Three University of New Brunswick nursing students who show promise in the area of gerontological nursing were awarded Shannex New Brunswick Scholarships at the start of the 2018-19 academic year.
The scholarships, each valued at $3,750 a year, were awarded to nursing students at each of UNB’s three New Brunswick sites – Fredericton, Saint John and Moncton. Selection was based on academic achievement and the recipients’ demonstrated excellence in the practice of gerontological nursing.
The Shannex New Brunswick Scholarships were announced in March 2018 at a news conference held at Parkland Saint John hosted by Jason Shannon, president and chief operating officer of Shannex, Dr. Eddy Campbell, then-president of the University of New Brunswick, and David Ganong, co-chair of UNB’s It Begins Here campaign.
“Many of Shannex’s skilled nurses graduated from UNB,” said Shannon. “They are now part of our team of great people who provide exceptional care and service to residents every day in leadership roles throughout our organization. Our hope is that these scholarships will give talented nursing students the support they need to join our region’s next generation of skilled health care professionals, and we sincerely hope they consider joining the Shannex team in the future.”
Cathy O’Brien-Larivée, chair of the department of nursing and health sciences at UNB’s Saint John campus, said that these scholarships will provide significant assistance to hard-working students who are actively pursuing an interest in the care of the elderly in our region.
“The senior population is increasing in our province, as it is all over Canada, and we need to prepare and encourage more students to pursue areas of practice where they can work with the aging population once they graduate,” said O’Brien-Larivee. “The Shannex New Brunswick Scholarships will reward ambitious students who have expressed an interest in pursuing elder care as a career.”
These scholarships help reduce the cost of tuition for nursing students, relieving financial uncertainty and allowing them to focus on their studies. They also provide affirmation that each recipient’s hard work and dedication to the profession of nursing is valued.
Student support was a significant part of UNB’s $110-million fundraising campaign, It Begins Here. Fully one-half of the campaign goal – $55 million – was dedicated to student financial support, funding scholarships, bursaries and programs to expand accessibility.
“We are grateful for donors like Shannex who have stepped forward to support this campaign,” said Campbell. “Our nursing students graduate into one of the most demanding professions in our health-care system and partners like Shannex are giving them motivation to succeed. Together, we can prepare them to be leading health-care professionals within our community.”
