A LU M N I Con N Ections

FACULTY OF NURSING | 1 FACULTY OF NURSING ALUMNI connections Bonnie FALL | WINTER 2015-16 Message From Your 2 Johnston, Alumni President Alumna Makes 3 a Difference BN’75 Across Canada 4 Hope, help and healing: in 80 days Reconnecting After 6 One child at a time 10 Years Alumni Help Calgary 7 Homeless Upcoming Events 8 2 | FACULTY OF NURSING Message from your alumni president Tyler Hume, BN ’13 his is an exciting time to be taking over the helm of the Faculty of Nursing Alumni as your T incoming president. In 2016, the University of Calgary turns 50 and there are many exciting initiatives on the horizon for both the university and the faculty. Alumni will be invited to join in these events and I hope many of you will take advantage of the opportunities to get reacquainted with the campus even if you haven’t been engaged for some time. In the faculty, we have had our own activities over the past year, including our annual spring luncheon and silent auction which was held at Heritage Park. For the past 23 years, we have celebrated future nurses and our own past with this event, with all proceeds going toward our student bursaries. We have some special things in mind for the 2016 version of the lunch and invite you to get involved. Stay tuned to the website (nursing. ucalgary.ca/alumni) for updates. I also had the privilege of attending a small gathering of alumni in the early spring, brought together by our dean Dianne Tapp, an alumna herself MN ’93, PhD ’97. Read more about this on page 4. As a young alum, it was interesting to learn the journey others have taken and the role their education in nursing has played. I invite you to become engaged with the alumni, either on our executive or on our “in development” mentorship initiative. You can email me at [email protected]. I hope to see you at an upcoming event. n GET ENGAGED WITH ALUMNI, either on our executive or with our “in development” mentorship initiative. [email protected] Alumni president (and CARNA 2015 Rising Star Award recipient) Tyler Hume Photo: William Au Photography FACULTY OF NURSING | 3 From left, UCalgary president Elizabeth Cannon; Schumacher lecturer Bonnie Johnston; and Faculty of Nursing dean Dianne Tapp at October’s Marguerite Schumacher Memorial Alumni Lecture. Photo: Jae Im Alumna makes a diff erence Bonnie Johnston, BN ’75: 2015 Marguerite “There is no greater gift than knowing Schumacher Memorial Alumni Lecturer in some way you have contributed to making a difference The 2015 Marguerite Schumacher receive the coordinated and Memorial Alumni Lecturer, comprehensive help they require,” in a child’s life. ” Bonnie Johnston, BN ’75, Johnston says. She is proud of is an advocate for children. the Centre’s mission to provide Since beginning her career in an children and youth, who have aboriginal community in experienced abuse and trauma, northern Alberta, Johnston has with the support and treatment Johnston also holds a Master’s held increasingly responsible they need to heal and grow. degree in Health Services roles in the areas of public health, Johnston’s Schumacher Administration from the pediatric inpatient and critical presentation, “Hope, Help and University of Alberta. Her focus care, and support for vulnerable Healing: One Child at a Time,” is on continuous improvement of children, youth and families in focused on how her nursing outcomes for vulnerable children, the Child Protection system. education was the foundation for youth and families through It has culminated in her current her leadership as a child advocate collaboration, innovation and position as the Chief Executive and the development and work of leading practice. Offi cer of the Sheldon Kennedy the Centre. “I was valedictorian “There is no greater gift than Child Advocacy Centre where at our graduation in 1975 and knowing in some way you have she has been since the Centre the words I wrote and spoke contributed to making a diff erence opened in February 2013. then underscore the passion for in a child’s life. It fuels the passion, “The Centre is a powerful the work I do now: set yourself the accountability and the example of strong partnerships, no limitations. Reach out and commitment to always do better,” willing hearts and committed touch that which is special and she says. n experts who ensure abused meaningful to you. Find your children and their families corner of the sky!” 4 | FACULTY OF NURSING Across Canada in 80 Days We have been reconnecting with small groups of alumni across the country in 2015. See where we’ve been and the great messages they have shared with us! CALGARY - MARCH 26 TORONTO - APRIL 16 Diners savoured a delicious meal while dean Dianne Tapp updated the group 9 ALUMNI 9 ALUMNI on happenings at the campus, including Karen Mills, BN ’77, has worked The following recap of the Toronto the growth of the Faculty of Nursing and in Public Health her entire career and event is written by Kay Coholan, the work toward the goal of being one of recently transferred to the Infl uenza and BN ’12, who is back in Toronto and Canada’s top fi ve research universities by Rapid Response Team, vaccinating during working in the Emergency department UC’s 50th anniversary in 2016. infl uenza season and during outbreaks. at Mount Sinai Hospital. Dean Tapp also talked about the signifi cance The alumni met around a large table in the of engaging alumni. “Since we continue to side room of a cozy restaurant, a stone’s be wholly committed to the success of our throw from hospital row in downtown current and future students, we appreciate Toronto. Most attendees had never met hearing your personal story so that we may but common threads kept the conversation better understand the many paths alumni lively. From graduation rings to cherished travel after they graduate from nursing.” instructors and profs, eight nurses found This was the second alumni dinner in themselves reminiscing about their days Toronto and Premji’s was one of two spent learning the trade under a prairie familiar faces. Lindsay Manning, sky. Some had more in common than just BN ’12, who attended the alumni event their alma mater. Yuka Okada and Marian a second time to hear about her peers’ Fennessy were classmates who had never working roles, recently moved to Toronto met, both having completed their post- and is seeking a job that will rival her diploma BN online in 2009 in the former former position at Foothills Hospital on the distance program. They would have been Dianne Tapp, Karen Mills, Kate Wong, Medical Teaching Unit. Sandra Golding, Sheilagh Cook and Tyler Hume connected via their online Blackboard posts only. Anne Zebarth, BN ’89, shared CALGARY her impression: “When I listened to the Farzana Premji, BN ’12 and newer graduates talking about their jobs Shannon Murray, BN ’14, and where they wanted to move their both profi ted from the opportunity to careers, I saw that the UC nursing program learn abroad at the University of Calgary continues to do a great job preparing campus in Qatar in the fi nal semester nurses to lead and use evidence to inform of their degree. They shared their their practice.” impressions of the cultural di erences of living and working in the Middle East. Though they had never previously met, Murray discovered that she and Aliya Tharani, BN ’11, work under the same roof, though on di erent units, at Sick Kids Hospital. Maria Martens, Shannon Murray, Kaye Coholan, Dianne Tapp, Farzana Premji, Lindsay Manning, Anne Zebarth, Marian Fennessy and Yuka Okada TOTONTO FACULTY OF NURSING | 5 Jananee Rasiah, Kate Wong, Laura Cuff , Dianne Tapp, Anne Dmytryshyn and Aurang Khan EDMONTON EDMONTON - MAY 8 VICTORIA - JUNE 12 6 ALUMNI 6 ALUMNI Alison Beaty, Shannon Rooney, Jaclyn Sing, Jessica Bottiglieri, Lucia Chu and Dianne Tapp Aurang Khan, BN ’11: “Nursing is so much more than I ever VANCOUVER - JUNE 13 VANCOUVER thought it would be. I am challenged every 6 ALUMNI day to lead people, to make decisions that impact patients and their families, and to Lucia Chu, BN ’09, works in an be a better person as well as a better nurse emergency department and on travel each day.” He is currently is a Unit Manager assignments throughout B.C.; she has (Hemodialysis Unit, Social workers, OT & PT) volunteered in Nigeria, the Philippines in Edmonton and is an advocate for more and Nepal. men in nursing. Shannon Rooney, BN ’13, Anne Dmytryshyn, BN ’04, works in Dermatologic Surgery and started is a Clinical Nurse Specialist at the Stollery the Family Nurse Practitioner program at PICU & PCICU and a Pediatric Advanced Life UBC this fall. Support instructor; she iscurrently enrolled at the University of Toronto and will be part Jessica Bottiglieri, BN ’08: of the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Class “While in nursing school I knew that by of 2016. completing this degree program that it would open up many opportunities, but I didn’t know it could open up this many. HALIFAX - 19 MAY My degree transferred to a di erent Miriam Kiwilsza, Janice Thiessen, Coby Tschanz, province and I was able to complete a Maria Martens, Sebastien Pisterzi, Dianne Tapp 5 ALUMNI and Bruce Tuff ord specialty program paid by my employer VICTORIA Colette Sullivan, MN ’94: and work my dream job as an emergency “It was great to reconnect with U of C room nurse. I have also had the opportunity nursing colleagues and see how each to work with fi lm and TV crews as a of us, despite the broad directions we have consultant as well as a special abilities taken, are still passionate about nursing extra on set.” and are working to advance the science, scope and practice of nursing in the roles we are in.” KELOWNA - JUNE 22 8 ALUMNI Amie Liddle, MN ’05, is the Administration Director of Foothills Medical Centre and is completing a PhD focusing on patient concerns in the health care system.

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