INside _.

  

The Douglas College Newsletter

m New Westminster Campus, David Lam Campus & Thomas Haney Campus

Hard work pays off for

Many months of hard
work paid off June 8 as
about 470 Douglas
College students took part
in graduation ceremonies at
the New Westminster
Campus.

Douglas College Board
Chair Harbinder Kainth
Jassal told the students,
employees, families and
friends assembled in the
gymnasium that she has a
great deal of respect for the
graduates and the
“balancing act” they have
performed to successfully
complete their studies. She
encouraged the students to
be lifelong learners and to
stay optimistic during the
challenging years ahead.
College President Susan

Witter congratulated the

students on being the first
graduates of the new
millennium. She also
echoed Kainth Jassal’s focus
on continual learning
during an era when
patterns of work are
changing dramatically.
“Your success Is our
reward,” said Psychiatric
Nursing instructor
Jacqollyne Keath.

“You are remarkable. Do
not let anyone tell you
otherwise.”

Keath also suggested that
the graduates should start
thinking about ways to
repay their “social debt” to
the communities that have
supported them through
their studies.

Cara Fisher and Obediya

Jones-Darrell of the

Douglas Students’ Union
noted that post-secondary
education is crucial in
today’s rapidly changing
times and urged graduates
to keep up the fight for
affordable post-secondary
education.

And former Board Chair
Bob Buzza called on the
graduates to put their
talents toward solving some
of the planet’s pressing
social and environmental
problems.

“Our greatest challenge is
co halt the decline of our
planet's life-support
systems and support a mass
ascent from poverty while
doing so,” Buzza said.
‘Two prestigious academic
awards were presented

during the ceremonies.

IN

Douglas College

raduates

Raquel Michaelis, a
graduate of the Psychiatric
Nursing Diploma Program,
received a Governot
General’s Bronze Medal in
recognition of her 4.29
grade point average (GPA).
Trudie Young, a graduate
of the Medical Office
Assistant Program, received
a Licutenant Governor's
Silver Medal for her 4.30
GPA. The maximum
possible GPA is 4.33.
Valedictorians included
Mana Sadat Mirramezani
(Dispensing Optician
Program), Raymond
Gilchrist (Computer
Information Systems
Diploma Program) and
Trish Griffioen (Sign
Language Interpretation

Program).

  

 

Raquel Michaelis (Psychiatric Nursing} received a
Governor General's Bronze Medal for her 4.29
grade point average.

 

Eyes on the
prize

Dispensing Optician
grad Sara Moschurak,
who moved from
Regina to take the
program, is the first
recipient of the $500
Vistakon Vision
Products Award for the
highest achievement
in the program.

 

 

 

Daycare scarred by vandals

Grinches paid a destructive off-season visit to the David Lam Campus Daycare recently.

During the weekend of June 17-18, a sandbox cover was destroyed and cigarette butts

were left behind, according to Janice Casey, Chair of the Douglas College Early

Childhood Education Centre.

Wind chimes were broken, a table was slightly damaged, and a second table was moved

to the roof of the Daycare. A replacement sandbox cover is expected to cost $150.

“It’s really upsetting for the kids,” Casey says. “It just broke their hearts.”

It’s not the first time the Daycare has been the target of vandals.

Prior incidents have seen art easels broken, pumpkins stolen from the garden and flowers

destroyed.

“Our daycare community is very angry and sad to see individuals can vandalize property

like this,” Casey wrote ina letter printed in the Tri-City News June 25.

“Youth and adults serve as role models to our children, and this does not look good for

any of us.”

Daycare staff will continue to lock everything down or out of sight of unwanted visitors,

Casey says.

Quote of the Month

Dean earns Hungarian award

Health Sciences Dean Joy
Holmwood has been
honoured for het
contributions to the
development of nursing
education in Hungary.
Holmwood received the
Pro Sanitate Medal (“for
health”, in Latin) at the
end of a nursing
graduation ceremony at the
University of Pees in
Hungary July 8. The
award was presented by
Klara Sévényi, Chief
Nursing Officer and head
of the Department of
Nursing in che Hungarian
Ministry of Health.

“Its a great honour,”
Holmwood says. “For me,
it's recognition of the
dedication and efforts of
both myselfand others at
Douglas College. | received
the award, but it really has
been a team effort.”
Health Sciences and Prior
Learning Assessment and
Recognition personnel
have been working with
the Hungarian Health and

Education ministries ona

project aimed al
remodelling nursing
education and training in
that country and
producing a large pool of
highly qualified nurses.
Until the early 1990s,
Hungary educated nurses
only at the vocational level,
typically between ages 14
and 7; ] lolmwood Says.
The profession was held in
low esteem by the public,
nurses were poorly paid,
and there were few
qualified people to teach
them. Baccalaureate
education has only been
available for about six
years, and the nurses’ past
work experience and
education were not
recognized by the
universities offering basic
nursing programs.

Douglas College became
involved in the project
through its involvement in
other Hungarian education
projects. After four years of
meetings and discussions,
the project received a

crucial $130,000 in

funding in Spring 1999
from the Canadian
International Development
Agency (CIDA) through
the Association of
Canadian Community
Colleges. The project got
underway in August 1999

and wrapped up in early

July.

The project involved priot
learning assessment and
recognition, curriculum
assessment and revision,
and use of contemporary
nursing education
software. Educators from
both countries worked
with each other in
workshops and tours.
Although further work is
necessary, the project has
been a success, Holmwood
says,

“The Hungarians sce this
project as important in
furthering the delivery of
nursing education and
health care,” she says.
“Hopefully, we'll be
involved in some ongoing
consultation as the

implementat ion happens.”

 

“Our greatest challenge is to halt the decline of our planet’ life-support systems
and support a mass ascent from poverty while doing so.”

Bob Buzza, former Douglas College Board Chair,

keynote speaker, June 2000 graduation ceremonies