We had the distinct privilege of celebrating the convocation of 116 Bachelor of Nursing program graduates and 16 Master of Nursing graduates. The aspiring new graduates were filled with excitement and anticipation as they spoke of their educational experiences, as well as their aspirations in launching their new career as a registered nurse.
We also had the unique opportunity to connect with our esteemed alumni at our 2022 Homecoming events as they celebrated their milestone reunions, from our 20th anniversary class to the 50th anniversary class. We were inspired by their compelling stories of their career trajectories and the impact they are having or have had in the delivery of quality health care. The College of Nursing is proud to promote and celebrate the contributions of all alumni, from aspiring graduate to esteemed alumni.
We celebrated achievements of our faculty as they received special awards, such as our instructor Sufia Turner who was the recipient of the Sentinel U Simulation Star Award. Dr. Mandy Archibald, associate professor, was appointed the Lead of PRIME by the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM) and received $450,000 in research funding over the next three years. PRIME (Partnering for Innovation in Mental Health through eHealth Excellence) is the fourth research theme developed by CHRIM. I was pleased to celebrate with four University of Manitoba colleagues as we received the Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award.
The 2022 Helen Glass Research Symposium provided a great opportunity to connect with and learn from our two keynote speakers, Dr. Cheryl Poth and Dr. Elizabeth Creamer, on leveraging the integration of mixed methods research.
The implementation of our Bachelor of Nursing program expansion is underway. Students admitted this Fall will be engaged in their studies three terms per year. Our first additional intake of 120 students will take place in May 2023. We look forward to preparing additional nurses to join the nursing workforce and address the provincial nursing shortage.
At this very special time of year, on behalf of the College of Nursing, I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah, and the very best throughout the new year.
Dr. Netha Dyck