Success Magazine 2011-2012 by Stenberg College

Success

T o s u c c e e d , w e m u st f i r st b e l i e v e t h a t w e c a n . 2011 - 2012

Student of the year AWARD winners Faculty Profiles THIS CANADIAN LIFE: Stenberg’s ESL program brings hope, skills & jobs into the lives of newcomers

We are all Canucks: Former Vancouver Canuck Gino Odjick congratulates winners of Stenberg’s Ultimate Canucks Fan Contest

Student the Year Calling forof Nominations … 2010 - 2011 2012 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 16, 2011 and have or will graduate by the September 2012 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

“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 2011 Student of the Year

Celebrating growth, transformation & achievement....................................................2 2011 Student of the Year Winners..................3 Full Circle: Leanne O’Neill’s incredible journey.............................................................5 Life unlimited: Melanie Cannon turns her love of children into a lasting career........................6 Against all odds: Deanna McCullough turns adversity into strength......................................9 The best year of my life: Jana Bjorndal’s community spirit shines in special education.......................................................11 Faculty Profiles

Sunshine on a cloudy day: Tracey Purvis on perseverance, life’s lessons, and finding the good in everyone............................................13 Maternal Instincts: How Pat Bates channeled her passion for childcare into a career...........15 Nursing Without Borders: Eileen MaloneyWhite brings her worldly experience into the classroom......................................................19 Lisa Shaw: Building inclusive communities from the ground up........................................23 Steve Paras: Teaching beyond the classroom......................................................25 English as a Second Language

This Canadian Life: Stenberg’s ESL program brings hope, skills, and jobs into the lives of newcomers....................................................27 CREDITS Editor: Samantha Gray Writer: Jackie Wong (all articles except where noted) Photography: Ken Villeneuve Thanks to the Student of the Year Committee: Tammy Quan, Steve Paras, Ashley Taylor, Samantha Gray & Les Merson!

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.

Cover Photo: May 5, 2011: Former Vancouver Canuck Gino Odjick congratulates Nursing Unit Clerk students Pawan Bassra, Poonam Kalsi and Raman Gill who won Stenberg College’s Ultimate Canucks Fan contest and two Round 2 playoff tickets and $200 cash. Contestants were judged on costume/make-up, spirit, Canucks trivia knowledge, and presentation. Odjick was the guest judge. Go Canucks!

Success Magazine

Stenberg College Student of the Year

Celebrating growth, transformation, and achievement

or the people who arrive at Stenberg chiatric Nursing (RDPN) program. From a young her a $19,000 tuition reimbursement. College to embark on a new career in age, the 31-year-old mother of two had the odds O’Neill is now employed at the Quesnel Child health care and human services, their stacked against her. She grew up in poverty around and Youth Support Society as a Registered Psychieducation marks a fresh start and, for mental health and addictions issues, endured an atric Nurse (RPN). Her compassionate, optimistic many, a new lease on life. Coursework abusive relationship in her teens, and became a outlook and firsthand experience with some of the issues that her young clientele face make her at Stenberg means more than letter grades and test mother at age 16. scores—it’s an occasion to make good on long-held Determined to keep moving forward, O’Neill perfect for the job. “I have a deep-rooted and pasambitions, build a foundational skill set for lasting didn’t let those challenges stand in the way of grad- sionate belief that things can get better. You are careers, and create positive change in communities. uating high school with honours and becoming a capable,” she says. It makes sense, then, that Stenberg’s annual Student special needs worker. She put her passion for work- Student of the Year finalist and Practical Nursof the Year Award celebrates professional and per- ing with people on hold, however, when economic ing program graduate Deanna McCullough is a living reminder that things can and do get sonal achievement alongside academic better, regardless of circumstance. As a excellence. teenager, McCullough wanted to become Now in its sixth year, the award goes to a nurse, but the imperative to financially students who embody Stenberg’s mission “It’s not just about graduating and getting support her family put that dream on hold to develop caring graduates who benefit a job. We really believe that people coming for 10 years. Starting the Practical Nursing their professional and personal commuprogram at Stenberg was a turning point for nities. “It’s not just about graduating and out of Stenberg can make significant and the 28-year-old. getting a job,” says Stenberg President positive contributions to their community “After so long, I was doing something for Jeremy Sabell. “We really believe that and to society as a whole.” – Jeremy myself that I wanted to do,” she says. She people coming out of Stenberg can make embraced the opportunity with everything significant and positive contributions Sabell, President, Stenberg College she had, and graduated with a 90-per-cent to their community and to society as a Grade Point Average. Her achievements whole.” led her to become a Student of the Year 1st With so many exceptional students Runner-up, and McCullough was awarded a $5,000 graduating from Stenberg each year, the competi- necessity led her to a job in a forestry mill. tion is stiff. Just to be nominated for the award, stu- “During my time at the mill, I felt empty. The reimbursement of tuition. dents must maintain a minimum academic record of money was great but my passion wasn’t there,” Her academic accomplishments are remarkable 80-per-cent, and they must have no more than seven she says. “I remember sitting in the lunchroom on their own. But McCullough’s focus on schoolabsences during the course of their program. On top and looking in the newspaper. Stenberg’s ad was in work was put to the test as a family member’s of that, they must consistently display excellence as there.” The advertisement for the RDPN program gambling addiction impacted her emotionally and a student, professional, and community member; looked like a ticket to a dream job. O’Neill worked financially. True to form, McCullough turned her exceptional leadership skills; a positive, caring and at the mill for two more years before the economic experiences into points of strength, not weakness. proactive attitude; as well as a commitment to com- recession forced her out of the job, presenting the “All the life experiences you have [can] change you and make you better,” she says. exciting opportunity to go back to school. munity service and volunteerism. This year, faculty and staff nominated 31 stu- She threw herself into the RDPN program, wak- Change and strength is the name of the game dents. That group was whittled down to 10 finalists, ing up at 4:30 a.m. to hit the gym before taking her for Melanie Cannon, whose graduation from Stenwho were invited to deliver a presentation in sup- children to school and starting her day, which some- berg’s Early Childhood Educator (ECE) program port of their nomination to a faculty and staff panel. times involved five-hour drives from her home in marks the first graduation of her life. The 31-yearold mother of two endured early experiences of On countless occasions, the panelists were moved Quesnel, B.C. to Kamloops for practicum work. to tears. Students shared courageous, often heart- Through the long commutes, longer days, and abuse that drove her out of her home and school. breaking personal stories that led them to turn their non-stop hustle of single parenthood, O’Neill main- She left high school in Grade 9, so applying for and tained a 92-per-cent Grade Point Average. “Leanne getting accepted into Stenberg’s ECE program was lives around by starting classes at Stenberg. Student of the Year award winner Leanne is an inspiration,” says nursing instructor Marita both nerve-wracking and thrilling. Cannon’s walk O’Neill’s remarkable dedication and riveting life Malloy. “She embodies Stenberg College’s values across the convocation stage will be a double acjourney was an inspiration for both her student of excellence, caring, and community spirit like no complishment—she’s graduating for the first time, peers and faculty of the Regional Diploma in Psy- other.” O’Neill’s Student of the Year Award granted and she’s embarking on a new career she loves. 2

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Success Magazine

2011 Student of the Year Winners

Winner ($19,000) Leanne O’Neill

First Runner-up ($5,000) tie Melanie Cannon Early Childhood Education

First Runner-up ($5,000) tie Deanna McCullough Practical Nursing

Second Runner-up ($2,500) Jana Bjorndal Special Education Assistant

Psychiatric Nursing

Nominees Gershon Dazon, CSOW Grace Pedroso, ECE Colleen Marsh, HCA Melina Komaromi, HCA Shailini Anganu, HCA Ivan Cabral, HCA Maricel Cabral, HCA Navdeep Sangha, HCA Monika Kowalski, HSS Navjit Khella, HSS Despina Ganatsios, HSS Michelle Massey, MLA Jaspreet Dhadwal, MLA Cindy Van Beek, MLA Navdeep Samra, MLA Marian Impey, NUC Anjali Raman, NUC Mandy Ostapovich, PN Firas Haddad, PN Vanessa Young, RDPN Amanda Harris, SEA

Joyce Munroe, CAT

Theresa Vanderhorst, HCA

Nicole Brubaker, MLA

Lindsey Green, CSOW

Andrew Chong, HSS

Angela Taylor, NUC

“To graduate from something—but also be able to do it in an area I’m so passionate about—is so precious to me,” she says. Cannon has already been hired to work at a daycare centre near her home in the Newton area of Surrey, B.C. The new job marks a formalized extension of the independent daycare she operated out of her home for seven years while she was a stay-at-home mom. Stenberg commemorates Cannon’s accomplishments with a Student of the Year 1st Runner-up award, which grants her a $5,000 tuition reimbursement. “There’s a gift in knowing every night when you go to bed that you’ve comforted or helped that child or taught them something new,” she says. “To be Success Magazine

Finalists

Student of the Year ESL Award Winners

Winner ($1,000) Jasbir Rai Practical Nursing

First Runner-up ($250) tie Doris Wang Health Care Assistant

part of their cheering squad and to support them: that’s a gift for me.” Student of the Year finalist Jana Bjorndal knows what it means to be the cheering squad for a young person. The 30-year-old mother of three graduated from the Special Education Assistant (SEA) program this year, and her new job as an SEA for the Chilliwack School District marks an exciting return to the workforce after five years of raising her family. Like Cannon, Bjorndal operated an independent daycare out of her home while raising her young sons, and fell in love with the process of helping children learn. Her extraordinary compassion, leadership, and community spirit was evident from the Stenberg College

First Runner-up ($250) tie Meskerem Gibson Health Care Assistant

moment she arrived in her Stenberg classroom. “She was a role model to others and had a motivating and stabilizing effect on her classmates,” says Bjorndal’s SEA instructor Lisa Shaw. Bjorndal’s leadership in and outside the classroom is celebrated with a Student of the Year 2nd Runner-up designation and a $2,500 tuition reimbursement. The SEA program changed her life, Bjorndal says. Her experiences reflect those of generations of other Stenberg students. “I felt like my self-confidence has just risen through the roof,” Bjorndal says of her time at Stenberg. “I feel so incredibly proud that I accomplished this for myself and my family… My life has taken a whole new path.” v 3

“Life can be as beautiful as you want it to be.”

Stenberg College Student of the Year

Full circle

Leanne O’Neill’s incredible journey

t’s Monday morning at the Quesnel Child and Youth Support Society, a place where young people and their families access counseling and support services for developmental and adjustment issues, sexual abuse or violence. One would expect the place to be busy, but when Leanne O’Neill answers the phone, her compassion and reassuring pragmatism immediately puts the mind at ease. Her rare combination of friendly open-heartedness and fearless, lean-on-me strength makes O’Neill precisely the person anyone in crisis would be relieved to have on his or her side. True to form, O’Neill humbly makes no big deal of the exceptional tenacity and optimism that has brought her to where she is today. At 31, she now works with youth as a Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN) in an agency whose services she accessed herself at age 18. Back then, O’Neill had recently moved to Quesnel from Vancouver Island to be closer to friends and family who could help her as a single teen parent on social assistance. “One of the staff working here [Quesnel Child and Youth Support Society] knows me from back when I was 18 years old and a single mom,” O’Neill says. “It’s a reminder to me of how far I’ve come in 13 years, I guess.” The contrast between O’Neill’s life as a young person and where she stands today is remarkable. She grew up in poverty on Vancouver Island and was sexually abused as a child. She endured an abusive relationship in her teens and had a son at 16. She didn’t know it at the time, but O’Neill’s unwavering impulse to move forward despite life’s circumstances would be one of her greatest strengths. She graduated high school with honours alongside her peers, and moved to Quesnel. She enrolled in the young parent program at Quesnel Child and Youth Support Society. Spurred by family members’ experiences with mental health and addiction issues, she pursued a lifelong interest in working in the mental health field. O’Neill worked towards a Social Service Workers’ certificate from the College of New Caledonia, Quesnel’s local college. She worked with people with special needs for four years, which she loved. But the financial realities of single parenthood and the birth of a second child, a daughter, in 2002, resulted in O’Neill leaving her special needs job to seek out more profitable employment that would Success Magazine

support her family. She found work at a mill, where she did labour, lumber grading, and quality control for four years. “During my time at the mill, I felt empty. The money was great but I just felt like my passion wasn’t there,” O’Neill recalls. Then, during a lunch break spent reading the local newspaper in 2007, she stumbled upon an advertisement for the Regional Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing program at Stenberg College. It seemed like a perfect way to broaden her horizons in a field she loved. “I remember sitting in the lunchroom and looking in the paper. Stenberg’s ad was in there. It was the first year that they were offering the program. The thing that attracted me, living in the north, was that I could do it in the north,” she says. It would have been impossible for O’Neill to move to the Lower Mainland for school, but Stenberg’s remote-access program was designed so that students could continue to live and work in their home communities. Tempting as it was, the prospect of taking the program seemed unrealistic at the time. “I didn’t think it was possible for me to quit my mill job and go and do that,” O’Neill says. She worked at the mill for two more years with the program on her mind. But when the economic downturn hit her workplace in 2009, O’Neill lost her job and was forced to start life over—again. Like other challenges she’d faced before, she rose to the occasion, intent on making good on a hard-dealt hand. “I knew it was my opportunity to go back to school.” After receiving approval for a student loan, O’Neill applied and was accepted into the Regional Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing program in 2009. She would spend the next 23 months in an intensive program that was intellectually, emotionally, and technically challenging in equal measure. Aspects of the course that would drive others to quit only strengthened O’Neill’s resolve. She treated the time constraints and intensity as motivators, not impediments. “It drove me to work harder so I wouldn’t fail.” That attitude extends to all aspects of her life. “When I was younger, I had limitations that were put on me. We all do. For me, it was because of poverty and then because I was a teen mom. I think when I became an adult I saw those limitations as challenges. So whenever I have a limitation or Stenberg College

something I feel is becoming a limitation, I use it to motivate me or I set a goal to remove it.” O’Neill credits the Stenberg program for allowing her to grow as an individual, become more self-aware, and work on her weaknesses. Self-confidence, self-care, and time management had previously been ongoing challenges. Stenberg classes showed her the importance of taking care of herself in order to effectively care for others. So in spite of a round-the-clock schedule, she made time for regular exercise. “I get up at 4:30 in the morning, I hit the gym for 5 a.m., get home, get my kids up, and we start our day,” she says, describing her daily routine. “A lot of people say to me, how do you do that when you’re so busy? How do I not do that? If I didn’t take that time, I wouldn’t be able to make it through what I went through.” O’Neill’s infectious ability to motivate herself and those around her set the stage for her to excel in the Stenberg College program. Juggling practicum work, coursework, and the innumerable responsibilities of single parenthood, O’Neill achieved a 92-per-cent Grade Point Average at Stenberg. Her instructors and preceptorship supervisors admired her strength. “During two of her semesters she had full courses and had to travel from Quesnel to Kamloops—a five-hour drive,” marvels nursing instructor Marita Molloy. “There were many, many weeks where, between school and clinical, Leanne would put in 70 to 80-hour weeks. Furthermore, she still had to be an active and effective single parent … Leanne is an inspiration!” She’s one in a million. As a person who has made it her life’s work to support people in crisis as a Psychiatric Nurse, O’Neill’s grace, strength, and compassion is a gift to her community. She doesn’t see it that way, of course. She feels grateful and happy to work with youth. As someone whose teen years were marked by pivotal moments that would chart the course of her life, O’Neill’s current work is coloured with personal experience and knowledge that things can improve, no matter how bleak they seem. “I have a deep-rooted and passionate belief that things can get better … You are capable,” she says. “Life can be as beautiful as you want it to be.” v

Stenberg College Student of the Year Award - 1st Runner-up

Life unlimited: Melanie Cannon turns her love of children into a lasting career

elanie Cannon’s infectious, unforgettable laugh is easy to love, and something the 33-year-old mother of two shares with a compassionate generosity. She’s the kind of person whose presence lights up a room, and her friends, neighbours, and the children she’s taken under her care are quick to speak affectionately of the bright role she’s played in their lives as “our Mel” or “Auntie Mel.” Two weeks after finishing classes in the Early Childhood Educator (ECE) program at Stenberg College, Cannon starts work at a daycare centre near her home in the Newton area of Surrey, B.C. Graduation is an important milestone for Cannon. The occasion represents a crystallization of years of personal struggle, growth, and accomplishment that continues to inspire the people in her community. “She is an example of rising above any obstacles 6

“No matter what your background has been, no matter what experiences or challenges you’ve been through in your life, you can push past that and survive—not only survive, but thrive. You can feel very limited by those traumatic events that can happen in life, but you don’t have to live within those limits.” that come her way,” says Lea Korcek, Cannon’s neighbour. “She has influenced me to realize that anything is possible … [Everyone] can achieve their dreams.” Stenberg College

Cannon didn’t expect to be hired at the daycare centre while she was still a student, months away from graduation. But it’s no surprise that any employer passionate about the future of childcare would snap her up. Cannon’s experience with children stretches far beyond her schooling. In efforts to supplement her family income while she was a stay-at-home mom, Cannon ran an independent daycare service out of her home for seven years. The children under Cannon’s care loved her, and she loved them. “I fell in love with the process of watching people’s children learn and grow, knowing that I was contributing to their lives in a positive way,” she says. “The emotional rewards that came with that were far greater than any monetary value I could ever receive.” Cannon resolved to formally pursue her interest in early childhood education as soon as she could Success Magazine

Stenberg College Student of the Year Award - 1st Runner-up

afford to do so. With her 15-year-old son Michael now in high school and 12-year-old daughter Madisan in her final years of elementary school, the timing felt right for Cannon to apply to Stenberg. The ECE program was exciting to her because of its practical, in-the-field approach to learning. Even though she knew Stenberg would be the right fit, the application process was nerve-wracking. “I wasn’t sure that I was completely capable of doing anything at a college level,” she says. Experiences with abuse drove her out of home and school. Cannon left home shortly after her 14th birthday and she later quit school in Grade 9. Years later at 18, she started taking classes at the North Surrey Learning Centre. By then, the worst of life had brought her down and she had little confidence in herself or her own abilities. A teacher named Julie Chic welcomed a reluctant Cannon into her math class. “When she first walked into our school she was afraid of her own voice and very uncomfortable in her own skin,” Chic recalls of Cannon’s first days in the Math 11 classroom. “By the time Melanie had completed the course, however, a clear shift had taken place in her own self-concept…she had taken the risk of exposing her academic weakness

to us and been rewarded with one of the greatest gifts life can offer—the personal and almost secret joy of really learning.” The process of learning and succeeding in that math class was pivotal for Cannon. It showed her, for the first time, that it was possible to face a challenge, overcome it, and emerge victorious. “I never would have pursued college had I not had somebody who pushed me enough for me to see that I could succeed in something,” she says. Chic believed in her when Cannon didn’t believe in herself—a gift, Cannon says, for which she’s still grateful. “This whole experience in college is due to Julie and the fact that she pushed me so hard,” she says. “She did it so kindly and so lovingly that it made me think, ‘Okay. I’ll try, Julie. I’ll try.’ If I had never experienced that, I wouldn’t be sitting here today.” Graduation from Stenberg is a double accomplishment. It marks Cannon’s first-ever graduation from any educational institution, and when she walks across the convocation stage, she’ll receive certification to work in a field she loves, plus a $5,000 cheque as the Student of the Year Runner-up. The milestone also signifies a resonant truth.

“The most important job in the world.”

Early Childhood Educator

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Stenberg College

Stenberg College Student of the Year Award - 1st Runner-up

Against all odds Deanna McCullough turns adversity into strength

eanna McCullough is the kind of person anyone would be lucky to count as a friend. She’s equal parts funny and genuine, the kind of warm-hearted straight shooter one can trust immediately. McCullough appreciates the little things: playing on softball and slow-pitch teams, singing in a choir, and taking weekend road trips with friends. In those groups, the 28-year-old often flexes her muscles as the natural leader and coach she has become, generously sharing encouragement, tips, and resources—anything to help her peers succeed. It’s the same community-minded dedication that led McCullough to outstanding achievement in the Practical Nursing program at Stenberg College, graduating near the top of her class with a 90-per-cent Grade Point Average. “She will excel in nursing,” says Practical Nursing instructor Eileen Maloney-White. “She demonstrated enthusiasm for helping people with a creative and unique perspective of health care,” adds Evelyn Phaneuf, another nursing instructor. “Deanna is honest, sincere, and reflective.” McCullough recalls the thrill of receiving high scores on nursing tests after late-night study sessions. For her, the marks meant more than simply getting the answers right. Every accomplishment at Stenberg meant that, for the first time in her life, McCullough was doing something for herself. She was experiencing success after a litany of life experiences that threatened to keep her down. McCullough’s appreciation for everyday joys is underscored by an abiding understanding of what it means to be limited by circumstances close to her heart but outside her control. As a toddler, she experienced abuse at the hands of a relative. Then, for years, a family member’s gambling addiction persisted in secret and placed great strain on her family, who struggled to make ends meet. The youngest of three children, McCullough worked as soon as she was of age to help pay the bills. In Grade 11, she took a job at a bank, hoping to turn it into a career as an accountant. Around the same time, McCullough found herself at the bed-

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“I don’t regret anything that’s ever happened. If it hadn’t happened, it wouldn’t have made me who I am. All life experiences [can] change you and make you better. That’s definitely happened to me.” side of her aunt, who was about to give birth. As the nurse gave McCullough instructions on how to help, new possibilities unfolded in her mind. She resolved to do what she could to pursue a career in nursing. But the imperative to financially support the family kept her from trying for 10 years. When McCullough lost a longtime job at an office supply chain when she was 27, she decided to Stenberg College

make good on her promise to put herself through nursing school. It was an opportunity to do something just for her, and she dedicated herself fully to the experience. She studied as hard as she could, living and breathing coursework. “I knew I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives,” she says of the nursing program. “I didn’t want to just finish the program. I wanted to excel at it.” Shortly after McCullough started classes at Stenberg, she suffered a serious financial setback as the victim of identity theft. The incident could have sidelined another person, but for McCullough, it only sharpened her resolve. “My thought was, I’m so close to finishing, I need to get this done,” she says. “I needed to focus harder than I ever had on studying because I was finally, after so long, doing something for myself that I wanted to do. And I couldn’t let anybody take that away from me.” With the support of friends and a fiercely loving circle of aunts, McCullough completed the program, excelling in all her courses. “Deanna is a person who takes adversity and rises above it,” says her aunt Denise Macris. “She is too full of love for others to let these things keep her down.” Now, upon graduation, the sky’s the limit. McCullough looks forward to diving head first into the nursing field. She doesn’t look back in anger at her past. “I don’t regret anything that’s ever happened. If it hadn’t happened, it wouldn’t have made me who I am,” she says. “All life experiences [can] change you and make you better. That’s definitely happened to me.” McCullough’s friend Amber Weiler has no doubt she will achieve her dreams and more. The two met in the Practical Nursing program and became fast friends, talking late into the night, sharing their love of learning and the beauty of a supportive friendship. “She has the biggest and most caring heart. I respect and admire her strength and abilities as a person and a nurse,” Weiler says. “I never thought I would meet a person I am so proud to call my friend.” v

Photography by Ken Villeneuve ÂŠ 2010

Stenberg College Student of the Year Award - 3rd Runner-up (tie)

Stenberg College Student of the Year Award - 2nd Runner-up

“The best year of my life” Jana Bjorndal’s community spirit shines in special education

ublic school classrooms can seem unwelcoming to students with learning or developmental disabilities. With increasingly limited resources and growing class sizes, individuals with special needs can get lost in the bustle of a busy classroom. But for Jana Bjorndal, special education is a top priority—she’s passionate about ensuring that everyone, regardless of ability, has the opportunity to learn, grow, and flourish in a school setting. The Chilliwack School District smartly picked up on her talents and hired her as soon as she completed Stenberg’s Special Education Assistant (SEA) program. The program, she says, has catalyzed profound personal and professional growth. She counts her time in the SEA program as one of the best years of her life. Bjorndal became interested in working with children with special needs while she ran a daycare service out of her home in Chilliwack, B.C. as she raised her three young sons. A boy at the daycare had special needs, and she found the process of caring for him to be extremely rewarding. “I just knew that would be something I would want to do,” she says. The 30-year-old had left the workforce five years ago to care for her family, and she was interested in going back to school to formalize her passion for working with children with special needs. After a quick search for potential schools, Stenberg had her hooked. “I went into Stenberg and I just fell in love with it right away,” she says. “I just loved the staff there, I loved the small classes. I loved that I didn’t feel like a number.” Bjorndal enrolled in the SEA program and didn’t look back. She threw her heart and soul into the schoolwork. She tirelessly woke up at dawn to pack up her three sons, drop them off at daycare, and embark on the long commute from her home in Chilliwack to Stenberg’s Surrey campus every day. The demanding new routine would have been a struggle for others. Always the optimist, Bjorndal never complained. “I looked at every single day that I went to school as a blessing,” she says. She gave the program evSuccess Magazine

erything she had. She organized a campus bottle drive to raise money for a Victoria infant diagnosed with leukemia. She participated in Walk Now for Autism and the Fraser Valley Down Syndrome Support group’s Walk for Awareness. She volunteered for the Centre for Epilepsy & Seizure Education. On top of that, she helped coach her son’s baseball team and volunteered as the SEA program’s representative on Student Council. “I can’t believe how much my self confidence has grown. I feel so proud that I accomplished this for myself and for my family,” Bjorndal says. “The whole year was just an incredible experience.” Her enthusiasm for the program was infectious and galvanized classmates to aim high too. Her instructor, Lisa Shaw, describes Bjorndal as an exemplary student. “She was a role model to others and had a motivating and stabilizing effect on her classmates.”

“I want to work with the students that the teachers don’t necessarily have the time to work with,” Bjorndal says. She loves the individualized attention SEAs can give students, and she fondly recalls her practicum work in a learning assistance centre at a high school. She delighted in helping students find creative solutions to break through learning disabilities. Fellow SEA students were quick to sing the praises of a friend and colleague they admired. “I know I can speak on behalf of our entire class when I say that Jana is dedicated, loving, helpful, determined, encouraging, kind, lively, and absolutely fantastic!” says SEA classmate Kelsi-Rae Schaffer. Members of that SEA class had a uniquely Stenberg College

strong, familial bond, due in large part to Bjorndal’s community spirit that drew people together. “We laughed together, we cried together,” recalls classmate Pavla Pavelka. “We shared our lives with each other and Jana was always there to help support and comfort when it was needed.” Bjorndal’s passion for fostering supportive, equitable communities makes her future work in special education a natural extension of her strengths and interests. “I want to work with the students that the teachers don’t necessarily have the time to work with,” she says. She loves the individualized attention SEAs can give students, and she fondly recalls her practicum work in a learning assistance centre at a high school. She delighted in helping students find creative solutions to break through learning disabilities. Bjorndal started work as an SEA for the Chilliwack School District at the beginning of the 2011 school year. She’s thrilled for the fresh start, and highly recommends Stenberg to anyone interested in healthcare or human service. She’s a living example of her own advice to prospective students: embrace the experience wholeheartedly, and you’ll reap what you sow. “Go into it with a positive attitude and positive things will come out of it.” v 11

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Photography by Ken Villeneuve ÂŠ 2011

Stenberg College Student of the Year Award - 3rd Runner-up (tie)

Faculty Profile - Psychiatric Nursing

Sunshine on a cloudy day Tracey Purvis on perseverance, life’s lessons, and finding the good in everyone

working as the program coordinator of the Regional Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing program at Stenberg College, a position she’s held since 2009. On the side, Purvis participates in Lower Mainland body building competitions. Some training periods keep her in the gym for up to three hours a day. It’s not always easy. Tenacity and self-empowerment are keys to Purvis’ success—in and outside of work. “This morning, before I came to work, I didn’t want to go to the gym. I had a headache and would have rather gone back to bed,” she admits. “But I knew that I would feel better once I started doing what I’d planned to do, not only because of the endorphins that kick “It does take, I guess, a certain type in and just feeling healthy, but because I was not letting it get me down. I feel emof nurse to want to care for those powered instead of feeling like a victim.” Purvis’ refusal to let even the little things that have offended others in some get her down has seen her through some way. It’s understanding that the of life’s biggest challenges. In late 2008, Purvis felt like she was coming down with person, the mentally disordered a cold. She sent her son to be taken care offender, is more than just their of by family members so that she could offense. They’re a person, and they lie down and get rid of a headache. She was later found unconscious in her home deserve some humanity and some and rushed to the hospital. A month later, treatment.” doctors discovered a brain tumour and removed it in early 2009. Now, two surgeries later, doctors continue to monitor another tumour that hasn’t been removed. “I think we all have obstacles. And I think that “In the short term, it created a fight or flight relife is about taking those obstacles on and overcom- sponse,” Purvis says. “I needed to fight this and my ing them in whatever way we can,” she says. “I real- son needed a mom. I was very grateful that it wasn’t cancer, but I knew I needed to keep moving forward ize that I can lead by example.” And she does. Purvis’ warm smile, infectious op- and somehow get through this. I realized that it’s timism, and unflagging passion for living life fully another way of life teaching me to stop and smell are evident in every aspect of her life. She loves her the roses.” husband and her eight-year-old son, she is a passion- Months of rehabilitation and rest reminded Purate promoter of physical and mental health, and her vis to seek balance in her life. It wasn’t an easy feat interest in continuing to broaden her professional for someone accustomed to the chaotic yet rewardknowledge as a Psychiatric Nurse has seen her con- ing nature of psychiatric nursing. sistently work as both a student and a teacher over Purvis began her career after finishing high the last five years. She recently finished a Master’s school in Langley, B.C., where she was born and Degree in Nursing, juggling final coursework while raised. Her first job in healthcare was working in racey Purvis is a fighter. In her 20 years of work in healthcare, Purvis has worked tirelessly on the front lines of care homes, correctional institutions, and forensic psychiatric hospitals, working with individuals who have been abandoned by their families, their friends, and, in many cases, by the social institutions that were designed to take care of them. But in places where the rest of society seems to have turned its back, Purvis has continued to persevere.

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a group home for people with disabilities. Her clients had been de-institutionalized from Woodlands School, a New Westminster residential care facility for people with disabilities that closed in 1996. “I certainly had no intention of ending up there, but I loved it,” she said. “As Woodlands was closing, we were receiving more and more individuals that had more medically compromised diagnoses.” The group home started hiring Psychiatric Nurses to care for high-need patients. “I realized that it was something I loved. I felt at home with it, and I wanted to know more,” Purvis says. She then completed a psychiatric nursing diploma program, and became a Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN). That’s when

On the side, Purvis participates in Lower Mainland body building competitions. Some training periods keep her in the gym for up to three hours a day. 13

Faculty Profile - Psychiatric Nursing

she made the choice to move from working with individuals with developmental disabilities to working in the field of mental health. She completed a preceptorship at the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in Port Coquitlam, and went on to work as a nurse in forensic psychiatry for 14 years in British Columbia and Alberta. The work was emotionally challenging, but for Purvis, it was also rewarding, important work. “It does take, I guess, a certain type of nurse to want to care for those that have offended others in some way,” she says. “It’s understanding that the person, the mentally disordered offender, is more than just their offense. They’re a person, and they deserve some humanity and some treatment.” Day-to-day hardships were tempered by the camaraderie that blossomed between forensic coworkers, Purvis says. “Then there are those moments that really shape you and are moments of gratitude,” she says. “I’ve received letters from patients’ families, and even from patients themselves, that thank me, specifically, for the care. You become their family.” These days, Purvis is taking time to focus on her own family, her health, and her work at Stenberg College, a job that appealed to her because the staff created a strong feeling of family on campus. Stenberg’s one-of-a-kind Psychiatric Nursing program chiefly takes place online, so psychiatric nursing students can take the program where they live. “In the past, they’ve always had to move to

the Lower Mainland and then leave their families, take their schooling, and too often stay in the Lower Mainland and not serve the communities that they left that are desperate for mental health support,” she says. Plus, she finds that classroom interaction online can be more in-depth than in physical classrooms.

She continues to move mountains (and, quite literally, large automobiles) in her personal and professional life. With people like Purvis at the helm of Stenberg’s Psychiatric Nursing program, the future of the profession is promising and bright.” “You don’t have the same barriers or social norms as a classroom where people judge you for what you look like, your age or your gender …” she says. “When you’re online, the only requirement is that you speak up.” In efforts to address B.C.’s shortage of psychiatric nurses as baby boomers retire, Stenberg’s Psychiatric Nursing program has doubled its intake of

new students since Purvis started two years ago. “Definitely the interest and the need is there,” she says. “Our graduates have no difficulty finding jobs. It’s 100-per-cent job placement for them.” As public awareness grows around mental health issues, the work of psychiatric nurses will only grow in demand and expertise. “This is my 21st year in healthcare, and I can’t imagine doing anything else,” Purvis says. While her life has taken unexpected turns, Purvis is grateful for where she is now. Her current role as an instructor and a mentor affords her the balance in life that was needed to take care of her health, but it’s also a job that’s close to her heart. “Nurses are inherently teachers. We teach our clients and our clients’ families, as well as our nursing students and young nurses,” she says. “Back in my nursing diploma days, I had an instructor who has now become a mentor of mine. She was passionate about nursing, about being a Psychiatric Nurse. She was passionate about teaching. I loved being around her. I loved her energy. And I wanted to someday be able to do that as well.” “These days, Purvis is doing just that. She’s motivating and teaching the next generation of Psychiatric Nurses across the province. She continues to move mountains (and, quite literally, large automobiles) in her personal and professional life. With people like Purvis at the helm of Stenberg’s Psychiatric Nursing program, the future of the profession is promising and bright.” v

Purvis competing in The Hummer Pull at the 2007 Strongman Competition where she placed first in the female division. She is pulling the original H1 version of the Hummer which weighed approximately 7000 lbs! 14

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Faculty Profile - Early Childhood Education

Maternal Instincts How Pat Bates channelled her passion for childcare into a career

at Bates always knew she wanted to work with children. Whether it was treating her baby brother like her personal doll, babysitting newborns when she was only 13, or teaching baton classes to children as a teenager, Pat displayed a natural passion for childcare early in life. But it wasn’t until she took a job as a nanny for a husband-wife team of travelling lounge singers that her passion fully blossomed. Pat took care of the couple’s three-year-old son as they performed at hotels across British Columbia and Alberta. While the experience was at times difficult for the 17-year-old fresh out of high school, it gave her the push she needed to pursue her dream. “It was hard sometimes because it was the first time I was really away from home, and there were times when I was homesick and wanted to go home,” says Pat, who is an Early Childhood Educator instructor at Stenberg College. “But the couple made me feel like a part of their family and it helped me develop my passion of caring for children.” Born and raised in the small town of Naramata, B.C., just north of Penticton, Pat displays all the warmth and kindness that one would hope to find in a childcare provider. While the mother of two may now evoke all the confidence and charm of a childcare expert, she was a shy and insecure teenager when she first started her professional career. But life on the road helped Pat slowly break out of her shell and as she became more comfortable taking care of the couple’s son, she discovered that she really was a natural with children. “I look back at those years and I almost wish that I could redo them, because at the time I was so very young and naïve,” says Pat, reminiscing. “But travelling with the entertainers really exposed me to the world and helped build my self-confidence. It was a wonderful experience, a really different way to start my career …” Although she may have a few regrets about her four years with the lounge singers, the experience Success Magazine

By Sean Condon

not only helped Pat get started, but signalled the kind of dedication and commitment she would show throughout her life toward early childcare. After the entertainers had a second child and decided to settle down, Pat moved from a life on the road to one of higher learning and enrolled herself in an Early Childhood Education program. She was quickly hired by one of her instructors at their childcare centre—where she eventually became head supervisor. But love soon struck and Pat married her husband, Don, and moved to Delta where she too decided to settle down and start a family. With two young boys that she wanted to stay close to, the young mother decided to combine her two loves, Stenberg College

her family and early childhood education, and open a licensed childcare centre in her home. Opening her own centre, Teddy Town, allowed Pat to create a school that fostered the nurturing and stimulating environment she believed childcare providers should offer children. Along with allowing children the freedom to be creative, Pat specialized in music and movement programs that focused on developing a child’s appreciation for music and rhythm. “It’s such a wonderful feeling knowing that you’re giving these children the problem solving and self esteem skills that they can use for their whole life,” she says. “The age that I work with them, from three to five, is really the key age when you start building 15

Faculty Profile - Early Childhood Education

Stenberg College’s Early Childhood Education program is run off-site in collaboration with the New Life Childcare Centre, allowing our students to observe theory in practice. According to instructor Pat Bates, “this gives them regular opportunities to practice learned skills which will better prepare them for their work in the ﬁeld.”

those skills; it’s really rewarding to be able to help instil that in them.” Pat’s advanced programming quickly earned her preschool a reputation around the region as a high-quality childcare centre. Because she made both the children and the parents feel completely comfortable, it was common for parents to enrol all their children in her preschool. Tammy Renaud, who now runs her own daycare centre, enrolled her three-yearold son at Teddy Town ten years ago and remembers that she was immediately impressed with how quickly Pat helped her son deal with his separation anxiety. “She just took him right under her wing, her mothering instinct came out,” says Renaud. “My son took to her quite well and she kept him close to her. Eventually he settled in quite nicely and it was a really good experience for him.” But as Pat was busy running a successful busi-

“I love teaching because it revolves around my passion. I tell my students that you have to go into this field because you love working with children and have a desire to make their lives better. ness, she noticed that her younger son Michael needed a little more help. While her eldest, James, enjoyed playing with the children at the preschool, Michael was much less interested in interacting with groups of children. Although she and her husband knew something was wrong, it took ten years before doctors finally diagnosed him as autistic.

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That period was very trying for Pat and her family. “When he was younger it was tough, he’d have behaviours that were not typical of many children his age,” says Pat. “It was very frustrating because we wanted to get him the help that we knew he needed, but without having someone test him and say what it was, we didn’t know what to do.” Luckily, Pat was able to rely on her strong nurturing skills and instincts to help him during those troubling years and once he was properly diagnosed, she and her husband finally had the direction they needed to give him the necessary supports. Now a teenager, Michael, who officially has a mild form of autism, is well balanced and healthy. “As my son has matured, he’s outgrown a lot of those stressful situations,” she says. “And despite all the struggles we went through, everything is pretty secure and he’s really fun to be around and

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Faculty Profile - Early Childhood Education

Education is a profession and it’s a profession that needs to be recognized. She is passionate about it and one of her jobs in life is to continually elevate that profession.” From her humble beginnings touring around the province to her success as one of the province’s top Early Childhood Educators, Pat has constantly pushed herself to provide the highest quality of childcare education. Armed with a wealth of experience, Pat now relishes the opportunity to pass on that knowledge and passion to a new generation of Early Childhood Educators. “I love teaching because it revolves around my passion,” says Pat. “I tell my students that you have to go into this field because you love working with children and have a desire to make their lives better. I feel really good about sharing that passion with others and inspiring them. It’s really rewarding to know that I’m helping to improve the quality in the early childhood education field.” v

he doesn’t display those stressful behaviours anymore.” But as her sons grew up and needed more space in the house, Pat was forced to close her preschool. While the decision was difficult for her, and many of the parents who had hoped to send their next round of children to her, she had found a new outlet for her passion by teaching early childhood education at local colleges. Having previously spent two years teaching at Stenberg, she returned to the college last year to lead an exciting new program that will teach students at an off-site childcare centre—the first of its kind in the province. “She has a sincere passion for the profession,” says Jacquie Stene Murphy, Stenberg’s Director of Faculty and Student Affairs, who adds that Pat isn’t afraid to “kick her students’ butts” in order to motivate them to do their best. “She constantly preaches that Early Childhood

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Faculty Profile - Practical Nursing

Nursing Without Borders

Eileen Maloney-White brings her worldly experience into the classroom

rmed with an array of diplomas and schooling from around the world, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that Eileen Maloney-White became a teacher. The first thing that most people note about her is her love for learning. It’s the kind of passion that usually has a trickle down effect—the more knowledge one gains, the more one wants to share it. Born in Scotland to Irish parents, Maloney-White spent her childhood summers in South Africa. When she was 12 years old, she immigrated to Canada with her parents and continued her schooling in Victoria, where she became a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) before becoming a Registered Nurse (RN). But her education didn’t stop there. After graduating as an RN, she continued to upgrade her education. “I have a real passion for learning and just kept taking class after class after class,” says the Practical Nursing instructor at Stenberg College. She now holds diplomas in critical care nursing, post-anesthesia nursing, childbirth education and occupational health. And it’s this kind of personal development that she tries to instill in her students at Stenberg College. “We need to ensure we get good people going into nursing. And the best way to do that is to educate them to the best of our ability and encourage them to continue to learn and grow,” she says. Bitten with the travel bug early on in life, Maloney-White has always found a way to combine her love of higher education with travelling. And she believes that the more someone has the opportunity to see the world, the more patient, compassionate and understanding of a nurse they will become. “I strongly encourage travelling with nursing: it’s a great way to be exposed to different people, cultures and experiences,” she says. In a country as multicultural as Canada, where people might be used to a variety of different standards and methods of care, Maloney-White says travelling provides a nurse with the kind of exposure that will help him or her be a more effective member of any care team. One of Maloney-White’s teaching philosophies is that to be effective, it’s best to practice what you preach. And she has certainly followed through with that. She nursed in places as diverse as JamaiSuccess Magazine

By Elecia Chrunik ca, Texas and Canada’s North. “That’s a wonderful thing about nursing … You can go anywhere, you can choose pretty much any discipline within the nursing realm and just run with it.” She now travels with her husband, and sometimes together as a family with their two children. Her family has foster children in other countries and she’s glad to see that her own daughters, both honours students—one at UBC and the other in high school—keep in touch with their foster siblings around the world. “They are extremely bright and intelligent young women, a pleasure to be around because they are just very nice people,” Maloney-White says of her daughters. “For me, that’s a gift.” Maloney-White also currently works as the Occupational Health Nurse for Western Region Jazz Air, a carrier for Air Canada. Her role is to assist employees, in a safe and supported environment, who are experiencing physical and/or psychological limitations that might impact their work. She’s excelled so much in this position that the Canadian Nurses Association recently asked Maloney-White to step into the mentorship role and become the Occupational Health Nurse representative for Western Canada. “I was quite touched,” she says humbly. Maloney-White was also recently nominated to serve as a Director for the American Board for Occupational Health Nurses. And she proudly serves as Chair for the Nominations Committee for the College of Registered Nurses of BC (CRNBC) and as the Assistant Presiding Officer for the Canadian Registered Nurses Exam (CRNE). When she first decided to become an occupational health nurse, she had “the great fortune” to have a mentor who helped build her confidence. She’s honoured to be able to provide the same service for new nurses. The appointment from the Canadian Nurses Association wouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who’s had the pleasure of taking a class from her or experiencing her teaching methods. According to Jacquie Stene Murphy, Director of Student and Faculty Affairs at Stenberg College, Maloney-White is an “all-star”. “She’s a dream instructor and faculty member. She is a humourous story teller who connects with her students on their level,” Stene Murphy says. Stenberg College

“She does a wonderful job creating a caring and trusting environment.” Building relationships and rapport with her patients and students is something that MaloneyWhite has a knack for. It’s the reason she didn’t enjoy her time in the operating room nor in neonatal care. While she liked the work, she realized it wasn’t the place for her because she couldn’t communicate with the people she was working for. “That’s a piece that’s very important to me, having a dialogue.” Pearl Pacheco, her friend, colleague and onetime student, says Maloney-White passes that philosophy onto her students. “She puts everything into an everyday context,” Pacheco says. “She’s easy to understand and a very effective teacher.” But beyond that, Pacheco is moved by her friend’s keen attitude to never stop experiencing new things and absorbing new knowledge. “One of the things that inspires me about her is that she’s constantly hungry for knowledge,” Pacheco says. “She’s inspired me to go out and seek more knowledge.” Maloney-White would be humbled by those remarks. She sees teaching as something that’s necessary in order to ensure the integrity of the profession that she loves. And through teaching, she continues to grow and learn. “I learn a lot from the students I work with,” she says, and she shows her appreciation by being straightforward about all aspects of the profession that her students will soon enter. “I tell my students up front that no questions are off-limits, but that they should be prepared for the answer. It might not be the one they anticipate,” she says with a laugh. “There are candy-coated answers, but those aren’t the ones I give.” Her students undoubtedly appreciate her candor and the real-life approach that Maloney-White takes doesn’t go unnoticed. “She brings unbelievable stories and practical examples and makes our classes come alive,” Stene Murphy says. And that’s the way that Maloney-White is able to connect with those she works with and for. Her philosophy toward teaching and learning is simple but speaks volumes about how much she cares about the future of her students and her profession. “If someone wants to learn, they should be given that opportunity,” she says. v

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Faculty Profile - Special Education Assistant

Lisa Shaw: Building inclusive communities from the ground up

lthough her days are packed with teaching, community work, oneon-one coaching sessions with students, and the numerous demands of staying ahead of the curve in the blossoming field of special education, Lisa Shaw remains characteristically upbeat, focused, and articulate. Her days are long and the work demanding, but working in the special education community is exactly where she wants to be. Her generous spirit and passion for her work is infectious, so it’s easy to see how she would be a role model to all the students who have spent time in her classes. Even her own two children work in the field of autism and supporting individuals with developmental disabilities. Like her students, it’s apparent that Shaw’s children have been inspired by their mother’s radiant love for her work and the community it represents. Shaw joined the Stenberg faculty as a Special Education Assistant (SEA) program instructor and monitor seven years ago. “I came primarily with a background in adult education and also as a Family Support Worker,” she says. “I was working with individuals in the community that have a variety of needs and mostly supporting adults with kids, some of whom have special needs.” Her own beginnings in the field are similar to how many of her students find themselves in the SEA program. “You feel called to it,” she says, simply. “It attracts people that have the heart and the head for the work.”

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Shaw’s sense of justice and desire to help people led her to an education that includes a Family Support Worker diploma, a Trauma Support Worker diploma, and a Provincial Instructor diploma. “I’m driven to try to help families and individuals realize their dreams, their hopes, and their goals,” she says. “I think education is a perfect vehicle to help people get to where they want to be.” Stenberg College provides fertile ground for nurturing the kind of education that inspires Shaw as much as her students. “I embrace the idea of social and co-operative learning,” she says. Her SEA classes are known around campus for the close circles of support that often develop among the students. Such communities are due in large part to Shaw’s passion for fostering supportive, inclusive environments that help people learn together. She says she learns as much from the students as they learn from her. As a teacher, Shaw subscribes to a model of transformative learning in which students learn in social, co-operative environments that empower them to grow personally and professionally. “There’s lots of room for professional as well as personal development,” she says of her whole-person approach to learning. “It’s a whole package, and that’s what gets me really excited.” In addition to teaching at Stenberg, Shaw continues to work in the Burnaby and Tri-Cities communities as both a Family Support Worker and in home-based therapy teams for autism. The work, she says, keeps her up-to-date on advancements and trends in autism therapy, which she shares with her SEA students. “Staying active in the field is important to me,” she says. “We at Stenberg definitely have a finger on the pulse. We’re not interested in just keeping up: we want to be the front-runners in everything we do.” Stenberg’s consistent leadership in its fields of practice contributes directly to high employment statistics among graduates. Many SEA students are hired for jobs before they finish school. “One of the things I’m most proud of in the SEA program is understanding what’s necessary in the industry, and then making sure that everything we provide is relevant,” Shaw says. Stenberg SEA students are the only private post-secondary Stenberg College

students that receive training from the Provincial Outreach Program for Autism & Related Disorders (POPARD). “It makes a big difference for them to have gold-standard training in autism before they even graduate.” Stenberg’s advanced training for autism reflects recent research gains in the field. “It’s the most prevalent developmental disability that we see,” Shaw says. In her own work in family support for autism therapy, she’s seeing advancements in transitioning young people with autism from schools to the community and the workplace. “Parents need a fair bit of support with that,” she acknowledges. “I think that’s going to be one of the next big trends on the horizon.” She acknowledges that there is still much more work to be done in advancing her field. But given the amazing dedication she’s seen demonstrated in both her classroom and in the industry over the years, Shaw sees a bright future. “I feel very optimistic and hopeful about the work,” she says. “There’s a lot of good work being done around inclusion. We have better assessment for kids with exceptionalities now. And there’s significant benefits from early intervention.” But Shaw doesn’t mention her own transformative role in moving the industry forward through education, something her students carry with them long after they’ve left her classroom. If people like her continue inspiring the next generation of SEAs, the field—and, most importantly, the individuals it supports—are in good hands. v 21

Faculty Profile - Biology 12, Student Support, ESL

Steve Paras: Teaching beyond the classroom

teve Paras became first acquainted with Stenberg College through his daughter, a prospective student. Like many people who cross paths with Stenberg in preapplication interviews with program advisors, the attentive staff and caring, supportive atmosphere felt like something of a revelation to him. The former high school science teacher was so moved by the staff’s dealings with his daughter that he was inspired to pursue work at the college himself. Even though Paras was nearing retirement after teaching high school in White Rock and Surrey for 22

three decades, the prospect of teaching at Stenberg was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. “In the 30 years I’ve been in education, I haven’t seen an institution with so much integrity that is so interested in helping people,” Paras says. “Stenberg is different than any other institution when it says, ‘We care for you, not for your money.’ And the students know that.” It’s easy to see why Paras would be drawn to Stenberg right away. The things he admired about the school’s educational philosophy are very much qualities he exudes himself as an educator and an Stenberg College

individual. Like other Stenberg faculty members, Paras is the kind of one-in-a-million teacher who will change your life. He sees potential in students when others don’t. He brings out the best in people, emotionally and intellectually. His high academic standards are underscored with a nurturing learning environment that fosters personal growth alongside academic achievement. And just as Stenberg faculty members will go out on a limb for their students, Stenberg placed similar bets on Paras, and won. Since starting work at the college in 2009, Paras Success Magazine

Faculty Profile - Biology 12, Student Support, ESL

has expanded his teaching repertoire as an instructor And he is just the finest of gentlemen,” Paras says. for Jasbir Rai, a Practical Nursing student who in four different departments: the Practical Nursing The reward of helping him grow as a person and a had recently moved to Canada from India and was program, the Medical Lab Assistant program, the professional was a joy. “He said to me, ‘Steve, I’ve struggling with his new life here. Paras, intent on Cardiology Technologist program, and the Special never had a person tell me I could do it.’ He said, ‘I giving opportunity to someone he felt deserved it, Education Assistant program. He’s also an English can’t stop learning because I would disappoint you. conditionally admitted him into the program when Rai’s English language skills would have as a Second Language (ESL) instructor. normally resulted in his rejection. “I’m loving it,” he says. “My wife claims Paras worked tirelessly alongside Rai in she’s got a new husband because I am so exStenberg’s ESL program. Now Rai’s lancited about what I do. To me, you can be putParas sees potential in students guage ability has improved so markedly ting in long hours, but if what you’re doing is that he excelled in his nursing preceptorrewarding, it charges your batteries, and my when others don’t. He brings out ship and graduated near the top of his class. batteries are charged!” the best in people, emotionally and In fact, his Preceptor said that Rai was Paras first came in contact with Stenberg the best student she has ever supervised. in summer 2009, when his youngest daughintellectually. His high academic “When he sees me in the hallway, he stops ter was fresh out of high school and looking standards are underscored with a me, smiles and says, ‘Thank you, Steve, for to embark on her post-secondary education. accepting me and giving me this opportuShe was auditioning for the musical theatre nurturing learning environment that nity.’ He is so grateful and such an amazing program at Capilano College in North Vanfosters personal growth alongside man,” Paras says. “To me, he is deserving couver, which accepts only one of every six beyond description because he’s had to applicants to the program each year. The academic achievement. face failure and not quit.” competitive admissions process spurred her The story is similar for many of Paras’ to devise a back-up plan, which led her to exstudents. To see them prove their mettle plore the nursing program at Stenberg. in the face of extraordinary personal and Paras accompanied his daughter on a series of interviews at the Stenberg campus with a The truth is, I don’t have the confidence, but you professional hardship has given Paras a new lease program advisor. When she was eventually accept- have the confidence in me, and therefore, I’m going on life. Like his own students, Paras’ experience at Stenberg has empowered him to prove something ed to the musical theatre program, the Stenberg pro- to keep on going.’” gram advisor boldy told her to follow her heart and Paras’ wholehearted belief in the potential of his to himself that he’ll carry wherever he goes. “I can pursue musical theatre instead of the nursing career students saw him put his own career on the line make a difference,” he says, smiling. v that had brought them together. “I was sitting there speechless because I’m thinking, Stenberg is just telling my daughter to go to another college. They’re going to lose $23,000,” Paras recalls. “I was just blown away at the integrity.” Soon after that meeting, Paras contacted Stenberg to inquire about teaching opportunities. A few weeks later, he was asked to teach a condensed Biology 12 course for Practical Nursing students. For Paras, the experience was ground breaking. He holds a Master of Arts in Science, and at last, his academic research in fostering and promoting learning in science was put to full use. “It’s the most incredible thing I went through,” he says of that inaugural Biology 12 class. “I have memories of every single student in that class. One of them was a grandmother whose husband kicked her out of the house. There was another student who was trying to turn around his life and go to college, but he didn’t have the necessary credentials and he was starting with Biology 12 to see if he could do it.” Paras inspired his students, and they, in turn, inspired him. The personal sacrifices and hardships the students had endured on the way to finding themselves at Stenberg motivated Paras to do whatever he could to ensure their success in his class. He recalls a student in his biology class who was living in his car. Behind the scenes, Stenberg acted as his family, purchasing his medical scrubs and ensuring he had enough to eat. “We focused on relationships, perseverance, character. And in the end it paid off. He’s a nurse! Success Magazine

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lisa Semenoff encouraged me to build up a self-confidence that I was lacking due to mal-adjustment in the new culture. In fact, the language barrier was not as big an issue for me as the loss of self-confidence.â&#x20AC;? 12

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Success Magazine

Stenberg College ESL Student of the Year

This Canadian life

Stenberg’s ESL program brings hope, skills, and jobs into the lives of newcomers

hen Jasbir Rai arrived at Stenberg College to interview for its Practical Nursing (PN) program, the former family physician was down on his luck, working as a security guard in downtown Vancouver. He and his wife had emigrated from India to Canada in 2009 in search of better educational opportunities for their two children. Back home, Rai had worked as a doctor for 17 years and a nursing instructor for two. His wife was a schoolteacher in social sciences. But like other newcomers to Canada whose native language isn’t English, Rai and his family struggled to succeed in their new surroundings. “Adapting to a new environment, new people, and earning a living were some of the major issues to deal with,” Rai says. “Above all, communication in English was a hard nut to crack.” Finding a job commensurate with Rai’s experience as a health care professional felt impossible as he struggled to become fluent in English. He took a few English as a Second Language (ESL) courses at an adult education centre near his home in Surrey before applying for classes at Stenberg, but as any second-language speaker knows, mastery of a new language takes more time than only a few courses will allow. “His speech needed improvement,” recalls Stenberg ESL instructor Steve Paras, who was conducting intake interviews for the Practical Nursing program. “He didn’t qualify to get into the program.” But Rai was intent on pursuing a career in nursing. It was a field that, as a former doctor, he felt delivered more comprehensive care than medical practice. “I am passionate about working with patients,” he says. “I think nurses are the only professionals that remain in touch with the patients for 24 hours a day.” Rai relayed his hopes and experiences to Paras, who was moved by Rai’s character. “What I discovered was a man who had integrity, who was a people person, who was full of heart. He deserved this opportunity,” Paras says. The instructor so believed in Rai’s abilities that he personally put his career on the line to admit Rai into the Practical Nursing program on the condition that he enter Stenberg’s ESL program and work hard at improving his language proficiency. Rai rose to the occasion and dedicated himself completely to both the ESL and Practical Nursing programs. “Words cannot express how grateful I am to have

Success Magazine

Steve as my instructor,” Rai says. “He refused to register me in the Practical Nursing program on account of my not being a perfect communicator in English. His decision jolted me and at the same moment, I promised him that I would leave no stone unturned to master all of those weaknesses.” Paras worked alongside Stenberg ESL instructor Lisa Semenoff, whose holistic approach to teaching language re-invigorated the self-confidence that Rai and students like him had lost since arriving in Canada. “Lisa Semenoff encouraged me to build up a selfconfidence that I was lacking due to mal-adjustment in the new culture,” Rai says. “In fact, the language barrier was not as big an issue for me as the loss of self-confidence.” Stenberg’s ESL program embodies the college’s mission to empower students through education by equipping them with the tools to navigate both work and life—the two, after all, go hand in hand. The ESL program is free to students intent on enrolling in a Stenberg program and students can stay in the program for as long as is necessary. The supportive, community-minded learning environment often serves as a home base that has a stabilizing and motivating effect on its students. “I believe in supporting the whole individual. I think it goes beyond ESL,” says Semenoff. “It’s about learning about their families, learning about the challenges they have at home, learning about challenges they’ve had as an immigrant, and the goals and dreams and desires that they have for the future.” Stenberg’s innovative ESL program enables graduates to thrive in Canadian society as engaged citizens and professionals. This is especially true for Rai. He has recently completed his nursing preceptorship at a Vancouver hospital and his Preceptor said that he is the best student she has ever had. To commemorate his achievement, Stenberg College awarded Rai the ESL Student of the Year Award. He won $1,000. Stenberg’s ESL program has given new Canadians like Rai the opportunity to find jobs in line with their field of expertise back home but it also gives students opportunities to confidently pursue new careers in Canada. For Merskerem Gibson, enrolling in Stenberg’s Health Care Assistant (HCA) program meant turning over a new leaf in a field that reflected her passions. Gibson arrived in Canada in 1996 after applying for refugee status in Nairobi, Kenya. She was originally from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Stenberg College

When Gibson lost her job due to a plant closure, she took the opportunity to pursue a new career by starting classes at Stenberg. Since participating in the ESL program, her self-confidence has soared. Compared to the shy woman who was afraid to speak publicly in Semenoff’s ESL classroom, life now is much easier than when Gibson first arrived in Canada. “I’m more confident in myself. My English is improved. I met my husband here. I have brought family members to Canada. I have made many friends,” she says. She is currently working as a Health Care Assistant and hopes to continue her education and become a Licensed Practical Nurse. Doris Wang was already working as a nurse at a large hospital in Guilin, China, when she moved to Canada with her husband and young daughter to pursue the North American dream that she had heard so much about since she was a child. But with few job opportunities, no local support network, and limited English language ability, Wang and her husband struggled emotionally and financially in their first years in Canada. They sent their daughter back to China to live with family members and, after two years of hardship, they considered moving back too. After walking out of other ESL courses because she felt lost in the large classes, Wang enrolled in Stenberg’s free ESL College Preparatory program as a last resort. Her horizons started to brighten. “I had lots of opportunity to practice my English at Stenberg and my instructors always gave me feedback,” Wang says. “Most importantly, they gave me confidence. I can’t believe how much I learned in just five months!” Wang enrolled in the Health Care Assistant (HCA) program at Stenberg in February 2011 and graduated six months later. She excelled in her coursework, achieving a 90 per cent average and has now been reunited with her daughter in Canada. Wang is a runner-up for Stenberg’s ESL Student of the Year Award alongside Gibson. They won $250 each. For students like Wang, Gibson, and Rai, Stenberg’s ESL program gave them hope when there was none. Their advice to prospective students mimics their ESL instructor’s guiding principles: believe in yourself and work hard. “Hard work is the key to success, no matter how weak you are at English, no matter your lack of selfconfidence,” Rai says. “As long as Lisa and Steve are at Stenberg College you will have a bright and fruitful future.” v 25

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