly respected the role.. “I saw an ad for Stenberg in the paper … and put in 50 volunteer hours to see if it was a career I wanted to do.” It was. “My husband and I both love the school. I enjoyed every minute of it, every learning opportunity.”

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“It’s completely changed me. I never thought that I could go back to school and have a wonderful job. It made me a more confident, happy person and I feel satisfied.”

– Michelle Young, Education Assistant

2014 Student of the Year 2nd Runner-up: Michelle Young, Education Assistant Michelle made a huge impact in the classroom; her positive attitude contributed to her classmates’ success. Her maturity and wisdom helped bridge cultural gaps in the classroom. “I’ve never experienced such a diversity of people as in that classroom. There were a lot of people from other countries … On one occasion I was asked to sit in on a meeting with a couple of my classmates and Student Services. It was a real privilege to support them.” She wanted to see everyone in the class succeed and would frequently stay behind to help students who needed a bit more support, “For a lot of them, English isn’t their first language and I would help them with their written assignments.

We would stay after school and study together. It was an honour to support friends.”

“No better compliment can be paid to a practicum student than, ‘I would feel very comfortable working with this individual and having this individual working with students or my own child.’”

In a letter in support of Michelle’s nomination as Student of the Year, a classmate noted, “She always displayed the utmost dignity and professionalism at all times. I watched Michelle arrive early to help the ESL students and stay late to help others finish projects. In particular, on her own time and at her own expense, she helped a student with little means to attend the Down Syndrome Research Centre. She excelled in class but not at the expense of others. She was always caring and concerned for others around her … Michelle Young represented what Stenberg College is all about! She changed her life course and others in the process. She was never looking for recognition and all that she did for others, she did quietly because she wanted to, not because she had to.”

The program really opened her eyes to the different perspectives of supporting children and teens with exceptionalities, “The biggest highlight was learning about students that have exceptionalities, I can go into a school and see a child with exceptionalities and see their personalities first, instead of what’s wrong with them.” The feedback provided by her Practice Experience Monitors and industry supervisors was proof of her exemplary performance. A Surrey Middle School Principal noted, “In her short time…she earned the respect of our students and our staff and the trust of our parents. Her expertise was not limited to the classroom; her practicum involved outings into Success Magazine

Michelle Young giving the Valedictorian Address at Stenberg College’s spring graduation ceremony. the community where again, Michelle exhibited competence and mastery. No better compliment can be paid to a practicum student than, ‘I would feel very comfortable working with this individual and having this individual working with students or my own child.’ Such positive feedback was unanimous amongst our teachers and SEAs. I concur.”

Michelle was hired by a school district two months after graduation as an on-call Education Assistant.

She has found that experience to be so rewarding.

When she works with students, especially those who have a challenging home life as she did growing up, she’s able to relate to them and provide steady support to them. “You can tell them parts of your story, relate with them and let them know they’re not the only ones. Your past is … like you’re driving and your rear view mirror is there. Every once in a while you want to glance and see what’s back there but really you need to focus on what’s ahead or you’ll risk getting into an accident. I am glad I am there. I am there because I belong there www.StenbergCollege.com

and I should be there. But sometimes it’s sad to see so many kids with the same experiences I had.”

Looking towards the future, she would like to explore becoming a Peer Support Worker and support fellow Education Assistants in the school system. Her unique blend of experiences: troubled childhood, mother, student, and now Education Assistant, have made her a valuable asset to the educational system. She has the advantage of having developed the maturity, wisdom, and ability to apply learnings critically and wants to use those skills to help coach and support younger SEAs with less life experience.

The Education Assistant Program at Stenberg has completely changed her. She never thought that after having a first career and kids that she could find a new passion and be able to make a difference at the same time. “It’s completely changed me. I never thought that I could go back to school and have a wonderful job. It made me a more confident, happy person and I feel satisfied.

It really did change me.”

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“I want people to know that they matter whatever their age, whatever they’re going through …Their dreams and feelings are still valid. I want to help people to acknowledge that about themselves.”

– Faith Malakoff, Therapeutic Recreation

2014 Student of the Year Finalist: Faith Malakoff, Therapeutic Recreation (Gerontology)

Faith emerges How Faith Malakoff came to find meaning in her life and believe in herself Childhood experiences often influence and shape who we become. The loving, friendly, and welcoming person that Faith Malakoff has become is partly the result of the bullying she experienced as a child. “I don’t understand why anyone would bully anyone …” she recalls. Her response to the alienation, pain and humiliation she experienced as a child is to always “try to make people feel welcome and safe and comfortable like I wished people would have done for me as a child.”

As a testament to her character, over half of her class wrote letters in support of her nomination as the Student of the Year finalist for the Therapeutic Recreation (Gerontology) program. Everyone acknowledged her kindness, her readiness to help others, her encouraging nature, her compassionate feedback, her leadership qualities and her friendship. One of Faith’s classmates who was a new immigrant and new parent wrote that Faith “helped me to overcome the challenges I’ve faced during the program. She is my 24/7 student help hotline. She didn’t just help me but also motivated and supported me as a person and as a student.”

Another student referred to Faith’s “beautiful aura” and that “she never stopped encouraging others.” Still another student referred to Faith as a “great big ball of uplifting sunshine” who was always there to lend a helping hand. Not only was Faith always there for her classmates, she was as committed to their success as she was to her own.

“The meaning of life is to find your gift.

The purpose of life is to give it away.”

– Pablo Picasso a family who didn’t have one. “It was the most amazing experience of my life and it completely changed everything I wanted to do with my life.

It rewrote me.” Already enrolled in the theatre program at the University of Victoria, she completed two years but left realizing that it wasn’t what she was supposed to do with her life, that she “had to do something more.”

In search of meaning and purpose in her life, Faith struggled. She worked; sometimes five jobs at a time, travelled, and then worked some more, always in “jobs that weren’t me.” At the young age of 25, the formerly optimistic and effervescent Faith had lost her way. She felt like a failure, fell into a deep depression, gained weight and didn’t

Over time the darkness dissipated and the words of the artist, Pablo Picasso, resonated with her: “the meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” Faith knew that she was a compassionate, empathetic and friendly person who wanted to help others. Her search for meaning and purpose led her to become a Care Aide supporting a young man with a neuromuscular disease, Friedrich’s Ataxia. Her duties included physiotherapy, meal preparation, assisting with feeding, shopping, and taking walks (up and down hills pushing a wheelchair). She assisted the young man when he attended classes at college, with his job instructing a class and with his photography business. She occasionally did his laundry.

According to the young man, Faith always had his best interests at heart and he felt “that I could share anything that was on my mind with her and she could help me through it.” The young man’s father said that Faith went “above and beyond her duties, put her job first and was a real joy … She is one of a kind.” Running out of superlatives he concludes with “ya just gotta love Faith.”

It was while working as a Care Aide that Faith discovered the field of therapeutic recreation. She realized that this was what she was destined to do with her life and was excited that meaning, purpose and passion had all intersected for her.

“This is what my life had been leading up to. All those things that felt like failures weren’t … I want to help people get to that place where they can believe in themselves and trust themselves and enjoy life. We’re healthier when we’re happy.”

As humble as she is friendly, Faith was surprised by the nomination and overwhelmed by the praise from her peers. “I cried after I read each letter of support,” she said. “If you had asked me at the beginning of the year if I would have been considered for Student of the Year, I would have said ‘no way, I’m not even in that league’ … But now, I actually believe I deserve this,” she says.

“After 28 years, that’s the first time I’ve ever really believed in myself. And that’s because of how amazing the program, the people, and the support were … I’m finally going to be in a career, not a job … something that I want to be doing. And I’m so proud of this field.”

Her grandfather’s experiences in care not only reinforced the importance of her career choice but suggested an area of specialization. A couple of years ago he had to be moved into a facility because he required 24 hour care. “When I visited him, I noticed that the programs they offered made him feel happy and supported and not alone. I want to do that.”

Shortly before high school graduation, Faith volunteered for Project Help Mexico which culminated in building a house in Mexico for Success Magazine

want to leave her house. “I was so embarrassed,” she remembers. Fortunately, she reached out to her sister and confessed that she was sad all the time and didn’t know why. Her sister urged her to see a doctor. She did and with support, Faith slowly began to “rebuild” herself.

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2014 Student of the Year Finalist: Faith Malakoff, Therapeutic Recreation (Gerontology) mature young woman is a delight to her classmates and instructor. Online and on campus, Faith exhibits pure pleasure in learning new concepts and debating and discussing theory with her colleagues.

What makes Faith extraordinary is that she actively listens to the opinions of others, analyses the information presented and then exuberantly shares the results in her critical reflections. Her positive attitude is infectious. I have observed her peers vying to work with her on group projects due mainly in part to her genuine enthusiasm, willingness as a team player and cheerleader.”

Instructor, Laurie Chiasson, also spoke glowingly of Faith. “She is a stellar student, a true team member and an inspiration; she will go on to be a leader in the field of therapeutic recreation … She is the example that Stenberg strives to uphold.

Choosing a gerontology specialization in therapeutic recreation came after a simple interaction with a senior. Faith showed a woman in her late eighties where a nearby Senior’s Centre was by walking her there. As quickly as the woman entered the centre she left. Faith asked the woman why she didn’t stay and participate in some of the activities. The woman said that she was very nervous and would come back tomorrow. She thanked Faith for accompanying her and said she wouldn’t have gone on her own.

Sometimes the smallest things can have the greatest impact. To be 90 years old and still feel nervous about making friends was something Faith could relate to. “I get nervous about everything,” she says.

But most importantly she chose this career because she wants to make a difference.

“I want people to know that they matter whatever their age, whatever they’re going through,” she says emphatically. “Their dreams and feelings are still valid. I want to help people to acknowledge that about themselves.”

On her success in the classroom, Faith says it required lots of hard work. “Academically I’ve never been the smartest,” she confesses. “I have to work really hard and give 110% in everything I do.

Whereas my classmates may do things last minute and be great at it, I have to start at the beginning, work throughout the whole time that they give me and then submit it when it’s due.”

Faith really enjoyed her practicum experience which allowed her to connect with a lot of residents. At first she was nervous and questioning her abilities but with preparation comes success.

“From the first day of my practicum, right away, people just connect to you and appreciate what you’re doing,” she recalls with a smile on her face.

“It makes you feel really good too. I love it!”

She tells the story of connecting with a woman who was crying. Faith sat beside her and listened to her and helped her to feel acknowledged. She stopped crying. “I felt good I was able to help her.”

They ended up chatting and discovered they had a mutual love for music. When Faith told the woman

that she played the ukulele, the woman implored her to bring it to work. Faith agreed but said she’d need a month to practice because she only knew two songs the woman would recognize. The woman convinced Faith to bring her ukulele the next day and to just play what she knew. Faith, not wanting to disappoint her new friend, stayed up all night

“I believe that I’m going to make a difference and I’m so looking forward to that … I want to help people. And I can.” learning 7 new songs! They next day, when there was some downtime, Faith and the woman went outside and she played for her. Soon there was a crowd and everyone was singing along. “I was terrible, I missed so many notes, but they all had fun! … Little moments like that are huge.”

Faith excelled on her practicum where her instructor Karen Schaefer observed that “she is consistent in her friendly, caring and professional manner, putting any senior in contact with her, at ease. When I observe seniors in care gravitate to Faith, I am assured that they feel welcome and safe in her warm presence.” Just prior to the completion of her practicum at Burquitlam Lions Centre, Faith was hired as a casual and is currently working full time.

“I’ve doubted myself for a very long time,” Faith concludes. “And I still have doubts now and then but overall I believe that I’m going to make a difference and I’m so looking forward to that …

I want to help people. And I can.”

Faith took the leap, enrolled in Stenberg College’s Therapeutic Recreation (Gerontology) diploma program and moved from the Kootenays to Vancouver. With a clear sense of purpose and passion, Faith’s educational experiences were different than anything she had ever experienced previously. “There was a real sense of community … The people in this program are all so amazing which made this program awesome. We had so much support … The courses and the teachers were exceptional. Most of them work in the field which really helped.”

With 25 years of gerontology-based therapeutic recreation experience and 15 years experience as a post-secondary instructor, Karen Schaefer spoke with pride about her student. “This cheerful and 20

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Success Magazine

2014 Student of the Year Finalist: Jeannette Leblanc, CMHAW

Breaking the cycle Jeannette Leblanc breaks the cycle of poverty and addiction and gives back to those in need girls on her own but it was a chaotic and unstable environment for the children to grow up in.

Jeannette remembers her mom driving the girls around at night until they were tired enough that they’d be able to fall asleep hungry. Often the trailer they lived in had no heat or light.

We’re all drawn to a story with a happy ending …

Robert Downey Jr. overcame a lifetime of drug addiction to become one of the most successful movie stars in the world. Born in poverty, physically and sexually abused as a child, pregnant at 14, Oprah Winfrey has become one of the most powerful and inspirational women on the planet.

Academy award winner Halle Berry stayed in a homeless shelter in her twenties.

Tragically, a couple of years later, her 23 yearold sister, Monique, was murdered by a man who claimed to love her. That was really hard on Jeannette who, as the youngest, was really close to her sisters. “They were always really protective of me, “ she remembers fondly.

No less inspirational is this year’s Student of the Year finalist for the Community Mental Health & Addictions Worker program, Jeannette Leblanc.

And while she no longer wants to place limits on herself, odds are she’ll never win an Emmy or an Academy Award. She’s fine with that. She’s won something far greater: a new beginning.

“For my entire life I knew there was another life I wanted … And I knew I had to give up the life I had to have the one I wanted.” split up, her father stole his children from their mother and moved them to another city. Jeannette spent her formative years, from the age of two until five, subjected to horrific abuse at the hands of her father. “It was a very violent and traumatic beginning,” she recalls.

Jeannette makes it clear that she doesn’t want sympathy or pity. “I am not a victim,” she emphasizes. But as an advocate for marginalized women and men, she wants her story told. And she wants it told honestly. For a long time she tried to forget, to escape her past. She accepts it now and says, “the only thing I would change are the choices I made as an adult; the things that I can actually change.” She hopes that her story might

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Jeannette reaching the top of the Grouse Grind for the first time.

provide some inspiration and hope for those still suffering and promote greater understanding and compassion from the rest of us.

One of the realities of generational poverty is that the life a person has experienced is most often the life they are prepared for, hence its cyclical nature.

Even so, Jeannette expected that her life would be different than her mothers. And for a while it was.

After her father’s arrest, the children were returned to Jeannette’s mother; wanting to do the best she could for her children she gave up alcohol, joined Alcoholics Anonymous and got a job. However, as an uneducated woman with low self-esteem, she was unable to completely break the cycle of poverty that she had been born into. Jeannette remembers her mother as a “very strong woman.

She didn’t take handouts. She did what she had to do; she was a cab driver. But she felt a lot of shame for not being able to give her kids what she thought she should be able to.”

Jeannette’s mother got married a second time when Jeannette was 8 years old. The marriage ended four years later when her step-father was charged with the sexual and physical abuse of all of the girls. Perversely, the judge blamed the mother and her children and sentenced the abuser to 6 months probation.

Her mother did the best she could to raise the www.StenbergCollege.com

Photo by Jenny Bernardo

Jeannette Leblanc was born into a world of poverty, alcoholism and abuse. She was the youngest of four girls. Shortly after her parents

Jeannette has tears in her eyes as she remembers.

“Her death was very tragic but the bigger tragedy is how poverty further victimizes people …

There was no justice for my sister or our family.

The murderer walked free. Why? Because Monique wasn’t somebody who mattered. She was a street kid.”

Winner of Stenberg’s Ultimate Canucks Fan contest, Jeannette Leblanc, with Canucks star Mike Santorelli.

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“Jeannette empowers and encourages those around her to become their best version of themselves.�

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Success Magazine

2014 Student of the Year Finalist: Jeannette Leblanc, CMHAW Jeannette graduated high school, married her high school sweetheart and had two beautiful children. She and her husband were best friends and they planned to grow old together. They were comfortable, albeit living from pay cheque to pay cheque, with Jeannette working low paying jobs in retail and in bars.

Jeannette is unsure how it happened but after about fourteen years of marriage, substance use became substance abuse. Both she and her husband fell into addiction at about the same time although Jeannette spent most of her time in addiction alone. Hers was not the hard partying kind of addiction but rather a private and secretive addiction that she tried to hide from the world.

“All my suppressed stuff started to come up and I didn’t know how to cope,” she says. In three short years their lives became a “runaway train” and to this day she has difficulty accepting how her addiction and the breakup of her marriage affected her children.

As her addiction progressed, she got really sick with rheumatoid arthritis. “I couldn’t brush my teeth, my hair, put my shoes on. I couldn’t do anything,” she remembers. “My doctor told me that I would soon be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life.” But in the midst of the darkness was a small glimmer of light.

“For my entire life I knew there was another life I wanted,” she explains. “And I knew I had to give up the life I had to have the one I wanted.” She decided that she would no longer accept the things she couldn’t change and was “going to change the things I don’t accept.” Refusing to raise her kids as she’d been raised, Jeannette got clean and sober on her own after recognizing she had to begin “honouring” herself.

Determined to get her health back, and with the support of her family, she moved to BC. She immediately started treatment for her arthritis and within a month she was swimming, playing volleyball and had joined a gym. Without any post-secondary schooling, Jeannette had always worked in low paying jobs that would not allow her to support a young family as a single mother. She knew that if she was going to break the cycle, she needed to get an education.

There is a slogan in Alcoholics Anonymous that says simply, “To keep it [sobriety], you have to give it away.” Jeannette knew she wanted to help others and the Community Mental Health and Addiction Workers program at Stenberg College seemed ideal. In some ways she has been preparing for this program all her life. She also liked the fact that it encouraged people who have experienced mental health and addiction issues to apply. But mostly she chose Stenberg because it felt right.

Even though Jeannette had been out of school

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for more than 20 years, she made the most of her learning and leapt into her studies with 110%. Her instructors inspired her, the curriculum motivated her, and her fellow classmates supported her.

When asked ‘what was one essential truth you learned in the course of your studies’ she replied: “Caring about people is not enough. Because we all come with that intention. You have to honour yourself in order to really be effective for other people. There’s going to be moments when reflection’s going to knock you back. You’re going to think about things you haven’t thought about for a long time. It’s going to open up emotions that you might be unprepared for. But that’s all part of the process … Trust the process. Show up for you life everyday and you’ll be fine.”

“Caring about people is not enough. Because we all come with that intention. You have to honour yourself in order to really be effective for other people.”

… Jeannette has always gone above and beyond with everything that she does … and is highly motivated, productive, empathetic and determined to make a difference in the community.” “As someone who has worked in the field for 16 years,” wrote instructor Ferzana Jamani, “I cannot stress the need for an individual with Jeannette’s competence to help and support those in need.”

According to one of her employers who hired her after only 6 months in the program, “Jeannette is motivated, shows a strong work ethic and true compassion for those people who struggle with addictions and/or mental health.” She was commended for her “caring, empathetic and non-judgemental attitude” that has led her to ‘not only support some of the City’s most vulnerable individuals but to empower them to grow past their own barriers.” Jeannette has grown immensely in her role and is now a “leader for her peers and the clientele we serve.”

Midway through the program, Jeannette lost her mother whom she characterized as her biggest fan and most loyal supporter. She is unsure how she would have handled the loss had she not been at Stenberg. She had developed a number of strong relationships with students, instructors and staff and valued the stability and support she received.

“I kind of felt like an orphan but Stenberg was my home and my first solid family,” she says with gratitude. “There were some days when I couldn’t wait to get to school and go to Sharron’s office and get a hug.”

Jeannette flourished and graduated with a 95% Grade Point Average. “It wasn’t about overachieving,” she explains. “It was really important that I do my best and every A and A+ was for my mom and my kids.” Jeannette did much more than just excel academically – she took a leadership role in the classroom, advocating for students who couldn’t speak for themselves, encouraging understanding and promoting healthy communications. According to her classmates, Jeannette was compassionate, encouraging, enthusiastic and dedicated. One student praised Jeannette for being “quick to encourage and even quicker to lend a helping hand … She was a great help when I had trouble with assignments which in turn helped me to move forward and not give up.” Another student was appreciative that Jeannette took the “initiative to help her classmates understand the subject and to explain it to them clearly … She was always willing to lend an ear if you needed someone to talk to.” Perhaps the highest compliment came from a classmate with lived experience who said that Jeannette “empowers and encourages those around her to become their best version of themselves.” Clearly Jeannette made a difference in the classroom.

The transition from student to worker was impressive. Jeannette started working at Keys Housing & Health Solutions 6 months before she completed the program. “I was pretty happy about that. It allowed me to integrate all the tools I was learning.” A couple of months after that she was hired by Atira Women’s Resource Society.

“Coming from a family of women, I have a special place in my heart for women.” To this day, she continues to volunteer weekly at PHS where she completed one of her practicums.

Praise from her instructors was equally impressive.

Michelle Kotowski, who was not only one of Jeannette’s instructors but also her monitor on practicum and a supervisor in industry, said that “it has been my honour to be a small part in her journey and to see what greatness the future holds

Every story has an ending, but in life, every ending is a new beginning. For Jeannette, it has been a year of new beginnings … “I have removed all these limitations. They’ve fallen away … I feel I have none. Whatever limits I have are in my mind.

I did it. I broke the cycle. It was all me.”

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Jeannette embraced Stenberg as her extended family and made the most of every opportunity to participate as a student: Student Council, working at the Stenberg graduation ceremony, helping out at external events, fundraising for a local community agency and being active at Campus Life events. “I have been given such an opportunity that I have tried to make the most of everything.”

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“I’ve worked very hard. It’s been a long road with a lot of obstacles but I never gave up. If I want something, I work so hard to get it and I will overcome everything that is thrown at me.”

–Shelly Brick, Cardiology Technologist

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2014 Student of the Year Finalist: Shelly Brick, Cardiology Technologist

Follow your heart Shelly Brick achieves her dream to become a Cardiology Technologist leader and mentor for new employees. She wanted to make them feel comfortable when approaching her with questions or situations.

How far would you go to pursue your dream?

Would you give up a steady and comfortable job? Would you go back and retake your Grade 12 education twenty-five years after graduation?

That’s what Shelly Brick did. After 24 years working in a support role in hospitals, she was ready to do more. To reach her goal, it would take over 3 years to redo the necessary Grade 12 prerequisites and a few more years after that of intensive schooling at college.

Shelly has always wanted to work in a hospital.

When she was growing up, her aunt who was a nurse, would take her into the hospital for a behind-the-scenes look. She was hooked. “After high school I knew I wanted to work with people and I really wanted to work in the hospital. Every Friday I went in and applied for jobs until I got a call. I have been there for over 24 years. I started out in dietary, then housekeeping, x-ray porter, and finally a Unit Assistant in Emergency where I have been for the last twelve and a half years.”

Being a Unit Assistant in emergency kept her on her toes, but she wanted more. She wanted to take a more hands-on role with patients. After investigating different units and departments in the hospital, she decided on Cardiology Technology.

It took over 3 years for her to complete all the necessary schoolwork. For three and a half years she worked all day and went to school and studied in the evenings and weekends. The Cardiology department in the hospital where she works recommended Stenberg College’s Cardiology Technologist program to her. As it was online and condensed in format, it would certainly challenge her but would also take less time to complete than some of the other programs that were available.

After looking into Stenberg’s program, she decided to commit her life to it and took an educational leave from work for a year to focus on her studies.

As a mature student, it wasn’t always easy. “Doing it later on in life, I’m really proud of myself for doing it. There’s a lot more responsibility. I had a house to worry about, mortgage payments. It’s a little different than right out of high school. I was very proud that I actually accomplished it.”

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She found additional inspiration along the way from a fellow Grade 12 student. “When I was upgrading my Grade 12, I had to go and write a Math exam and I thought, ‘here I am at this age in high school writing a math exam …’ I felt old but there was a lady beside me who was 78 years old!

She was writing her Calculus exam and I got to talking to her and I was so amazed by her! I came to the conclusion that, ‘if she can do Calculus at 78 then age should never stop you.’ If you want something bad enough then you should do it. I was so amazed and I’ve never forgotten that.”

During the Cardiology Technologist Program, Shelly surprised herself by emerging as a leader among the students. “If anybody needed any help, I was always willing to help them. In labs, they tended to ask me if I knew this or that. I felt good helping them. I would never turn them away or make them feel bad. I never intended to be the leader, but I ended up being that way. I worked really hard and studied a lot so they always came to me. I’ve never been in that position before in school and it actually helped my confidence to grow. When I finally went out into the field, I had the confidence I got from Stenberg … from my studies and being in the labs and talking online to fellow students.” Even when she worked as a Unit Assistant she took on a leadership role and was the Head Trainer in the Emergency department.

Her innate coaching approach made her a natural www.StenbergCollege.com

As much as she excelled at Stenberg College – with a remarkable 96% Grade Point Average – school never came easy to Shelly and her success is a testament to her hard work. In high school she would reach out for additional tutoring and even during her time at Stenberg, she wouldn’t hesitate to ask her Cardiology Technologist coworkers about concepts she was struggling with. The modular format of the program (taking one course at a time) also helped Shelly master concepts one at a time rather than juggle 4 or 5 courses simultaneously.

Her hard work paid off as she was hired as a casual Cardiology Technologist before graduation. A week after she completed her studies, she started work as a Cardiology Technologist. “I finished on July 4th and I let out a big sigh. I actually did it. I actually accomplished this. ‘You deserve a pat on the back, I told myself. I’m very proud, very happy that I actually made it through. Everyone kept telling me, ‘if I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t redo my Grade 12. I would quit.’ But I wanted to do more and if that’s what I have to do, that’s what I have to do.” Even before taking her licensing exam, she’s able to participate in patient care, helping the health care team interpret ECGs. “I get to work with Cardiologists, I get to do tests, I get to read it. Being able to read it and tell them [nurses] what’s happening…it makes me feel good that I can actually catch it and show them. It’s a very rewarding feeling to be able to do that.”

Shelly was nominated not only for her excellent grades but her dedication to education and to her classmates. Her hard work, professionalism, and spirit of education were noted in the feedback received by the committee. Shelly herself recognizes the incredible journey she has been on. “I’ve worked very hard. It’s been a long road with a lot of obstacles but I never gave up. If I want something, I work so hard to get it and I will overcome everything that is thrown at me. I enjoy the job, I’m still learning and I love the people I work with. They’re great … I can’t see anything else I want to do.”

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2014 Student of the Year Finalist: Shelly Brick, Cardiology Technologist

I changed me

Maricar Smith Education Assistant

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Stenberg College Regional Graduation Ceremony: Atlantic Canada

Left to right (Province in brackets): Diana Blakney (NB), Daniel Glover (NS), Katie Yetman (NS), Jon Hanna (NB), Kelly Francois (NS), Ron Smith (NS), Gillian O’Neill (NS), Jaye MacMullin (NS), Danielle Goff-Beaton (NS) Missing: Denise Garnett (NB), Steve Budden (NL), Steven Rutledge (NS), Christina Doherty (NB) Article by Blake Hunsley

Photography by Curtis Rothney

Atlantic Canada Cardio Tech grads celebrate success Any college graduation will be filled with proud students, but at Stenberg College’s regional graduation ceremony in Halifax, NS, the Cardiology Technology graduates seemed not just proud, but remarkably confident and optimistic.

Ask any of the graduates and they’ll tell you that there is a bright future awaiting them. For many, that future already includes employment in their field. And for all of the graduates, that future is brighter in a number of ways, thanks to their Stenberg experience.

Graduate Gillian O’Neill received a job offer only a week into her clinical preceptorship, the final component of Stenberg’s intensive 60 week program. Before she had even finished her studies she found herself with a new career, and a new appreciation for her own capabilities. “I’m really proud of myself for what I’ve been able to accomplish in the past 14 months,” O’Neill says.

“I worked the whole time I was studying, and I’m impressed that I could do it all. I have more faith in myself, and I’m more confident …” Graduate Katie Yetman, who shares O’Neill’s experience of being offered employment before completing her course work, also shares her feelings on the positive outlook that comes with being a Stenberg student. “It made me feel like I could do anything,” Success Magazine

Yetman says. “I didn’t think I could do a course like this so late in my life and do so well, but Stenberg really sets you up for success.”

Being prepared for success is a common theme among the graduates when they describe their learning experience with Stenberg. This is in part due to the combined delivery nature of the program which combines in-class with guided (instructorled) online learning formats, allowing students to complete the majority of the program within their respective home community. “The combined delivery approach, partially online and partially in person, was excellent,” says graduate Ron Smith, who particularly appreciated the flexibility offered by the online component. “The program was good for my family,” he explains. “My routine allowed me to walk my oldest daughter to school in the morning before I started my course work, and to pick her up afterwards.” While the combined delivery approach allows the flexibility of a correspondence program, it also offers enough structure to keep the students on track. “It requires discipline,” Smith says. “You’re working at your own pace, but there are regular online meetings, and there are criteria that you have to meet each week. It’s all facilitated by an instructor and an assistant, so the whole time you feel supported.” www.StenbergCollege.com

“It’s not a traditional correspondence program,” instructor Jennifer MacDonald explains. “The students and professors interact constantly throughout the program and that creates a real classroom community online.” Frequent interactions with their classmates and instructors helped many students to feel much more comfortable and supported when the time came for them to attend the practical lab section of the program. “They really get a strong lab experience before they go on their clinical assignments,” MacDonald says. “That means they can learn even more deeply when they’re doing their clinical work. They’re not stuck with some of the theory questions, because their knowledge and skills are already really strong when they get there.”

During their clinical assignments at hospitals and clinics throughout Atlantic Canada, the performance of Stenberg’s Cardiology Technologist students is carefully assessed by Cardiac Clinical Monitors like Lynn Sharp. Part of her job is to meet with preceptors, the hospital staff who mentor and guide the students through their clinical experience. Sharp, who is frequently referred to by students as “Monitor Mom”, looked every bit the proud parent as she watched her graduates assemble in their caps and gowns.

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Stenberg College Regional Graduation Ceremony: Atlantic Canada The dedication of the staff and their availability for help is something that all of the Stenberg grads pointed out throughout the graduation ceremony.

“The instructors were always there for us,” says graduate Jon Hanna. “They really wanted to help, and they wanted what was best for us.”

Five students from Atlantic Canada were nominated for Student of the Year honours (left to right): Ron Smith, Diana Blakney, Danielle Goff-Beaton, Kelly Francois Missing: Steven Rutledge

“It’s going to be very hard to follow this group of students,” Sharp says. “The preceptors’ responses were amazing. They found all the students very well prepared, knowledgeable, professional, and mature.” Sharp shares the preceptors’ high opinions of her students, having been impressed with their dedication throughout the program.

“For a lot of them it’s not their first career,” Sharp says. “They have jobs and families and they all have responsibilities to juggle. It just makes their accomplishments seem that much more amazing to me.”

While Sharp may be the only instructor to receive a parental nickname (so far), the bond between Stenberg’s instructors and their graduating students is a strong and mutually respectful one. For graduate Danielle Goff-Beaton, this relationship came as a pleasant surprise. “There was a lot more of a personal connection than I thought there would be through an online program,” she explains. “We saw the instructors every week during a face-to-face video chat, and we got to know them fairly well. We’d write them for help and they would write back almost immediately.”

A big part of helping the students meant helping them prepare for their upcoming national certification exams, which they must pass in order to register with the Canadian Society of Cardiology Technologists (CSCT). Stenberg’s recognition by the CSCT, and its accreditation with the Canadian Medical Association, are important reasons why many students choose to study with Stenberg. Registration with the CSCT is a vital step towards advancing in their careers, and the students’ instructors are rigorous in ensuring that they are properly prepared.

“The instructors were really great at preparing us for the exam,” says graduate Jaye McMullin.

“We talked about what to study, what to look for, and how some of the questions could look. It really helped me to organize my thoughts.” Fellow graduate Daniel Glover believes that every step of the Cardiology Technologist course prepared him for the exam, and for his new career. “It’s well organized, and you couldn’t ask for a better staff,” he explains. “You learn the theory, but that doesn’t really give you the hands-on skills. So the labs are what really solidify you being ready for the next step, for clinical practice and for your career.”

As for the national certification exam, Glover shares his classmates’ confidence. “I could write it tomorrow,” he says. “No problem.”

As with any college course, the real final test is whether or not the graduates can follow up on their academic success by becoming successes in their chosen career field. One of the most popular reasons for choosing the Cardiology Technologist program is that a high rate of retirement in the field means a wave of upcoming placement

opportunities. “It’s really opening up,” says graduate Kelly Francois. “In the hospital I’m at there’s been almost a complete staff turnover in the last five years, and there’s more to come.” Like many of her classmates, Francois was offered a position early in her clinical assignment. “I just flowed right into my job and have had no issues since,” Francois says. “From the first day I just felt really prepared.”

For Stenberg’s graduates, gaining employment means more than just finding a job, it means the beginning of a long and rewarding career.

“It’s nice to be able to say that I’m a Cardiology Technologist, and to know that I’ll have a career in that field for a long time,” says graduate Diana Blakney. “I feel like it’s setting me up well for the future.” A career with a future is exactly why classmate Jon Hanna chose to apply to Stenberg.

“I was doing electrical work and I never knew when I’d be working,” he says. “I would never know when I’d be laid off.” Hanna now works in a position that was created for him at the hospital where he worked his clinical assignment. “It’s a casual position but it’s a foot in the door,” he points out. “It’s step in the right direction.”

With all that Stenberg’s instructors have done to prepare them for their new careers, it’s no surprise that so many graduates have been offered positions well before graduation. But with graduation day finally upon them, the students were greeted with one final surprise from their instructors. Along with the college administration, the instructors have nominated five students from the Atlantic region to receive a Student of the Year award, which not only recognises the outstanding academic achievements of the nominees, but also awards the winner (chosen from all Stenberg’s graduates) a tuition reimbursement of up to $20,000.

With the possibility of immediately earning back their tuition, it’s no wonder the graduates of Stenberg’s 2014 Cardiology Technologist program studied so hard and practiced so diligently. But judging from the glowing reviews given by their instructors, the gratitude and respect they have for their classmates, and their success at finding positions in their field, it’s clear that these graduates worked hard for a lot of different reasons. They worked hard for their rewarding new careers, for the respect of their colleagues and their families, and for a newfound sense of pride in themselves. “It’s been so rewarding and so satisfying to see them grow so much,” says instructor Leslie Taylor. “They’ve learned so much, and they’ve built so much confidence.

It’s been great to see them accomplish what they set out to do, and now they’re going out into the workforce and making a real difference in the lives of patients that they meet.”

Faculty in attendance (left to right): Lynn Sharpe, Alicia Drew, Paulina Fratczak, Megan Pettipas, Ashley Samms, Jen MacDonald, Elvira Amaya, Sheila Williams, Lesley Taylor

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I changed me

troy balderson Community Mental Health Worker

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I changed me

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