School of Nursing News

Dalhousie students are known for their academic excellence, but their achievements outside of the classroom are equally impressive. The Dalhousie IMPACT Awards is an event held annually by the DSU in collaboration with Dalhousie University, to recognize outstanding individuals & student groups and the impact that their contributions have made to their community.

Congratulations to School of Nursing recipients who received awards at this year's 5th Annual Dalhousie Student Impact Awards held on March 24th, 2016:

Maike van Niekirk:  Year 3: Board of Governors Award

The Board of Governors Awards recognize individuals who have made exceptional contributions or leadership in the extracurricular realm in such areas as university governance, development of a sense of community on campus, community service, internationalizing the campus, visual or performing arts, minority access or athletics. Maike's impressive accomplishments include:

• Raised over $100,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society through the creation of a fundraiser called Katrina's Karepackage named in memory of her mother, biking 1,100 km across the province to experience the long journey many cancer patients must face to receive radiation treatment and a "7 Days of Karing" campaign in wihch she ran seven consecutive marathons in the week leading up to Christmas.
• Volunteered internationally as a youth ambassador with "Impossible2Possible" in Greece
• Provided health care in Nepal where she later created the SIKNA initiative to provide school supplies to over 600 children at every primary school in the city of Nuwakot
• 2015 Newfoundland Red Cross Young Humanitarian of the Year
  
• Recognized as one of Canada's Top 20 Under 20
• Won the Schulich Leadership Scholarship at Dalhouse
• Volunteers at Ronald McDonald House, Breast Cancer Action Nova Scotia and the Canadian Cancer Society and tutors her fellow nursing students.

http://www.dal.ca/news/2016/03/24/community--compassion--commitment--meet-this-year-s-student-boar.html

Leah Carrier:  Year 2 :   Faculty of Health Professions: Leadership Award   

The Faculty Leadership Awards are presented to a student in good academic standing in each Dalhousie faculty.  These students exemplify the highest level of passion for their discipline, take initiative in creating new opportunities and encourage their peers to engage in faculty events.  Faculty Leadership Award winners positively impact other students in their faculty and the reputation of their faculty outside of the classroom. Leah's impressive accomplishments include:

• Hosts a lunch and learn each semester to inform students of important information from meetings with other nursing schools
• Won the bid to host the Atlantic Regional Conference at Dalhousie in Fall 2016
• Played a critical role in Dalhousie winning the national Nursing Students Week video contest and the Atlantic Regional Achievement Award for 2015-16
• Elected to the board of directors of the CNSA as the Atlantic Regional Director; represents the interests of all nine Atlantic chapter schools to the board.
• Events director for the Nursing Research Interest Group (NRIG)
• Works as a research assistant in two research labs at Dalhousie and the IWK Health Centre
• Awarded the Canadian Association for Nursing Research Award for Best Abstract submission at the CNSA National Conference

Dalhousie Nursing Society : Most Impactful Departmental Society Award

Awarded to a Student Society ratified with the Dalhousie Student Union that Has demonstrated consistency in planning and delivery of programming or events, high student participation and attendance of their membership and sets an example for other student societies.

• Has a Peer Mentor Program in which upper year students are given the opportunity to provide support and guidance to first-year BScN students
• Health Promotion Committee to represent the health promotion-related needs of nursing students at Dalhousie, including a focus on LGBTQ and inclusiveness
• Provides health literature and a safe space within the nursing lounge
• Partnered with CNSA representatives to offer a self-care station during National Nursing Students Week
• Created a Stress Busters station in the nursing lounge during the last week of classes
• Collabortarates with Dal Student Health Promotion to promote events happening on Studley Campus
  
• Worked with the DalAllies program to bring training to society members
• Involved in "For the Health Of It" fundraiser; this year's cause was Katrina's Karepackage which was founded by nursing student Maike van Niekerk
  

See full list of winners of the 5th Annual Dalhousie Student Impact Awards