Success magazine 2013

2013 / 2014

Student of the year Finalists Inspire Student of the year Winners’ Profiles Stenberg grad named nacc graduate of the year

Craig Kielburger inspires at Stenberg’s inaugural Be the Change Symposium

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.

2013 Student of the Year Winners

Co-winner ($10,000) Rob Syms Cardiology Technologist

Co-winner ($10,000) RUPINDER BHANGU Practical Nursing

2013 Student of the Year Finalists

1st Runner-up ($2,500) Madhu Deuja Health Care Assistant

2nd Runner-up ($1,000) Crystal Taylor Medical Lab Assistant

3rd Runner-up ($1,000) Ai Ito Psychiatric Nursing

4th Runner-up ($500) MANINDER NARWAL Hospital Support Specialist

SARA AYERST Special Education Assistant

Rebecca bravo Cardiology Technologist (D)

Natalya gileff Nursing Unit Clerk

Dan gregoire Community Mental Health & Addictions Worker

jessicA letts Early Childhood Education

amir mesrorniya Community Support Worker

2013 Nominees Jocelyn Gonzales, CMHAW Farhana Khan, CSW Tracey Immelman, ECE Kathleen Cox, HCA Eloisa Paragas, HCA Katrisha Valenciano, HSS Laarni Mortimer, MLA Ashmeeta Devi, NUC

Oana Nicaora, NUC Supreet Dhaul, PN Harvinder Sandhu, PN Jamie Brennan, SEA Arthur Cormode, SEA Marijana Pismestrovic, SEA Leanne Komm, RDPN Alexis Winter, RDPN

“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

Contents

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.

2013 Student of the Year Finalists Inspire...... 2 Rob Syms: The Sun Always Rises...................... 5 Rupinder Bhangu: A Butterfly Emerges............ 9 Madhu Deuja: Grace Under Fire...................... 11 Crystal Taylor: Making a Difference................ 15 Ai Ito: Lost & Found......................................... 16 Maninder Narwal: Inspired by Education........ 19 Fawzi Ahmad: NACC Graduate of the Year...... 21 Be the Change Symposium........................... 24

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 & Editing: Billie-Ann Woo, Les Merson, Julia Zado Photography: Ken Villeneuve Design: Beata Stolarska Student of the Year Committee: Zana Becker (Education), Tabatha Patterson (Career & Alumni Services), Daniela Anania (Student Services), 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 © 2013 Printed in Canada

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2013 Student of the Year Winners

Student of the Year Winners Inspire Celebrating growth, transformation and achievement Stenberg College is a place of new beginnings for the hundreds of students each year who enroll in classes to train for new careers in health care and human services. Whether students are taking classes at Stenberg’s flagship campus at Central City in Surrey, B.C., offsite at the New Life Childcare Centre in Surrey or the Station Street housing complex in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, or online across Canada, their experience is often united by profound personal and professional transformation. To celebrate their achievements as they graduate from the college, faculty and staff come together each year to recognize exceptional students across all programs and to nominate them for consideration as Stenberg’s Student of the Year.

Now in its eighth year, the award goes to students who embody Stenberg’s mission to develop caring graduates who benefit their professional and personal communities. “It’s not just about graduating and getting a job,” says Stenberg President Jeremy Sabell. “We really believe that people coming out of Stenberg can and do make significant and positive contributions to their community and to society as a whole.”

With so many exceptional students graduating from Stenberg each year, the competition is stiff.

Just to be nominated for the award, students must

Co-winner, Rupinder Bhangu, LPN

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“It’s not just about graduating and getting a job. We really believe that people coming out of Stenberg can make significant and positive contributions to their community and to society as a whole.”

– Jeremy Sabell, President, Stenberg College maintain a minimum academic record of 80% and must have no more than seven absences during the course of their program. On top of that, they must consistently display excellence as a student, professional, and community member; exceptional leadership skills; a positive, caring and proactive attitude; as well as a commitment to community service and volunteerism.

Choosing a “winner” is never an easy task.

A six-member committee consisting of Stenberg faculty and staff spent two rigorous, 8-hour days interviewing each of the 12 Student of the Year finalists, narrowing their choices down to one Student of the Year award winner. The stakes are high as the winner receives a full tuition reimbursement of up to $20,000. The committee also chose four runners-up who were awarded between $500 and $2,500 each this year. The committee’s choices are informed by interviews with student nominees and letters of recommendation from instructors, practicum supervisors, employees, relatives, classmates, and friends.

This year, the Student of the Year award is shared by two incredibly deserving individuals, Practical Nursing graduate, Rupinder Bhangu and Cardiology Technologist graduate, Rob Syms.

Rob was born with significant heart problems and was not expected to live. By the time he was five, he had undergone two major open-heart operations and doctors had patched 13 holes in the septum of his heart. In high school, Rob was an average student who lacked confidence in his abilities, having lived a life of “no you can’t.” www.StenbergCollege.com

He struggled with drugs and alcohol as a young adult until he met Cynthia, the woman who would become his wife and his “rock.” It makes sense that Rob would choose a career in Cardiology Technology, something he has literally been preparing for all his life. His is the incredibly inspirational story of a young man who came to believe that he could. Beyond a 92% Grade Point Average, Rob was a passionate and compassionate student. His commitment to his studies and his work ethic was unparalleled; but what really set Rob apart was his commitment to the success of his fellow students. Rob “would like people to know that you can overcome anything. In my case, with the health condition and the addictions, you can turn it into something positive and use if for good.” As co-winner, Rob will receive a cheque for $10,000.

Rupinder Bhanghu has always wanted to be a nurse. Her cousin, Jas, was like a brother to her and after he was diagnosed with Leukemia at 21 years old, Rupinder experienced first hand, the positive effects of nursing and health care support.

“Jas knew I wanted to be a nurse and encouraged me to be one because he knew I cared and would be a good one … He told me that nurses’ attitudes affected how he felt and was an important part of his treatment.” And when she lost Jas when she

Co-winner, Rob Syms, RCT

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2013 Student of the Year Winners

1st runner-up, Madhu Deuja, HCA

“This nomination has encouraged me to keep going…

Practical Nurse, Registered Nurse.

I want to do more.”

– Madhu Deuja was only 15, it only solidified her resolve to be a nurse and helped her to develop greater empathy.

The girl who was uninspired and struggled in high school, became a studious bookworm who spent all her time studying. She achieved a remarkable 92% GPA and excelled in her preceptorships but it was her caring and compassion towards others that makes her so special. As co-winner, Rupinder also received a cheque for $10,000.

Madhu Deuja, a Health Care Assistant (HCA) graduate is the first runner-up and receives $2,5000. Madhu came to Canada with her husband in 2006 and like many other immigrants new to Canada she was confronted by culture shock, a lack of social support, and lack of recognition for her Bachelor’s degree. “I thought Canada would be heaven. But it was really really tough.”

Shortly after the birth of her daughter in 2008, her husband suffered a debilitating chronic medical condition. Madhu was left to support the family while caring for a sick husband and young daughter. Working two or three minimum wage jobs, seven days a week, Madhu decided to change her life and become a Health Care Assistant.

Even with the sudden death of her husband while she was in school, Madhu still achieved a GPA of 92% and earned the respect and admiration of her classmates and instructors. Her instructor, Anita Dickson says that “Madhu is an exemplary student and one of the strongest women I know.

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She will be a great HCA. I am proud to have been her instructor and part of this wonderful student’s journey.”

Crystal Taylor, a Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) graduate is the second runner-up and receives $1,000. As a teen, she battled through major illness and “thinking back to my surgeries and being reminded of the staff who put in so much time and care made me realize that I want to be part of something bigger than myself … and that I want to make a difference.”

After she recovered, Crystal was looking for a condensed-format program that would allow her to start earning a living faster and chose the MLA program at Stenberg. Her instructor, Bal Ollek says, “Crystal was an exceptional student, very professional, considerate and caring. She demonstrated keen interest in learning the finer points of her chosen field and is enthusiastic and personable. One of the best students we’ve ever had.”

Ai Ito, a Psychiatric Nursing graduate is the 3rd runner-up and receives $1,000. Ai believes that the first-hand experience and insights she gained when she suffered an emotional breakdown in her early twenties make her a more compassionate and effective psychiatric nurse. “I know how it feels … and I also understand the power of having the

2nd runner-up, Crystal Taylor, MLA

Maninder’s story is one of true dedication and passion for education. Growing up in India, her parents encouraged her to do well in her studies and was partway through her Bachelors of Science when she got married and moved to Canada.

Although life got in the way of her completing her education, the timing was finally right for her and her family and she graduated from the Hospital Support Specialist program with flying colours.

She shared her passion for education with her fellow classmates, helping out those who were struggling both academically and personally with the transition back to the classroom. The spirit of education is clearly embodied in Maninder and its influence has affected her family. She is an amazing role model for her children who are inspired by their mom’s dedication to her schoolwork and her nomination as Student of the Year. Maninder is a true testament to the success that education and hard work can yield and their family is determined to continue that tradition.

4th runner-up Maninder Narwal, HSS

support and what it can do for one’s recovery.” Her Preceptor, Robert Bruvold, RPN, says “Not in my 40 years of nursing have I seen a student receive so many compliments from so many sources …

I am at the end of my career and feel happy and confident that I can pass the torch to Ai Ito and she will carry forward the practice of Psychiatric Nursing.”

Maninder Narwal, a Hospital Support Specialist graduate is the 4th runner-up and receives $500. www.StenbergCollege.com

3rd runner-up, Ai Ito, RPN

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“I can’t express how incredible this year’s been … My confidence and the growth within me have been astronomical. I owe so much to Stenberg.”

– Rob Syms, Cardiology Technologist graduate

2013 Student of the Year Co-Winner: Rob Syms, Cardiology Technologist

The Sun Always Rises Rob Syms’ incredible journey from darkness to light “No matter how dark the night is, the sun always rises again.” – Unknown When Rob Syms graduated from high school, would anyone have chosen him as a future Student of the Year winner at Stenberg College? Probably not. And if you’d asked Rob when he was five what he wanted to be when he grew up, he might have said, simply, “Alive.” At twelve? Same. Or at fifteen, in the midst of his battle with drug abuse?

Not sure. Or at nineteen, in the midst of his battle with alcohol? Who knows? But one thing is for certain, Rob Syms rose, almost phoenix-like from the ashes of his past to achieve incredible successes in Stenberg College’s Cardiology Technologist program. His journey was remarkable and inspiring but it was not easy …

Rob Syms was born with a significant heart problem and his parents were told to “enjoy the time you have with him” as he wasn’t expected to live very long. He spent a lot of time in Children’s Hospital as a child undergoing two major openheart operations, one at five months and the other at five years of age. As a result of the surgeries, he suffers from supraventricular tachycardia which Rob explains is a uncontrolled racing heart beat and which prevents adequate oxygen supply to the heart and is very dangerous.

When he was five years old, doctors patched 13 holes in the septum of his heart. “It was like Swiss cheese,” Rob explains. “The doctors were cautiously optimistic and said, ‘We’ll see how it goes.’

My right kidney shut down when I was 12 years old and caused enough damage that I had to have kidney surgery. Again, the doctors were guarded and said, ‘We’ll see how it goes.’ Once again, after a second kidney surgery at 22 years old, the doctors would only say, ‘We’ll see how it goes.’”

“I was very much a boy in the bubble,” Rob remembers. “My mother was incredibly loving and nurturing and cared for me but because of my medical condition, strict limitations were placed on me. I remember sitting on the couch watching my sisters and the neighbourhood kids playing in the snow. I didn’t ride a bike until I was 14 years old …

I was treated differently at school. At the beginning of every school year my dad would go and talk to the principal and my teachers and remind them of my heart problem and that I had limitations. Of course, as a kid I wanted to participate: Success Magazine

recess, physical education class, you name it …”

However those weren’t always viable options. It just depended on how my heart was doing at the time.”

As a child, Rob was bullied at times and resented for the special treatment he received but what he remembers is the compassion he received from others. Some of his childhood friends were those who really cared. “As a teenager I fell in love with hockey, as most Canadian boys do, and started to play street hockey but with limitations,” Rob remembers with a hint of a smile. “It started around the time of the first kidney surgery and I started off playing goal because it was the least impactful. As long as I had padding, I was safe … And my friends knew that you didn’t take slapshots on me.”

Rob was born with a significant heart problem and his parents were told to “enjoy the time you have with him” as he wasn’t expected to live very long.

Until Rob was 13, he was on digoxin, a heart medication with side effects that made him lethargic. He was a rather quiet kid with average marks. “My teachers never seemed to really have a problem with me, but they never had anything fantastic to say. I was just there.”

Shortly after he entered high school, his parents divorced, sending Rob into a downward spiral of drugs and truancy. “I had no confidence … Who was believing in me? Who was telling me ‘yes you can’? I lived a life of ‘no you can’t’,” Rob explained. In Grade 9 he almost died from a drug overdose. “They actually used the paddles to bring me back … You’d think I’d quit but I didn’t. I took an 18 month hiatus from it and then fell back into things again.”

Drugs and serious heart problems are obviously an unhealthy combination, but neither common sense nor concerns for his heart caused Rob to eventually quit doing drugs. After one too www.StenbergCollege.com

many trips to emergency, Rob simply tired of the “nuisance” that his addiction was causing him and stopped.

Shortly after high school, Rob moved to Alberta to work. The legal drinking age in Alberta was 18 and Rob began drinking excessively, replacing drugs with alcohol.

His kidney worsened from the drinking and he was forced to return home to BC to seek medical treatment (he didn’t have medical coverage in Alberta). Rob moved back home to Abbotsford and the drinking continued.

“At that age, I had very little ambition. I liked partying. It was excessive and very destructive but I was too cowardly or too proud to do anything about it. I realized it was a problem, particularly when I’d get home and my heart would go into supraventricular tachycardia but I’d be too drunk to do anything about it so I’d just go to sleep …”

Rob is very open about his youthful indiscretions. “It is part of who I am and I think makes me a more compassionate caregiver. Working in the Cardiac and Emergency Units, I see it first hand and I’ve had the opportunity to speak to a few individuals in the midst of their addictions and say, ‘I’ve been there.’”

When Rob was 24, he met a “cute” brunette, Cynthia, at the Walmart Christmas party. Realizing she wasn’t a party girl, he suggested to her and her friends that they should all go mini-golfing sometime. They did and he had a fantastic time, sober.

“I woke up the next morning and I remembered everything,” Rob says. He started hanging out with Cynthia and her friends more and more and with his drinking buddies less and less. Around the time he met Cynthia, Rob became a committed Christian and he credits the positive changes in his life to his faith and to his wife Cynthia who is his “rock when facing challenges, my solace in times of defeat and sadness, my inspiration that keeps driving me forward and my personal cheerleader when sharing and celebrating my achievements.”

Early on in their relationship, before they were married, Rob asked Cynthia if she ever thought of ending their relationship. She said pointedly, “Every time you drink.” Rob never drank again.

That was 11 years ago. Today they are happily 5

2013 Student of the Year Co-Winner: Rob Syms, Cardiology Technologist

Rob and his “rock,” his wife Cynthia.

married with a newborn baby boy, Andrew.

Rob put his career ambitions on hold while Cynthia pursued a degree in teaching. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do but I knew I wanted to help people. I volunteered at the hospital for about a year. Since then, I’ve been working as a porter at the hospital for the past four years.” Bonnie Laing, a Cardiology Technologist at Abbotsford Regional Hospital remembers when Rob first came to volunteer. “Rob would come from time to time to observe in the department to get a good understanding of the duties of a Cardiology Technologist. He always seemed eager to help in any way and in the quieter times during the work day, he would ask a lot of questions about my approach to patient care.” Of his time as a volunteer, Susan LeClair, Supervisor of Diagnostic Cardiology at Abbotsford Regional Hospital, “was impressed with how comfortable Rob was being around patients and the chaotic environment of the emergency room.” Rob soon realized that a career in Cardiology Technology was something he’d literally been preparing for all of his life.

Rob pursued his education at Stenberg with passion, commitment and, most notably, compassion.

“I took my Stenberg opportunity and tried to turn it into as much as I could,” he says. He was the Campus Student Cleaner. He was on Student Council and spoke to other classes about participating on Student Council. Leading by example, Rob participated in Campus Life events with great spirit and enthusiasm “always trying to encourage all students to do their best and have some fun while studying so hard.” He organized studentdirected study groups and after graduating, came back to tutor this year’s Cardiology Technology students. As someone whose second home had been a hospital while growing up, he shared his experiences as a patient and regularly lent his arms to the students who needed volunteers so they could practice drawing blood.

One of Rob’s instructors, Steve Paras, said that what most impressed him was, “Rob’s desire to assist other students … in his class and throughout the college … I know Rob’s influence made the class a better place.” When Rob’s class got to the course on Electrocardiography (ECG) Interpretation, arguably the most difficult course in the program, Rob got up in front of the class and said, “We are family; we have to stick together and 6

work together. Some of us aren’t going to get this as quickly as others, but those that are getting it, please share your resources. How are you getting it? What tricks are you using? Are you using an acronym?” Classmate Kristin Sali appreciated the “great consideration and deep respect Rob has for others … As a student from another province, Rob routinely took time to make sure I felt at ease within my new school and living environment …

Rob conducted class review sessions, created study guides and additional forms to assist in our learning environment, organized study groups as well as taking the initiative to help fellow classmates understand the material. On one occasion he brought in two cow’s hearts to engage kinaesthetic learning among his classmates.” Another classmate, Kuljit Sandhu, was impressed by the positive impact Rob had on the campus. “Rob would often stop in the halls and offer an encouraging word to other students from a variety of cohorts. He would

Rob realized that a career in Cardiology Technology was something he’d literally been preparing for all of his life. often volunteer his arms, more specifically his veins, to students who needed people for venipuncture practice. Rob would make every effort to make sure every student he came in contact with had success.”

From his experiences on both sides of health care, as a patient and a practitioner, the “Compassion Initiative” evolved. Rob would lead discussions amongst his classmates and with other classes on what compassionate health care might look like. “I’ve been a patient my whole life. I’ve worked and volunteered in health care for the last four years. I drew on my knowledge and experi-

ences and shared what I thought compassionate health care might look like – the pros, the cons, what can we do better?… It’s an interactive discussion, trying to help students with limited experiences in health care to better understand what they’re going to experience.”

In one of Stenberg’s most academically rigorous programs, Rob, the kid who was barely there in high school achieved a 92% Grade Point Average! “I get my work ethic from my Dad who is a long-haul truck driver who has hardly taken a day off in his life,” Rob explains. On practicum, he continued to shine. Susan LeClair, his practicum preceptor says, “While on practicum, Rob’s work ethic was unmatched. He would work a full day on practicum and then change uniforms and work as a porter for a few hours in the evenings. Rob’s thirst for knowledge has never been matched by any other student I have mentored while on practicum in the last 5 years I have been a Cardiology Supervisor. The characteristic that stands out most in Rob is his passion for compassionate patient care.

Rob truly cares about patients.”

Not surprisingly, Rob was hired as a casual shortly after he passed the national certification exam and currently works at Abbotsford Regional Hospital and occasionally in doctor’s offices.

“I can’t express how incredible this year’s been … My confidence and the growth within me have been astronomical. I owe so much to Stenberg.

Stenberg gave me the opportunities and the instructors … In particular, Steve Paras was an inspiration in my Stenberg journey. He believed in me and encouraged me to teach.” Rob also expressed gratitude towards his family and friends, his classmates, and the staff at Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Sodexo.

“My darkness was turned into light … I would like people to know that you can overcome anything. In my case, with the health condition and the addictions, you can turn it into something positive and use it for good.”

Rob and his newborn son, Andrew.

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You want a better life. Job satisfaction. Financial security. Respect. You want to help others.

Change your life today Cardiology Technologist (ONLINE & Classroom)

Hospital Support Specialist / Medical Office Assistant

The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) has granted this program its highest accreditation status, a 6 year accreditation.

Train to work in hospitals and health care facilities as an Admitting/ Registration Clerk, Health Records Clerk; Diagnostic Imaging Clerk, Hospital Switchboard Operator, Medical Secretary and more. Entry level wages from $18.16 - $21/hour.

Community Mental Health & Addictions Worker In partnership with PHS Community Services Society and Lookout Emergency Aid Society, the curriculum has been prepared by industry to support individuals with mental health challenges and addictions. Entry level wages range from $18.03 to $19.72/hour.

Medical Laboratory Assistant The wage range of Stenberg Medical Laboratory Assistant grads working in their field of study is $18.04 - $23.70 per hour.

Community Support Worker

Nursing Unit Clerk

In partnership with Semiahmoo House Society and Delta Community Living Society, the unique curriculum for this program has been prepared to support people with developmental disabilities (such as Autism, Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy), physical challenges or other special needs.

Nursing Unit Clerks are the coordinators of patient care departments.

The average wage for Stenberg grads is $20.77/hour. plus 12.2% in lieu of benefits.

Early Childhood Educator/Preschool Teacher Basic certificate & Post-Basic diploma (ONLINE)

Our program follows the Provincial Practical Nursing Curriculum (2011) and provides a learning experience that is integrated, professional, collaborative, and culturally competent with an aim to prepare graduates to care for individuals (and by extension, families of individuals) at multiple life stages and in a variety of practice settings Currently wages for LPNs within Fraser Health Region are between $24.01-$25.50 per hour. FREE Biology 12.

In partnership with Wind & Tide Preschools, the Early Childhood Educator/ Preschool Teacher (Basic – certificate) is offered as a classroom-based program, with both a Monday-Friday program schedule and an evenings and weekend program schedule. The Post Basic diploma level program is offered via instructor-facilitated online learning in combination with a one day/week classroom session. Integrated observations and practical field work is a component of all programs.

Health Care Assistant (formerly Resident Care Aide/Home Support) This 30 week program teaches you to support elderly individuals and help them maintain a level of independence while easing their pain and improving their quality of life. Health Care Assistants work in Extended and Intermediate Care Facilities, Home Support Agencies, Adult Day Care Centers, and Assisted Living residences. Graduates will be registered with the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry which will allow you to work in government funded health care facilities. Wages range from $17 to $21/hour. FREE College Preparatory program and ongoing ESL support.

Practical Nursing

Psychiatric Nursing (ONLINE) There is an urgent need for more Registered Psychiatric Nurses (RPN) in BC. Learn at home through guided online learning combined with local clinical placements and some local classroom delivery. This 23 month program is accredited by the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of BC (CRPNBC). Entry-level earnings start at $30.79/hour to $40.42/hour.

Special Education Assistant (ONLINE & Classroom) You can become a Special Education Assistant in just 9 months! Average starting wage in school districts is $25/hour. You will receive training in Autism Spectrum Disorders & Introduction to Applied Behaviour Analysis.

Therapeutic Recreation – Gerontology (ONLINE) Learn at home through guided online learning combined with some local classroom delivery, integrated practice experiences as well as a 6-week full-time practicum. Older adults are the fastest growing age group in Canada, resulting in a growing employment need for professionals who can support and promote optimal health for seniors. Earn up to $23.50/hour.

FREE College Preparatory program and ongoing ESL support.

You may be eligible for government student loans and funding.

Over 92% of our grads are employed in their field of study within 6 months of graduation.

Rupinder is “the kindest, warmest, and most caring person I’ve ever met. She is blessed with an exceptionally positive attitude that makes everyone around her feel comfortable, accepted and understood. Rupi has a natural affinity for helping those in need and I truly would not have made it through my many health struggles without her.”

2013 Student of the Year Co-Winner: Rupinder Bhanghu, Practical Nursing

A Butterfly Emerges “Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly.”

Rupinder Bhangu has always wanted to be a nurse. That was the dream that kept her going through high school – most of which didn’t interest her. “I was never the kid who got straight As. When I was in high school, I didn’t like to do things I didn’t enjoy. My teachers counselled me to ‘Push yourself, apply yourself and you’ll do well.’”

She found an old journal dating back to when she was 11 years old that read, “All I want to be is a nurse. I don’t want to be in school right now.”

After high school, Rupinder began the process of completing the prerequisites for the Registered Nursing (RN) program. Once again, she found it difficult to focus on classes that she didn’t feel inspired by. Her difficulties were compounded by the realities of seeking entrance into such a competitive program with a 2-year wait list that had actually stopped accepting applicants.

Rupinder found herself at a breaking point. She desperately wanted to be in a Nursing program, but the prospects of entering an RN program was at least two or more years away. Could she continue to toil away at classes while waiting or work in an unfulfilling job? She made the dramatic decision to take action. “I’ve wanted to be a nurse since I was 11 and I wanted to be a nurse now. So I thought, ‘why don’t I do a Practical Nursing (PN) diploma?’

It might not be where I want to end up but it’s heading towards my final goal.” Unwilling to put her dream to become a nurse on hold any longer she started looking for a PN program. A search narrowed down her options to Stenberg College.

She did her due diligence and found that others spoke glowingly of Stenberg’s Program and it had no wait lists. She made an appointment and almost immediately, Rupinder knew this was “where I wanted to go. They weren’t pushy at all … The Program Advisor was amazing. She told me how difficult and challenging the program was which didn’t surprise me. This was nursing after all …

The other thing she told me was that after completing a Practical Nursing diploma it would be easier to get into a Registered Nursing program and that I would enter with advanced standing.”

Once she committed herself to the Practical Nursing Program at Stenberg, the things that had Success Magazine

The girl whose potential had long been recognized but never realized, who had struggled through high school doing things she didn’t want to do, had finally taken off and emerged from her cocoon a soaring butterfly. formerly defined her took a backseat as she pursued her goal. The sociable and outgoing Rupinder became a bookworm, surprising those around her.

“The way I was in high school is so different from the way I am now. People say, ‘You’re the same person? You’re spending all your time studying?’

Even at Stenberg, the teachers were surprised to see me studying even after our long days. I was the student that stayed late. Even if there wasn’t an exam, I was just so interested. But in high school I would have been the one going out, socializing.”

The girl who struggled to apply herself found her

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passion in nursing and she wasted no time in jumping right in.

Rupinder assumed a leadership role in the class and became the Class Representative and frequently found herself reaching out or being sought out for schooling help. Her aptitude and passion for nursing was quickly recognized by those around her. “Even in the first semester, one of my instructors, Marie, came up to me and said, ‘I can see that this is what you want to do; this is where you belong.’” That instructor Marie Caron, who has a Masters in Nursing, has become a role model for Rupinder who aspires to pursue her education in nursing to the highest degree.

As Class Representative, she supported fellow students who felt comfortable confiding in and placing their trust in her. Alexandra Olive calls Rupinder her best friend and says that she is “the kindest, warmest, and most caring person I’ve ever met. She is blessed with an exceptionally positive attitude that makes everyone around her feel comfortable, accepted and understood. Rupi has a natural affinity for helping those in need and I truly would not have made it through my many health struggles without her.”

Early on in the program, a fellow student was struggling with an online course. Although they could do the work in the comfort of their home, Rupinder regularly travelled from her home in Vancouver to Surrey just to study with and help her classmate. She sacrificed her own study time to ensure that those around her would also succeed. Although a dedicated student, she knew the value of time outside of the classroom and would frequently organize group outings and dinners for the class (even after Graduation), ensuring that they stayed in close contact and supported each other. “I was the one who said, ‘hey guys I know it’s stressful but we need to relax.’ It was great fun, all of us working together on a gingerbread house for Campus Life … It was a fun class and everyone got along and when we did those things we were able to relax and it helped reduce the stress. Now we’re like a family. We still go out and meet for dinners.

I’m actually organizing one now.”

Rupinder’s enthusiasm for nursing and dedica9

2013 Student of the Year Co-Winner: Rupinder Bhanghu, Practical Nursing

Rupinder works full-time hours as a casual at St. Paul’s Hospital on the Med & Palliative floors.

tion to schooling combined with a giving, caring spirit, allowed her to support others even when it was a stressful time for her. “Because I struggled through classes in high school, I understood that not everyone excels in school. I didn’t judge people based on their marks. Even the lab exams, which are so stressful and everyone is panicking … There were a couple of times where there was a student who was panicking and wanted to give up and instead of worrying about my own exam, I went and helped them. On one occasion, my exam was scheduled in half an hour and hers was in two hours, but she was panicking, feeling like she knew nothing. I felt confident with my abilities and preparation so I went ahead and helped her. She wound up passing and I passed too. She was really thankful and I was happy that we both passed. The fact that I helped someone else pass was more important to me than the extra half an hour of studying.”

She credits the incredible instructors at Stenberg for encouraging and pushing her to do her best.

“That’s what sets Stenberg apart – the instructors.

The staff are great too. We had one really tough exam and almost half of the class failed. We approached the admin and asked if there was any way to reassess. And they did which I thought was amazing. I hadn’t failed the first time, but I was happy for my classmates. I have had a better experience at Stenberg than in my other two and a half years in post-secondary education. If you have an issue at Stenberg, they don’t just brush you off, they listen to you and take the extra time to help you. Our instructors were here 2 or 3 hours after class to help us. They were always there to 10

share their knowledge and were committed to our success. Even if you just needed to talk to someone, they were always there for you.”

The girl whose potential had long been recognized but never realized, who had struggled through high school doing things she didn’t want to do, had finally taken off and emerged from her cocoon a soaring butterfly. Beyond grades – Rupinder achieved a remarkable 92% Grade

“That’s what sets Stenberg apart – the instructors … Our instructors were here 2 or 3 hours after class to help us. They were always there to share their knowledge and were committed to our success.

Even if you just needed to talk to someone, they were always there for you.” – Rupinder Bhangu Point Average in an incredibly intense and rigorous program – she excelled in the field on her preceptorship. On her mid-term evaluation, her evaluator noted that she is “a very good addition to the Licensed Practical Nurses of BC with knowledge, skills and a caring attitude not only towards the residents but also towards the staff and the resident’s family.” Consistently, her knowledge and www.StenbergCollege.com

skills were assessed as “above expected” and in her final evaluation, her evaluator noted that “everyone loves her at work and we are expecting for her to come work with us when she gets her licence. She does her work very well with a caring attitude.”

Where did this passion for nursing come from?

It’s always been her calling. In her own life, she has seen the positive effects of nursing and health care support. Her cousin, Jas Khangura, was diagnosed with Leukemia at 21 years old, but outlived his estimated life expectancy by almost two years.

Jas was like a brother to Rupinder, as they grew up together while their labourer parents worked fulltime. Living through a great loss at such a young age (15) helped Rupinder to not only develop greater empathy but to see first hand the positive effects that nursing can have in a patient’s life.

“Jas knew I wanted to be a nurse and encouraged me to be one because he knew I cared and would be a good one … He told me that nurses’ attitudes affected how he felt and was an important part of his treatment.”

She recently interviewed at a hospital in Vancouver and was asked if she was too empathetic and if that might be a liability on the job. “She said, ‘I’m impressed with you but I’m afraid to hire you because you seem like you’re too empathetic.’ I said, ‘I’m human. There’s no person, no nurse, who’s going to walk up to a family and say ‘your son or brother is dying’ and be able to walk away and be ok. Would you rather have a nurse who is empathetic and truly understands because she has been on the patient side with those family members?

Or have someone who has never experienced loss and has no connection with you?’ Her response was, ‘you know what, that’s exactly what I want to hear.” And with that, Rupinder was hired less than 3 months after she passed the licensing exam.

Ironically, now that Rupinder has realized the dream she has held since we was 11 and is a Licensed Practical Nurse working at St. Paul’s Hospital, she is also working as a Health Care Aide at a retirement home. The decision to take on a care aide role may surprise some, but she values the experience that it will give her later on. “I was looking for a job and the employer asked me why I want to be a care aid when I just finished the LPN program. I said to her, ‘I’m here not just here for the title. I’m here because I want to be here.

If I’m a care aide, that’s just going to give me more experience to work with care aides in the future.’

I think some of my classmates may think, ‘Rupi’s a care aid? Then why was she working so hard?’

But it doesn’t matter to me, it’s my passion …

I don’t think nursing is about the pay cheque.”

And that is what makes Rupinder special and this year’s Student of the Year winner. People are attracted to their careers for many different reasons – money, security, job title and prestige, ego, etc. … Rupinder’s aspiration to be a nurse comes from a deep desire, a need, to have an outlet to support and care for others. Regardless of job title or wage, Rupinder just wants to care for others. And she is.

Success Magazine

2013 Student of the Year 1st Runner-up: Madhu Deuja, Health Care Assistant

Grace Under Fire Madhu Deuja makes a new life for herself “If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you.

If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” — Michael Jordan

To some people, obstacles are stumbling blocks that impede progress and prevent success while for others, they are stepping stones to success.

Beethoven composed some of his greatest works after becoming deaf. Oprah Winfrey went from poverty, childhood abuse and teenage pregnancy to become one of the richest and most powerful women in the world. Likewise, Health Care Assistant (HCA) graduate, Madhu Deuja, overcame immense challenges and is this year’s first runnerup for the 2013 Student of the Year Award and a recipient of $2500.

From an early age, education played an important role in Madhu’s life. Her father was well-educated with a Masters degree in Education and recognized the importance of academics; he encouraged his children to focus on their studies.

Her mother was loving and caring and inspired confidence in her. Madhu completed a Bachelors degree in Math & Economics in Nepal. While teaching and pursuing a graduate degree, her parents arranged her marriage to a man she had never met. Madhu remembers that she “felt so insecure immediately going from childhood to marriage” but came to “love him so much.”

“I thought Canada would be heaven. But it was really really tough. No family. No support. It was difficult to get the confidence and do it on my own.”

When she came to Canada with her husband, Madhu was afraid to speak. Although she had learned English in school and could read and write at an advanced level, she had never spoken Success Magazine

Before: Madhu was known as the “smiley cashier” at the Gas Bar where she used to work.

the language. Like many other immigrants new to Canada, Madhu was confronted by culture shock and a lack of social support (she had no family or friends when she moved here). She discovered that her education and work experience in Nepal were of little value here. “I thought Canada would be heaven. But it was really really tough. No family.

No support. It was difficult to get the confidence and do it on my own.”

Shortly after the birth of her daughter in 2008, her husband suffered a debilitating chronic medical condition. Madhu was left to support the family while caring for her sick husband and young daughter. Working two or three minimum wage jobs, seven days a week, she was fortunate to have a good friend who was always there for her and would look after her child, day or night.

Abhishek Wadhwa, the owner of the Gas Bar where she worked as a cashier, remembers that www.StenbergCollege.com

many of his clients asked where the “smiley cashier” was when Madhu went on maternity leave.

Madhu was always punctual and reliable, in spite

After: Madhu likes to see the smiling faces of the people she supports as a Health Care Assistant.

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“Anita inspired me … Sometimes I felt during the course that I couldn’t do it … But Anita was always supporting me and telling me that I can do it. She was always there for us. Always listened.

She encouraged everyone. I never had an instructor like her in my life!

– Madhu Deuja, Health Care Assistant grad

2013 Student of the Year 1st Runner-up: Madhu Deuja, Health Care Assistant of caring for a sick husband, a young daughter and going to school full-time. Even when there were scheduling problems due to staff sickness, Madhu always filled in. “Madhu has been part of our family … I admire her and am glad that I hired her.”

It was Madhu’s work as a private companion for a husband and wife living in a seniors’ home that led her to the HCA program at Stenberg. “I have always liked to help people. I like to see their smiling faces … talking with them, interacting with them, making them laugh … When I get old, someone’s going to have to care for me and I want to take care of them the same way.” Betty Lang, the daughter of the seniors Madhu cared for says, “Her concern and excellent care of my parents were shown time and time again but especially in

Madhu and her daughter.

her care of my mother who had Parkinson’s. She always went beyond the ‘call of duty’ and always showed sincere love for my mother. In fact, Madhu is the kind of person that I would like to have take care of me when I need to have assisted health care … Madhu is an inspiration to me! … Having witnessed her deal with various events in her life, she has always shown ‘grace under fire.’ She is a caring and loving individual who always has a smile and word of encouragement for others.”

Her friend and mentor, Kathryn Johnson, has known her for many years and says, “Madhu impressed me from the moment we met. Here is a young mother, who was raised in a patriarchal society where women seldom have the same opportunities for personal development as their male siblings. Despite that, she has chosen to seize this new beginning, this new life in Canada, with an amazing amount of enthusiasm. In doing so, she has gained strength, confidence and greater knowledge in everything she undertakes to do. She has shown enviable determination in overcoming every challenge life has placed in her path … Reaching out to others is a big part of Madhu’s life. Last year, during a visit home to Nepal, Madhu served Success Magazine

as a volunteer leader for a children’s program at a village health camp organized by Medical Mercy Canada. She is a wonderful example of compassion to all those who know her – a true friend you can lean on when the going gets rough.”

During her studies at Stenberg, Madhu usually worked 6 am until 2 pm at the Gas Bar, then spent time at home with her daughter while studying, before heading to her evening class which ran 6 – 10 pm, Monday to Friday. For most of us, after a grueling 17 hour day, it would be time for bed but for Madhu, it was time for her to assist her classmates and then head home to review her lecture notes and do her homework. “My father taught me to try to always be the best but, to be honest, I just wanted to finish the course and get a job.” In spite of the challenges, Madhu completed the program with a phenomenal 93% average.

Her instructor, Anita Dickson, nominated Madhu as the outstanding student in the HCA program because “Madhu is an exemplary student and one of the strongest women I know. She will be a great HCA. I am proud to have been her instructor and part of this wonderful student journey … Madhu always supported her classmates and gave selflessly of her time. She helped them with their studies after class even though she had her daughter waiting and was exhausted by working early morning hours. Her classmates knew of her continuous sacrifices and efforts and gave her flowers and praised her for her strength.” Madhu was equally inspired by her instructor. “Anita inspired me,” Madhu says with a smile. “Sometimes I felt during the course that I couldn’t do it … But Anita was always supporting me and telling me that I can do it. She was always there for us. Always listened.

She encouraged everyone. I never had an instructor like her in my life! … All of the staff at Stenberg were so welcoming and so helpful.”

“Madhu is an exemplary student and one of the strongest women I know. She will be a great HCA. I am proud to have been her instructor and part of this wonderful student journey.”

– Anita Dickson, Instructor During the course, Madhu’s husband’s medical condition worsened and he died suddenly. Even though he passed away in the morning, Mahdu was in class that evening. “I was crying and crying and crying but then I thought, this is the right thing I am doing for me and my daughter. I have to focus on my studies and finish the course and get a job and take care of my daughter … I think my www.StenbergCollege.com

Madhu loves her new career as an HCA.

husband is always with me, telling me to take care of myself and my daughter.”

Seven of her classmates collaborated on a letter in support of Madhu’s nomination for Student of the Year stating that the obstacles that Madhu has faced “have only enhanced her charismatic and compassionate demeanor.” In spite of working full-time, raising a young daughter, caring for a sick husband and attending full-time studies, “without hesitation she always went out of her way to support and encourage fellow classmates who were struggling with either personal or academic matters.”

Madhu recently completed her practicum at Kinsmen Lodge, one of Stenberg’s industry partners. Of her experience at Kinsmen, Madhu says, “I feel really good going to Kinsmen. I am so grateful that I am there to care for others. Getting old is part of life, everyone will go through it, and we have to support them.” Her Clinical Instructor at Kinsmen, Pauline Gounder says, “The staff here absolutely love her! They are constantly praising her work ethics. Her compassion shows through her smile, her desire to be in this field, and ALWAYS willing to lend a helping hand! If I had to describe Madhu in one word, it would be hardworker. She never gives up and is constantly striving to better herself.”

The author, C.S. Lewis, might have been speaking of Madhu when he said that “humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” Madhu says that she never expected to be nominated for Student of the Year. “Even though I don’t believe in myself, other people believe in me. This nomination has encouraged me to keep going … Practical Nurse, Registered Nurse.

I want to do more…”

With tears in her eyes and pride in her voice, Stenberg College’s Manager of Educational Delivery, Zana Becker says, “Madhu is why we do what we do at Stenberg.”

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Thinking back to my surgeries and being reminded of the staff who put in so much time and care made me realize that I want to be part of something bigger than myself … and that I want to make a difference.”

– Crystal Taylor, Medical Lab Assistant grad

2013 Student of the Year 2nd Runner-up: Crystal Taylor, Medical Lab Assistant

Making a Difference Crystal Taylor’s experiences as a patient make her a better person & professional If you’re ever at Peace Arch Hospital, you might see the friendly face of Crystal Taylor.

As a Medical Laboratory Assistant, she performs a variety of duties at the hospital including drawing blood, performing ECGs and obtaining other testing specimens – always with a smile! Her positive attitude is remarkable considering she has already been through so much in her life. In spite of spending so much time in hospital as a teenager, she was still drawn to a profession in health care.

As a teen, she battled through major illness and once she was healthy, strove to push ahead and find a career. But she found more than a career in the Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) Program at Stenberg College – she made an impression.

Her instructor, Bal Ollek says, “Crystal was an exceptional student, very professional, considerate and caring. She demonstrated keen interest in learning the finer points of her chosen field and is enthusiastic and personable. One of the best students we’ve ever had.” High praise indeed from a well-respected instructor at Stenberg College. Crystal takes all the praise in stride; she’s appreciative of the life she has now and all the opportunities that have opened up for her.

For most 16 year old teens, life is about learning how to drive, going out with friends and pushing boundaries. For Crystal, her teenage years were completely different. “When I was 16, I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease. It was definitely a struggle getting through high school. For two years, my doctors tried lots of different treatments from prednisone where I gained about 40lbs to a form of chemotherapy where I started to lose my hair.” High school is difficult enough for teens and Crystal had to take on the additional stress of her health struggles. Although she frequently missed classes due to her health, she maintained an excellent grade point average.

Shortly after graduation, she received news from her gastroenterologist that her colon needed to be removed immediately. After her surgery, she woke up with an ileostomy bag, which severely limited the activities in her life. For the next two years, she endured three major surgeries and after the second one she wound up going into cardiac arrest due to complications with the anesthesia. The last surgery Success Magazine

removed the bag, allowing her to live a relatively pain-free and easier life.

Crystal managed to work part-time throughout her surgeries but delayed going to school fulltime until her health issues were under control.

Throughout, she remained positive and continues to lend support to those who are suffering from colitis and related complications. Crystal frequently reaches out to others who are struggling and makes herself available. She firmly believes in making the best of what you have. “It’s amazing what you can do when you accept the hand you’re dealt.” Seeing people fight for their lives in hospital has made her so much more grateful for what she has.

“Crystal was an exceptional student, very professional, considerate and caring. She demonstrated keen interest in learning the finer points of her chosen field and is enthusiastic and personable. One of the best students we’ve ever had.”

– Bal Ollek, Instructor With a clean bill of health, Crystal decided to return to school. However, she didn’t want to spend the next 4 years studying; she was looking for a condensed-format program that would allow her to start earning a living faster. A friend of hers was considering the MLA program at Stenberg College and after explaining it to her, Crystal was sold. “Why didn’t I think of that?” she wondered and she registered shortly after. “One of the main reasons I chose Stenberg was because I could get in right away and I was able to start my career and future faster.” It was a perfect fit for her positive personality and experience; she was already comfortable in the hospital setting and was empathetic towards patients. Her experience as a patient made her appreciative of all the professionals that took care of her. “I remember www.StenbergCollege.com

them taking blood from me every single morning … You appreciate everything they do for you. I feel very comfortable there. The hospital is a second home for me. When I do rounds, I know how the patients feel because I was one for so long. In OutPatient, I understand how they’re feeling; I have a lot of compassion for them,” says Crystal. “Being in health care, it’s very selfless. Thinking back to my surgeries and being reminded of the staff who put in so much time and care made me realize that I want to be part of something bigger than myself … and that I want to make a difference.”

More than an excellent student, Crystal was always willing to help out her fellow phlebotomists-in-training. Katy Daigle, another Stenberg instructor was impressed. “Crystal’s smile always lit up the room and she routinely assisted other students and was always willing to ‘lend an arm.’ Her future is very bright; she was one of the best in the class and she just has ‘it.’” As someone with a lots of experience as a patient, Crystal frequently offered up her arm to nervous classmates who needed extra practice in the delicate art of drawing blood. “I got a lot of bruises,” Crystal says with a laugh, “but it was worth it.” Whether lending an arm or a helping hand, Crystal was always there to support her classmates. During a challenging part of a course, a student was struggling in the module.

Without any hesitation, Crystal stayed behind for a few hours to help her classmate understand the material. After all, this was her Stenberg family.

“I can genuinely say, I loved every single person in my class. We really felt like a family. There were no judgements passed. We were always there to help each other and it was just a comfortable feeling. A lot of us came early to class to discuss yesterday’s notes and homework and see how we were doing. I never felt that way in high school.”

Crystal found more than friends and an education at Stenberg. She found a role model as well. Her instructor, Bal Ollek, became an inspiration to her. “I never expected to go to school and find someone to aspire to be like. Bal’s a mother, a wife, a teacher and she works regularly at the hospital. She’s really good at what she does.

And one of my goals is to be like her when I’m older.” Crystal Taylor is well on her way …

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2013 Student of the Year 3rd Runner-up: Ai Ito, Psychiatric Nursing

Lost & Found Ai Ito’s life experiences enhance her nursing “Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves.”

— Henry David Thoreau Thoreau might have been speaking of Ai Ito when he wrote those words. Born in Japan, Ai moved to Canada when she was a 15 year old Grade 10 student. She was accompanying her best friend, Maya, to attend Maxwell International School, a co-ed boarding school located on Shawnigan Lake. Remarkably, with only a year of English lessons prior to coming to Canada, she graduated on time, three years later, with honours (including successful completion of English 12).

“Coming to Canada was the best decision I’ve made because it gave me the freedom to be myself.

It was hard … but it taught me independence and gave me the opportunity to explore myself outside of the box that I was used to in Japan and that I was uncomfortably trying to fit into.”

After high school graduation and in spite of her success, Ai doubted herself and what she could accomplish. Adding to that, an emotionally abusive relationship brought back some of the rough patches Ai had experienced during a childhood in Japan that was mostly “unique and interesting.”

Unable to cope with the stresses of both the past and present, Ai suffered an emotional breakdown and hit rock bottom. “I didn’t know what to do.

I was lost … I saw my best friend, Katrina, crying

Ai and her husband Peter.

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for me and that was my turning point. I realized that I’m not just hurting myself, I’m hurting everyone around me.”

Ai made the brave decision to seek professional help; it was the first time in her life that she had “dealt with herself.” It was then that she realized “the importance of psychiatric nursing and what those nurses who are specialized in helping people can do.” She went back to Japan to recover and dreamed about being a psychiatric nurse someday.

“Even if I can do just a little to help someone’s life be more livable for that day, it means a lot to me.”

– Ai Ito “I believe that is one of my strengths in psychiatric nursing because I know how it feels. I also understand the power of having the support and what it can do for one’s recovery … It was more than 10 years ago and it was an arduous road back, but in some ways I’m glad I had that experience because I lost the stigma towards people who go through tough times. Everybody does … The label is not who you are.”

Ai started dating a friend she had known “forever” and they were married in 2007. In 2010 she gave birth to a daughter, Hinome, and, while she was on maternity leave and rethinking her career goals, she saw an ad for Stenberg’s Psychiatric Nursing program in a local paper.

“I started really thinking … this is something I’ve wanted to do for over 10 years. Her husband was supportive of her decision and she enrolled in the August 2011 cohort. In retrospect, she realizes now that she wouldn’t have been successful in Psychiatric Nursing as a 20 year old. “I didn’t have enough life experiences to understand what other people are going through.” www.StenbergCollege.com

On being chosen as the Student of the Year finalist for the Psychiatric Nursing program, Ai says with her customary humility, “my success at being chosen as one of the finalists is not just my work … Without my husband, Peter, my good friends, and a couple of my classmates in the program, I would not be here today. Particularly Peter … It wasn’t easy. I looked after Hinome during the first year of the program. I looked after her during the day, studied when she napped and after she went to bed. This is not me but us.”

In spite of the rigor of the program – intellectually and emotionally – and caring for an infant, Ai remarkably achieved a 95% Grade Point Average over the 23 month program. “I did my best to be who I am, and grow as much as I can educationally, emotionally, and spiritually. And I did my very best to support my classmates.”

In a letter to the Student of the Year Committee, classmate Darren Bachiu says “Ai’s posts were always well researched and displayed an intelligence that was always at the top of our class.

Also, whenever another student posted a question, Ai was often one of the first students to reply to help the student find the answer to the problem.

Such leadership qualities of Ai have inspired many of us as students to become the best students that we could possibly be.”

Ai found the course on Psychodrama, in which students act out their emotions and learn to become comfortable with them, to be particularly challenging. “We had to write a letter to someone we’d had a conflict with and we had to map out our family dynamics … Emotionally it brought a lot of things back. As an abuse survivor, it was really difficult. With the push of my family and friends, I got through it and in the end that was the course I grew the most in.

Ai completed her studies in July and less than 2 months after graduation is already working “almost full-time hours” as a Psychiatric Nurse in Victoria and Duncan. “This is what I have wanted to do since my early adulthood. Every day is different … I like working with both children and adults for different reasons. I understand adults better but there is a real joy in connecting Success Magazine

2013 Student of the Year 3rd Runner-up: Ai Ito, Psychiatric Nursing

Ai chats with the Student of the Year Committee on Skype. As a distance student living in Victoria, online communication was integral to the program.

with children and seeing their success. Early intervention is the key… It is tremendously satisfying to work with adults and see them move from their rock bottom to thanking you for helping them change their life.”

“Even if I can do just a little to help someone’s life be more livable for that day, it means a lot to me … Using a behavior modification model, I supported a 64 year old woman move from an institution into the community … There were ups and downs but now she is so happy in the community, she’s settled, and gives back to others through her volunteer work. I also use interventions to de-escalate situations before they get out of control. I might be working with someone who is psychotic and getting really angry and making the critical decision between talking with them calmly or giving them something to take the edge off. This can sometimes be on a minuteto-minute or even second-to-second basis. I also assist clients with eating disorders. I eat with them and try to make eating normal again. Instead of looking at food as a calorie or a number, making it more enjoyable and not focusing on it …”

In a letter to the Student of the Year Committee, Robert Bruvold, a Psychiatric Nurse for over 40 years and Ai’s Preceptor shares some highlights of his experience with Ai: • “she possesses amazing skill at approaching and Success Magazine

defusing angry/upset clients; • she is fearless in approaching sensitive subjects (i.e. suicidality, drug dependence, anger). She is always cognizant of her own safety and the safety of others;

“Not in my 40 years of nursing have I seen a student receive so many compliments from so many sources … I am at the end of my career and feel happy and confident that I can pass the torch to Ai Ito and she will carry forward the practice of Psychiatric Nursing.”

– Robert Bruvold, RPN • she is a team participant while at the same time remaining aware of her patient’s rights and has a good grasp of ethics. She is able to present unpopular ideas of differing opinion if that is in her patients best interests; www.StenbergCollege.com

• Ai is always learning and open to all learning experiences.”

He concludes, “Not in my 40 years of nursing have I seen a student receive so many compliments from so many sources … I am at the end of my career and feel happy and confident that I can pass the torch to Ai Ito and she will carry forward the practice of Psychiatric Nursing.”

Ai and her daughter, Hinome.

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“I’m glad I came to Stenberg. I’m really impressed with the instructors – especially the ones from Fraser Health because they are already in the field. I tell all my friends, we don’t go there only to study, we go there to train for the work.”

– Maninder Narwal, Hospital Support Specialist grad

2013 Student of the Year 4th Runner-up: Maninder Narwal, Hospital Support Specialist

Inspired by Education Lifelong learner Maninder Narwal follows life’s path to achieve her goals Education is a recurring theme in Maninder Narwal’s life, from growing up in India to living in Canada with her family. From a young age, she and her brother were always encouraged to pursue academics. After the tragic loss of her father, her family continued to motivate her to pursue her education which she fostered into a career in health care administration in Canada. Although life sometimes got in the way, she returned to school time and time again and found success through the Hospital Support Specialist (HSS) Program at Stenberg that led her to roles in multiple Fraser Health hospitals where she is a health care administrative professional.

In India, Maninder had partially completed her Bachelor of Science degree when she met her husband-to-be. Within a year, she had moved to Canada to be with him. From a student living at home under the watchful care of her mother to a wife taking care of her in-laws in a foreign country, the change was startling. Maninder wanted to continue her studies, but being an immigrant himself, her husband wasn’t aware of the resources available to help her on that path. After a year of adjusting to life in Canada and caring for her extended family, she was ready to take on her next challenge: working in Canada. Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society (PICS), an agency that supports new immigrants, helped her with computer skills and employment.

Working at a mall fast food outlet, her positive attitude and can-do work ethic got her promoted to Manager within a year and a half. Her desire to continue her education never waned, however.

After a few years of working, she invested a significant amount of money to take a Pharmacy Technician Program. After graduation, she was disappointed that she was unable to find a well-paying job. “I was kind of disappointed that I paid $10,000 to make $14 an hour.”

Eventually she and her husband decided to start a family and were blessed with the arrival of twin boys and the next few years were a happy blur of being a stay-at-home mom. When the twins were 4 years old, her desire to pursue education returned and Maninder was intent on becoming Success Magazine

a Registered Nurse (RN). “I always wanted to be in health care … to help people. Back home we respect the elderly a lot and I always imagined myself helping older people and children. I’m a caring and serving kind of person.”

Maninder had a wonderful relationship with

I am a totally different person than I was two years ago. Even my hairstylist says ‘Maninder, you are more confident, happy, energetic… before you were kind of lost.’ Stenberg made a huge difference, totally changed my life.

It helped me be where I wanted to be.” – Maninder Narwal

Maninder and her sons.

www.StenbergCollege.com

her husband’s grandparents and enjoyed caring for them. Her husband supported her plans and took care of the kids while she completed her prerequisites for the RN program. While he enjoyed taking care of his sons, the stay-at-home parenting lifestyle limited his ability to provide the best for his wife and sons and so Maninder put her dreams of becoming an RN on hold for the time being. She knew there would be another opportunity for her to complete her studies. She also recognized that a rigorous 4-year Registered Nurse program wasn’t the best fit for her family at that time.

When her sons were old enough to be in school full-time, she knew this was her chance to go back to school. Maninder’s mother, a teacher herself, would soon be moving from India to Canada to join her children. With this in mind, Maninder knew she could now get help with childcare.

Friends of hers, who had jobs in health care, encouraged her to consider Stenberg College.

One friend in particular, who was a graduate of Stenberg’s Nursing Unit Clerk Program, recommended that Maninder check out the program. She met with a Program Advisor who also suggested the Hospital Support Specialist (HSS) Program, because it would equip her with a diverse set of skills to work multiple administrative roles in health care.

Her husband was impressed with what the HSS program offered. His experiences with the frontline administrative staff in hospitals had always been positive and he could see his wife thriving in that role. Maninder’s main concern was, “will the HSS program get me a job?” The Program Advisor explained that ultimately employment depends on individual performance but that 92% of Stenberg grads find work in their field of study within 6 months of graduation. Confident that she would do well academically, Maninder registered in the program.

Maninder quickly realized that Stenberg was different: “I’m glad I came to Stenberg. I’m really impressed with the instructors – especially the ones from Fraser Health because they are already in the field. I tell all my friends, we don’t go there 19

2013 Student of the Year 4th Runner-up: Maninder Narwal, Hospital Support Specialist only to study, we go there to train for the work.”

In class, Maninder made an impact with her classmates. One, a fellow immigrant from India, was struggling with the transition of going back to school and suddenly stopped showing up to class. Maninder reached out to the student to offer support – both personally and academically.

She didn’t want to see this student give up and offered study support outside of the classroom and was vital to her classmate’s success. Maninder’s support carried through to their Practicum and her gentle coaching helped secure that classmate a role at Royal Columbian Hospital in Records Management. Another student, Hervil Villanueva, who also benefitted from Maninder’s encouragement says, “I can say that she is a smart woman yet so humble. She is always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone who asks for help.

I remember her saying that I should not give up and I just have to keep practicing. It was so encouraging and I was so touched by what she said.” Maninder wanted to see all her classmates succeed and not give up on their dreams. Having had missed educational opportunities in the past, she not only wanted to succeed but wanted everyone else to succeed as well. As instructor Sonia Ireland observed, “I found Maninder to be an exceptional student…mature, determined, and considerate. She was dedicated and loyal with her peers helping others learn along the path to success.”

Maninder continues to give back to the community and returned to PICS to volunteer, “I’m more confident and more knowledgeable and now have health care experience. PICS has support services for women who are victims of domestic abuse. We support those women – in going back to school, everything.”

her eagerness to learn, and her pleasant nature are key elements which ensure that she is what can easily be described as a ‘Complete Package’, and a pleasure to have as a student.”

Fellow hockey parents noted her dedication to her sons and admired her academic perseverance.

Frequent practices meant Maninder would be occupied on most weeknights but she took those opportunities to take her studies with her and would complete homework while sitting in the stands. Even after hockey practice, she would study well into the night and get up at 4am to continue her studies and then attend class during the day. Any spare moment for Maninder meant an opportunity to study and prepare.

Potential employers were impressed with her positive attitude and skills during her Practicum and she was offered employment right out of her placement. Her supervisor in Registration Services at Langley Memorial Hospital noted that Maninder “has proven herself to be dedicated, hard-working, reliable and loyal. She is attentive to the needs of the department, as well as the staff. Maninder demonstrates great learning ability, making her a valuable asset to our team. She completed her 3 week practicum in Registration and was hired immediately.” She is now happily employed at three hospitals in the Lower Mainland and although a Casual, has no trouble filling her schedule and frequently works overtime. Her new career as a health care administrative professional has not only improved her self-esteem and financial situation – but her marriage as well. Her husband, even though completely supportive of his wife’s education, values her even more. “It’s brought us closer and he appreciates me more. He acknowledges my hard work at school and that I’m working.

I never asked for help when I was in school so he

really admired me for getting through it.” said Maninder.

Maninder continues to give back to the community and returned to PICS to volunteer, “I’m more confident and more knowledgeable and now have health care experience. PICS has support services for women who are victims of domestic abuse. We support those women – in going back to school, everything.” Charan Gill, CEO of PICS, noted, “Maninder is a dedicated and ambitious individual and has a wonderful rapport with people of all ages, especially youth.”

Although her life is seemingly complete; happy husband, fulfilling work and wonderful children – her ambitions are to come back to Stenberg for the challenging Cardiology Technologist program.

“I’ve already talked to a Program Advisor. I’m going to work for a while and when I’ve got a permanent job, I will register, so I can work around my schedule,” she said, her eyes sparkling at the prospect of returning to school. The spirit of education is clearly embodied in Maninder and its influence has affected her family. She is an amazing role model for her children who are inspired by their mom’s dedication to her schoolwork and her nomination as Student of the Year. Maninder is a true testament to the success that education and hard work can yield and their family is determined to continue that tradition.

It’s clear that Maninder already had the attitude and dedication to excel in life and Stenberg simply gave her the skills and tools to help her fulfill her aspirations. “I am a totally different person than I was two years ago. Even my hairstylist says ‘Maninder, you are more confident, happy, energetic… before you were kind of lost.’ Stenberg made a huge difference, totally changed my life.

It helped me be where I wanted to be.”

Maninder was a good student, but a little extra motivation from her instructor Harminder Mathur transformed her into an excellent one. “She said to me, ‘you’re a good student, but if you are good – be the best,’” Maninder reflects. “Those words will be with me for the rest of my life. I use the same words with my kids ‘you guys are smart… so be the best.’” And so, Maninder set in motion the quest to be the best in the HSS Program, ultimately achieving a 97% Grade Point Average.

Her abilities to balance her school and home life were also admired by those around her. Harminder Mathur commented, “Maninder’s positive qualities, 20

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Success Magazine

National Association of Career Colleges (NACC) Graduate of the Year

Fawzi Ahmad: on a Winning Streak Last year’s Student of the Year is this year’s NACC Graduate of the Year On April 26th, 2013 at the National Association of Career College (NACC) Conference & AGM, Stenberg graduate, Fawzi Ahmad, was honoured as the NACC Graduate of the Year. He was chosen from a competitive field of fellow graduates from over 400 NACC member educational institutions across Canada. The criteria for the Graduate of the Year award included excellence in leadership skills, inspiring those around them and passion for their program, education and their career.

As a part of the award’s prize, Fawzi was flown from Calgary (where he works) to receive the award and give a presentation about his experience at Stenberg College at the annual NACC Conference & AGM in Vancouver. He was presented the Graduate of the Year award by James Loder, Chair of NACC. “This year, we received countless applications for this award. It was really overwhelming to see how many talented career college graduates are out there,” said NACC’s Chief Executive Officer Serge Buy. “Fawzi’s story embodies everything that career colleges in Canada strive to be.”

Jeremy Sabell, President of Stenberg College, was at the Conference and was proud to see a Stenberg graduate honoured, “Stenberg could not be more proud of Fawzi and his accomplishments.

He is an exemplary Graduate of the Year Award winner at our college this past year and managed to stand out from a field of superb candidates. We see Fawzi as representing the very best of what our student body has to offer in terms of his drive, his congeniality and his dedication to helping others.

He also epitomizes the type of individual that so many colleges in our sector graduate.”

Fawzi was the winner of Stenberg College’s Student of the Year Award in 2012. His dedication to education, passion for his field, assistance to other students and involvement in Campus activities were some of the many reasons he stood out. As an immigrant to Canada from a war-torn country, he worked in Winnipeg at a minimum wage job for years while teaching himself English in his basement suite. He moved to Canada on his own, leaving behind his family and connections, Success Magazine

Ramon Estrella, Cardiology Technology Instructor at Stenberg College and James Loder, NACC Chair present Fawzi with the NACC Graduate of the Year award.

“Stenberg could not be more proud of Fawzi and his accomplishments … We see Fawzi as representing the very best of what our student body has to offer in terms of his drive, his congeniality and his dedication to helping others.”

– Jeremy Sabell, President with only $1450 with him when he arrived. He had always wanted a career in health care, like his siblings, but as an immigrant with limited English skills, his options were limited. He heard about Stenberg’s health care programs through a friend www.StenbergCollege.com

and thought he’d take a chance – so he boarded a train headed to Vancouver and found himself at the Stenberg campus in Surrey, BC. After meeting Program Advisors and instructors, he was deemed eligible for the program and was accepted that day. But he still struggled with English and struggled to understand instructors in the first week. Over time, with the support of Stenberg College staff and the determination he is known for, Fawzi made it through those challenges. His dedication to his education was commendable; he translated his coursework from English to Arabic and back again, studying nonstop. Through his hard work, he became a highly successful student whom classmates sought out for help. He even authored an electrocardiogram study manual that he shared with his classmates. Instructor Ramon Estrella asked Fawzi if he could use the manual as supplemental course material and it is being used to help teach students today.

Fawzi’s leadership, optimism, and passion inspired both his fellow classmates and staff.

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“To the Faculty and Staff at Stenberg College who gave us the hope that we were waiting for, thank you for giving each of us an opportunity to fulfill our dreams for a better life.”

– Fawzi Ahmad, Valedictorian speech, 2012

National Association of Career Colleges (NACC) Graduate of the Year He was named Valedictorian for the April 2012 graduation ceremony. “At first, I didn’t know what it was,” he laughs. He had not heard the word ‘Valedictorian’ before. Fawzi reflects, “When I learned what it was, I was shocked, thinking about the time I spent studying English words in the basement all alone.” He delivered a beautiful speech that moved the audience to tears, using his personal journey to Stenberg as a springboard to celebrate his fellow students for taking their futures into their own hands.

During his first week of practicum at Foothills Medical Centre in Alberta, Fawzi was hired as a casual employee. He quickly advanced to a fulltime position at the Centre, which is the largest hospital in Alberta and is a part of the pioneering Libin Cardiovascular Institute. Dave Namur, the manager of Cardio Diagnostics at Foothills says, “Fawzi has maintained an academic leadership role in taking the time to assist other students with their studies and questions.”

“I have no doubt that Fawzi has many great things ahead of him,” says Uthman Aluthman, a Cardiac Surgery resident at the Institute. “He is genuinely interested in Cardiology and is always asking questions and starting conversations with me about my work.”

Fawzi demonstrated passion for his work by seeking opportunities to learn more whenever he could. Aluthman remembers the day when Fawzi approached him to ask if he could learn more about pacemaker implants. When Aluthman invited him to observe his work whenever he wished, Fawzi stayed two hours after his shift the very next day to learn from the Cardiac Surgery Resident.

Fawzi’s positive attitude and resilience have brought him away from a life touched with war and through the trials of moving to a new country

During his first week of practicum at Foothills Medical Centre, Fawzi was hired as a casual employee.

alone. He struggled with learning a new language and persevered through a challenging academic journey to succeed in a career where he makes a difference. These qualities inspire those around him and have allow him to contribute to Stenberg College and to his new community in Calgary. In the words of his coworkers, he is, “a genuinely great person who will always go out of his way to help or support anyone who needs it, … does his work with a smile, [and] … finds it rewarding to make people feel better when they are feeling sick, even if he only has a few minutes with them.”

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While in BC to accept the NACC Graduate of the Year Award, he stopped by the Stenberg campus to visit with his old instructors and relay some wisdom to current students. Instructors and staff were thrilled to see him and introduced him to current students as a model of personal and academic success. At his current role at Foothills, he supports students by providing academic and professional help to those learning at the facility, continuing to give back to education which has given him so much.

Guided online learning, instructor-led, in a highly supported environment

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Special Education Assistant (online): You can become a Special Education Assistant in just 9 months! Average starting wage in school districts is $25.13/hour. You will receive training and certification from the Provincial Outreach Program for Autism and Related Disorders (POPARD).

Therapeutic Recreation – Gerontology (online): Older adults are the fastest growing age group in Canada, resulting in a growing employment need for professionals who can support and promote optimal health for seniors.

Earn up to $23.50/hour.

Government student loans & funding (ELMS/WCB) & other financing options available to qualified applicants.

Success Magazine

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Be the Change Symposium: A Day of Personal & Professional Development

Be the change

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”– Mahatma Gandhi Gandhi’s simple but profound words give root to dreams and transform thoughts into action. His words have inspired generations to non-violent protest and committed action, most notably, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and John Lennon. On a bright and sunny day in May, Gandhi’s powerful words were intended to inspire and challenge over 3000 individuals attending Stenberg College’s inaugural Be the Change Symposium at the Langley Events Centre. Another thousand individuals, many of them students in Stenberg’s distance programs, watched the event streamed live over the internet. It was a diverse and grateful audience who came together to embrace the common theme of change and personal accountability.

The Symposium featured world-class speakers including We Day and Free the Children co-founder Craig Kielburger challenging the audience to “be the change.” The developer of person centred

planning for individuals with developmental disabilities, Michael Smull, spoke about extending the concepts of person centred planning to everyone including seniors, at-risk youth and individuals with mental illness and addiction. One of the foremost experts on autism and the author of “Optimistic Parenting,” Dr. Mark Durand, shared recent advances, approaches and interventions for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Former gang member, Dr. Victor Rios, inspired with his story of how education saved his life and how marginalized students can be motivated for success.

And finally, four young men from Victoria who starred in an MTV television show and wrote a New York Times bestseller, The Buried Life, posed the question, “What do you want to do before you die?” and delivered a thought provoking, hilarious and inspirational presentation.

As the clock neared 10 am, over 3000 attendees filled the stands and the rows of chairs lining the floor in front of the stage. Stenberg’s president, Jeremy Sabell, welcomed Michael Smull up on stage to thundering applause and an actual cheer, pom poms and all, from the students in Stenberg’s Special Education Assistant program.

Offering some compelling examples of real-life people whom he’d worked with over the years,

“If you’re going to engage in person centred planning, you have to engage in being person centred in your day-to-day behaviour.

Plans don’t change people’s lives; it’s the implementation that changes people’s lives.”

– Dr. Michael Smull 24

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Smull talked about person centred planning he helped develop, which is a revolutionary tool in community support through a very basic and seemingly simple question, “What’s important to you and what’s important for you?”

“We have people who think that supporting means it’s the ‘whatever’ life, getting whatever you’re asking for,” Smull says in an interview following his talk. “That’s not balance. If you’re a parent raising a child, you’re looking at what’s important to your child and trying to make that child as happy as possible, but you’re also looking at what’s important for the child and finding a balance ... It’s a recognition that if the life is unbalanced, you’re not going to end up with a child who’s going to be a happy adult.”

For Smull, this work was something of a happy accident more than 40 years ago. After two years in the Peace Corps doing tuberculosis control, he was drafted by the army for the Vietnam War. When he got out, his goal to work with people found him at a non-profit supporting people with adjustment issues. But the professional counsellors he worked with didn’t know how to adapt their counselling for those with intellectual disabilities, so he set out on a new mission and has dedicated his life to a concept he co-developed called person centred planning.

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Be the Change Symposium: A Day of Personal & Professional Development hitting his face, scratching himself and attacking the person who was working with him, who happened to be his mother,” Dr. Durand recalls in an interview following his talk. “I just thought, ‘Oh my goodness. What is this? Why is he doing that?’ And that started my career, figuring out why

“We started to find that it really had to do with these attitudinal obstacles: ‘I don’t think it can work’ or ‘my child can’t make the changes’ …So, the next logical step was, how can I make you more optimistic?

– Dr. Mark Durand Dr. Mark Durand is one of the foremost experts on autism and the author of “Optimistic Parening.”

“It’s how we interact with each other, how we understand each other and adapt to that learning,” Smull says. “If you’re going to engage in person centred planning, you have to engage in being person centred in your day-to-day behaviour. Plans don’t change people’s lives; it’s the implementation that changes people’s lives.”

Barb Goertzen, the coordinator for Solutions Community Living Program in Ladner, was excited to hear Smull speak. “I remember listening to him speak back in the ’80s when he was a leading pioneer in the field and I remember being inspired then!” Goertzen reflects, “I read about his journey and his history and the influence that he’s had in community living and it’s quite remarkable.”

Goertzen’s own career is something of an inspiration as well. She’s been involved in community living for about 30 years, setting up the first supported employment program in the Kootenay area before coming to the Lower Mainland. After three decades, she is still tirelessly enthusiastic about helping people.

Dr. Mark Durand followed, and at first seemed the polar opposite of Smull’s person centred planning by shocking the audience with a series of declarations: Aspergers is about to be kicked off the autism spectrum; autism can mostly be cured with early childhood intervention; and largely it is parental attitudes that have prevented success. The audience was hooked and as he talked, it became apparent that Dr. Durand’s methods were actually an extension of Smull’s and vice versa.

Like Smull, Dr. Durand began his career about 40 years ago, and went to clinical graduate school with the intention of working with kids with ADHD, but ended up taking on two roles: kids with ADHD and kids with autism.

“I basically saw a child who was biting himself,

they would engage in those behaviours. Then if we knew why, could we teach them alternative ways in getting what they wanted.”

Dr. Durand developed something called functional communication training, a popular treatment for behavioural problems – provided people follow through. But recently, Dr. Durand realized people weren’t using it, even though it has proven results. So, again, he asked ‘Why?’ “That’s when we started to find that it really had to do with these attitudinal obstacles: ‘I don’t think it can work’ or ‘my child can’t make the changes’,” Dr. Durand says. “So, the next logical step was, how can I make you more optimistic? That’s what we’re realizing today, that we can help those parents and teachers implement things we know

“In order to change my life, I had to learn to be the change.”

– Dr. Victor Rios “It’s so rewarding, personally, to be given the gift and opportunity to be able to connect with so many great people and support their journey to inclusion and living in a diverse community,” Goertzen says.

“Back in the ’80s was the first time for many to live and have meaningful paid work in their own communities. It was transformational. That’s lit my fire and been my passion ever since.”

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Dr. Victor Rios inspired with his story of how education saved his life and how marginalized students can be motivated for success.

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Be the Change Symposium: A Day of Personal & Professional Development

Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts introduced Craig Kielburger.

work... There are many feel-good programs out there and people go, ‘That sounds terrific! We’ll do dolphin therapy for kids with autism and have them ride horses’ and that makes you feel good and you see the kid smile and that’s great – but that’s not teaching them the skills they’re going to need to learn. We’re trying to separate out the feelgood, makes a good news story from the real nitty gritty work that needs to be done to help this kid get through life.”

Like Goertzen, Ben Ryman of the BC Association for Behavioural Analysis also takes the concept of ‘Be the Change’ to heart, and was thrilled that an event of its magnitude was free and accessible to everyone who wanted to participate.

As a non-profit, Ryman says, the BCABA has few opportunities or resources to communicate their support work to help people gain basic but necessary functional skills for real world survival.

“A lot of the skills are left out in early intervention programs,” Ryman says. “Dr. Durand is a behaviour analyst himself…I’m hoping to feed off his genius and get the word out to folks.”

The last speaker of the morning was Dr. Victor Rios, a former gang member from Oakland who went from serving jail time to celebrated academic, author and lecturer. Dr. Rios spoke about his incredible journey, and the issues of social justice, race and privilege facing youth.

“In order to change my life, I had to learn to be the change,” Dr. Rios says. “In order for me to live a healthy life, go back to school, get a job and dream about becoming a professional one day, my mentors had to teach me what it meant — changing society, transforming the lives of people, not just my own life.”

“I think my mentors could have seen my world as a glass half empty, but instead they saw it as 26

“Every person has a journey in life; whether it’s impacted with significant challenges, it’s about how we turn those challenges into opportunities and how we use that to affect change in our lives.”

–Mayor Dianne Watts glass half full,” Dr. Rios says. “They saw I had a record. They saw I was part of a violent gang. They saw my friend had been killed and that my friends were in prison for 25 years to life. They could have said, ‘Why waste resources on this kid? He’s gonna end up just like them.’ That’s when you see somebody at-risk – glass half empty. When you see somebody as at-promise, that’s when the glass is half full. And you might say, ‘let’s put some resources into this kid. Let’s give him a little love and see how far this could go. ‘Cause maybe, just maybe … and even though I have my doubts, I won’t show it to the kid … if I believe in this kid, I might trick him into believing in himself.’”

Dr. Rios smiles and leans forward. “That sort of magic that a practitioner can produce is bigger than the violence, the drug abuse, the disability, the stigma that one encounters in life, the hopelessness and the fatalism. The reason it’s bigger is because human beings are very resilient. You see it over and over in war and stories of poverty or victimization or violence. They suffer but if you give them a chance, they’ll pull themselves up by the bootstraps and march forward … Sometimes some www.StenbergCollege.com

of us might fail, but it’s not up to us to determine who’s going to fail.”

Evelyn Reyes, who is set to graduate from the Special Education Assistant program in just three weeks, was totally inspired by Dr. Rios’ personification of the day’s theme.

“Dr. Rios’ words will stay with me,” Reyes gushes. “He talked about how we look at children as at-risk instead of at-promise and I think that is something very important I’m going to take out of this experience. We tend to put labels on children very quickly if we have a bad experience with them. It’s important to keep a positive mindset and attitude working with kids because that rubs off on them. Children can achieve their dreams; they might just be having a harder time than you did.”

The person who might know the most about that was Be the Change’s surprise special guest.

Surrey’s Mayor, Dianne Watts, arrived at the symposium to introduce renowned children’s advocate Craig Kielburger, who founded Free the Children in 1995 when he was just 12 years old.

He has since gone on to become one of the most powerful and popular philanthropists in the world.

His work and the event’s theme holds certain significance for Mayor Watts.

“I never talk about my private life,” she says in an interview in the green room before introducing Kielburger. “But, I’ve been on my own since I was 17, an at-risk child and youth, so through that process there have been some significant challenges.”

She is a proud believer in putting the phrase ‘Be the Change’ into action. “Every person has a journey in life; whether it’s impacted with significant challenges, it’s about how we turn those challenges into opportunities and how we use that to affect change in our lives.”

If ever there was a rock star of social change, it’s Craig Kielburger. The crowd roared as Mayor Watts introduced the 30 year old co-founder of Free the Children and We Day, both of which encourage public service and community and global volunteerism in children and youth.

His rousing and inspirational talk had the impassioned delivery of a spoken word poet and his boundless enthusiasm and belief were contagious as he moved gracefully across the stage, stirring the thousands of people in the room who were transfixed by his engaging presentation.

When Kielburger played the remarkable video highlighting Free the Children’s annual We Day event that honours the incredible work done every year by children and youth, tears flowed freely throughout the Centre and whatever ounce of cynicism that remained vanished.

That hope surged even more when Rachel Cram, owner of Wind & Tide Preschools, took to the stage following Kielburger’s presentation. Cram explained that volunteerism and giving starts young, so every year Wind & Tide Preschools do a fundraiser for their partner charity. After careful consideration, Cram said, they chose Free the Success Magazine

Be the Change Symposium: A Day of Personal & Professional Development Kielburger could maintain his energy level, but the young men of The Buried Life brought a whole other level of youthful cool and enthusiasm to cap the day, eliciting thrilled shrieks from their legion of fans in the audience.

Comprised of Ben Nemtin, Dave Lingwood, Duncan Penn and Jonnie Penn, the Victoria-born quartet got their start in college following a simple conversation about what they wanted to do before

“We do this work because … the problems of the world are so overwhelming, you have to believe that every generation does just the bit that they can to make the world a little bit better.”

– Craig Kielburger We Day & Free the Children co-founder, Craig Kielburger challenged the audience to “be the change.”

Children and held a dance-a-thon. For one whole day, all of their preschool children and parents and teachers danced – and raised more than $70,000, which Cram presented to a stunned Kielburger

“All throughout history we build on the accomplishments of those who came before us. That’s how change happens. An inspiring fact is that there will be a 12 year old in the audience today or at a We Day, who is 100 per cent confident that he or she can change the world. It will carry farther than I ever could have managed.”

– Craig Kielburger who offered a big bear hug in return.

In the green room following his talk, Kielburger was all smiles and almost vibrating with energy.

He recalled how Free the Children started when he was just 12 years. And 18 years later, his single biggest inspiration? The next 12 year old.

“I know that’s an odd statement, but we do this work because … the problems of the world are so overwhelming, you have to believe that every generation does just the bit that they can to make the world a little bit better,” he says, tucking a leg up underneath him. “I’m a fan of studying social movements and all throughout history we build on Success Magazine

the accomplishments of those who came before us. That’s how change happens. An inspiring fact is that there will be a 12 year old in the audience today or at a We Day, who is 100 per cent confident that he or she can change the world. It will carry farther than I ever could have managed.

That’s an inspiring idea. I’m very optimistic and I believe that people continuously want the world to be better and will continuously drive pods of social change.”

It was hard to imagine how anyone that followed

they died. Their bucket list included everything from playing basketball with President Obama (done) to guesting on Oprah (done) to appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone (still working on that), but they also wanted to help strangers achieve their dreams. After quiet beginnings online, the Buried Life exploded thanks to an MTV reality show and a bestselling book about their exploits and adventures. And even though they showed footage of their silly side, like breaking into the Playboy Mansion and streaking

Craig meets with the audience and signs books afterwards.

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Be the Change Symposium: A Day of Personal & Professional Development

The Buried Life, four guys from Victoria who made a difference.

at a football game, they also talked about the meaningful part of their show, such as reuniting a father and son after 18 years apart. With every item that they checked off their list, they would help someone accomplish one of their goals too.

The message they left the crowd with was to make their own list, go after their dreams and help others along the way. After all – if four boys from Victoria can do it, why can’t they?

For those who were inspired to “be the change,” the Opportunities Fair provided options and opportunities to put change into action. Over twenty organizations dedicated to supporting others participated including: Wind & Tide Preschools, Semiahmoo House Society, Delta Community Living Society, Kinsmen Lodge, Options Community Services, Portland Hotel Society, and the Provincial Outreach Program for Autism & Related Disorders (POPARD).

Tammy Dyer was flabbergasted by the number of people who had approached her table to learn more about Options Community Services where she serves as the senior manager. “To come here and have a booth, with so many professionals and different people, we have been so busy!” she laughs, noting the day had barely begun and she was already running out of pamphlets. “People connecting with us, wanting to know about different opportunities that we have … This is a great opportunity to come and connect with people.”

Dyer has worked in Early Childhood Education and community support for more than 30 years, and she was eager to commend Stenberg on taking the initiative to come up with an event like Be the Change. “We need to start empowering people from the get-go and this grassroots feel is fantastic.

It’s everything I believe in,” Dyer says. “Stenberg’s idea, trying to bring people together, is a great partnership with the community and it helps their 28

“Make your own list, go after your dreams and help others along the way.”

– The Buried Life students connect.”

As the crowd dispersed and lined up for the hour-long book signing and autograph session, students and community members gathered in excited groups, recapping the day’s highlights.

For Andrea Heard, who is in her first month of Stenberg’s Special Education Assistant program, seeing the Buried Life guys was a dream come true.

“I made my own bucket list inspired by the Buried Life guys!” she gushed, pom pom tucked in her purse and a huge smile on her face. “Going to

school to become a special education assistant was one of the things on that list. Another was going to Europe which I did this past summer. And, I’ll be scratching another off my list because I’m going bungee jumping in Whistler on my 27th birthday coming up the May long weekend!”

For Geoff Schulkowsky, a student in the Practical Nursing program, the day reaffirmed why he enrolled in Stenberg in the first place; he really does want to be the change.

“Dr. Rios and Craig, those two guys hit really close to home,” Schulkowsky said. “They’re doing a lot of work that I want to do with my own life, using the nursing skills that I’ll be gaining at Stenberg.”

Schulkowsky’s goal is an ambitious one: to go and do relief aid and then work with governments and organizations to build boarding schools for orphans where they can heal. He’s interested in holistic healing; emotionally, physically, spiritually, as well as providing skills training that is needed and appropriate.

“When the tsunami hit Japan, I was sitting on my couch every night, pretty much bawling my eyes out, realizing that I couldn’t do anything, except texting $5 donations from my phone and I knew that most of that wasn’t even going to get to Japan,” Schulkowsky said. “I realized that if I wanted to do something and see something happen, I had to be the one to do it.”

As attendees left the Centre, inspired and invigorated, Stenberg President Jeremy Sabell reflected on the day. “There were many great aspects of the symposium, but prominent for me was the array of world class speakers and the way in which they had such a meaningful impact on so many of the attendees: the emotional response to Craig Kielburger, for example, and the rush to meet the members of Buried Life following their presentation. I was also enormously proud of the way in which the entire Stenberg team rose to the challenge of mounting the event so smoothly and professionally, from the initial planning to the execution on the day.”

The Opportunities Fair provided options and opportunities to put change into action.

www.StenbergCollege.com

Success Magazine

Calling for Nominations …

2014 Student of the Year The Student of the Year Award is full reimbursement of one student’s tuition, a value of anywhere from $7000 to a maximum of $20,000*! We encourage every instructor and staff member to nominate the student that they feel is deserving of this honour.

The Student of the Year Award is presented to the student who best embodies Stenberg College’s values of excellence, caring and community spirit. In addition to a minimum academic record of 80% and an attendance record of no more than seven absences, we are looking for the student who best exemplifies the following attributes: • Excellence – as a student, a professional, and a person • Leadership and responsibility • Positive, caring & proactive attitude • Community service & volunteerism (both within and outside the classroom) • Campus spirit

Who is eligible for nomination: All students in good standing who attended class after September 21, 2013 and have or will graduate by the September 2014 grad are eligible.

There is no limit on how many students can be nominated per instructor/staff member.

Nomination forms are available from reception. *Students who received ELMS/WCB funding or other scholarships, grants and/or bursaries will be eligible for nomination. If they win, the tuition reimbursement will go to a recognized charity of their choice.

604-580-2772 • www.stenbergcollege.com

You want a better life. Job satisfaction. Financial security. Respect. You want to help others.

Change your life today 604-580-2772 • www.stenbergcollege.com Over 92% of our grads are employed in their field of study within 6 months of graduation.