The annual U of T Student Leadership Awards (UTSLA) carry on a decades long tradition of recognizing the exemplary leadership and volunteer services of students on the U of T campus and the impact their contributions have on their peers.
Shakila Khalkhali Ardestani, Rachel Ha, Serena Lai and Chelsea Song of the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing have been recognized as recipients of the 2025 UTSLA for their commitment to creating a positive and inclusive environment for nursing students from both the undergraduate and graduate programs. Nominated by staff and faculty at Bloomberg Nursing, all four have played a significant role in building a sense of community through various initiatives that seek to improve wellness, provide mentorship or engage in networking events.
Volunteering as a student is no easy task and it is particularly tough for nursing students many of whom juggle long hours of shift work and clinical placements. Yet Ardestani, Ha, Lai and Song have each demonstrated a strong sense of dedication and a passion for giving back. Here they share with us what motivated them to volunteer, and the legacy they hope to leave behind after graduation.
Serena Lai (BScN student) – “Leave it better than you found it”
My highschool guidance counsellor introduced me to the saying, “leave it better than you found it,” and to this day, I still live by these words. Volunteering as a member of NUS I hope to leave the nursing program better than I found it. As a mentor to three first-year nursing students I have tried to ease their transition into the nursing program and be a reliable resource for them. During the two years that I have been a member of NUS I have developed and implemented new initiatives such as the Move with NUS, and Wellness Hub that are aimed at enhancing the seven dimensions of wellness, and have brought back initiatives that were lost due to COVID19, such as the Wellness Fair and Wellness Retreat. I hope that each of these programs has positively supported my peers on their journey to becoming future nurses, by improving accessibility to wellness resources within out program.
Chelsea Song (BScN student) – “Start small, follow your passions”
Volunteering as a student is a chance to step outside the classroom and develop skills like teamwork and problem solving. It’s also incredible rewarding to be part of something bigger than myself. I want to inspire future nursing students to embrace community engagement and show that caring for others is at the heart of nursing. I tried to prioritize my time carefully to ensure that I could still contribute without overwhelming my schedule. I always say to start small, follow your passions, and just get involved. It builds connections and can bring balance to your journey as a nursing student.
Shakila Khalkhali Ardestani (MN student, President of GNSS) – “Don’t hesitate to get involved”
I want to make the most of U of T experience and I was motivated by the opportunity to build meaningful connections while contributing to the betterment of our student community. Having a strong support team has been really key to staying engaged with a busy schedule. As the President of GNSS I wouldn’t have been able to balance student engagement and academic responsibilities without the help of my VP and the rest of the GNSS team. It shows that nursing and student engagement go hand in hand – you are never alone.
Volunteering with the GNSS has allowed me to create events that foster professional relationships and personal growth, all while keeping inclusion and diversity at the heart of everything we do. I aim to enrich the education experience for myself and others, because education extends beyond the classroom.
To those who are thinking about volunteering I would say don’t hesitate to get involved. It is natural to feel nervous about the commitment, but you won’t know unless you give it a try.
Rachel Ha (MN student, Senior Communications Director GNSS) – “Don’t be afraid to be afraid”
Volunteering involves stepping outside of your comfort zone. Sometimes you may feel you are too busy but the relationships and experiences you may gain from getting involved can leave a lasting impact.
As graduate nursing students, returning to school after being in the workforce for some time, and the transition back into academics is not always easy.
Through my involvement I want to demonstrate the advantages of volunteer work and community involvement, including how they complement the academic knowledge we gain. I believe that the years you spend in graduate school can be greatly impacted by a positive sense of community and I hope that future nursing students can have an even more engaging and rewarding experience, whether that’s through academic support, networking events or wellness initiatives. Being part of such a diverse group of students, it has been a privilege to be able to contribute to creating an environment for students to connect and grow professionally and socially.