(l to r: Assistant Professor Michael McGillion, Sheila O’Keefe-McCarthy, Kate Gent, Senior Lecturer Pamela Khan, Karolina Gielarowiec, Erin Telegdi and Katherine Dunbar)
Monday night, at the 2013 Gordon Cressy Student Leadership Awards, five of our students were honoured for their commitments to making a difference in and around the university. Already known throughout our Faculty for their volunteer efforts, the Cressy Award provided an opportunity for the winners to be recognized by the entire university.
Undergraduate Recipients (Class of 1T3)
Katherine Dunbar
Katherine Dunbar was integral to addressing student well-being as the inaugural Student Wellness Co-ordinator for the Nursing Undergraduate Society (NUS). In this role, Dunbar introduced new activities to the annual Wellness Fair, partnered with partnered with the Multi-Faith and Athletic Centres to bring weekly yoga classes to busy nursing students, and created an opportunity for nursing students get outside of the city by introducing an annual nursing student retreat at Hart House Farm. Dunbar was elected to the executive of the RNAO’s Ontario Nurses for the Environment Interest Group (ONEIG) and as a Nursing Student Mentor, she also provided support to two first-year students.
Karolina Gielarowiec
Karolina Gielarowiec’s interest in global issues awarded her the Best Delegate Award when she participated in the annual Model WHO Conference and debated the impact of pharmaceutical trials in developing countries. Also a committee coordinator for the Nursing Students of Ontario (NSO), Gielarowiec organized events for nursing students and was involved with the Joint Provincial Nursing Committee (JPNC) and the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO) Board of Finance. At Bloomberg Nursing, Gielarowiec took photos for the U of T Nursing yearbook, mentored students and volunteered at events.
Erin Telegdi
Erin Telegdi put her passion for equity and social justice to work by serving as a member of the NUS Student Council and as the associate and official delegate for the Canadian Nursing Students’ Association (CNSA) annual conference. Taking a leadership role with the CNSA’s Career Fair as co-chair, Telegdi played an integral role in connecting students with potential nursing employers. Telegdi also initiated a student award competition to engage students in the development of health care policy.
Graduate Recipients
Kate Gent
Kate Gent, a student in the Master of Nursing, Nurse Practitioner field, made significant student contributions to the Primary Health Care – Global Health area of emphasis. Collecting ideas from fellow students and sharing them with the co-ordinator, Gent helped to contribute towards ongoing development of the program. Gent’s volunteer accomplishments include participating in initiatives promoting better access to health care for marginalized populations, assisting at a clinical teaching scholarship workshop, helping with a Cystic Fibrosis parent-teaching day at SickKids, and also as a nurse at Camp Oochigeas, a camp for children with childhood cancer.
Shelia O’Keefe-McCarthy
Shelia O’Keefe-McCarthy, PhD student, served on the executive of the Graduate Nursing Student Society and as a member of the curriculum and student awards committees. O’Keefe-McCarthy recognized an opportunity for doctoral students and created the PhD Academic/Research Community of Learners to organize literature reviews, mock proposal defences and scientific presentations for her peers. As well, O’Keefe-McCarthy contributes to the Canadian Pain Society’s board of directors.
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