
Nursing Student of the Month
SepTember 2017

Shawn Craig
Year 2 BScN Student
"Shawn is a great person who goes above and beyond to help their peers and those in the community. Altruistic and not afraid to speak their mind, they are a role model to others."
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"Shawn is one of the most respectful, inclusive, knowledgeable, and caring people I know. Shawn inspires me to go the extra mile because Shawn is always going the extra mile for those around. I am thankful to have met Shawn, the world needs more Shawn."
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Learn more about Shawn:
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1) Why did you decide to go into nursing?
Holding space for people to navigate complex, difficult decisions, while at once celebrating their strengths led me to healthcare. Specifically, nursing is heavily involved in the day to day care of the body and soul. Since hands-on work is where I feel most effective as a professional, I was drawn to that aspect of the profession. My belief that healthcare requires greater representation of the LGBTQIA community was a more personal reason why I chose this mid-career shift, because I was frustrated with my own experiences of homophobia and transphobia in healthcare settings. Being a small part of changing attitudes and practice toward my community was a large component of my decision to return to school after 12 years of working in forestry.
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2) Fun Fact:
While visiting New York one year, I found myself in Times Square having a casual conversation with a complete stranger as we both waited at a crosswalk. All of a sudden there were people crowding all around us, taking photographs and I had no idea what was going on. As it turns out, I had been having a conversation with Michael Moore, but had no idea who he was at the time.

Samantha Paterson
Year 1 BScN Student
"Last Monday (Sept. 18th) Samantha (Sam) was on her way to school when an elderly gentlemen fell on the escalator at Queen's Park Station. Instead of shying away from the situation Sam approached the man along with one of the faculty members at Bloomberg and they cared for the man's extensive facial injuries until paramedics arrived. This was only Sam's second week of nursing school and she already stepped up and helped in an emergency situation! I think she was really brave and has already embodied the role of a great nurse in society!"
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Learn more about Samantha:
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1) Why did you decide to go into nursing?
I decided to pursue nursing once I started volunteering at the Toronto Distress Centres while obtaining my Honours Bachelor of Science in Mental Health Studies at U of T. I was inspired by the impact that I had made on others through the various volunteer operated help lines. I wanted to take this further by pursuing a career where I could utilize my interpersonal skills and continue to make a difference in the lives of others.
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2) Fun Fact:
One might say that I'm talented at karaoke. I've got a number of funny voices in my repertoire to distract from all of those tricky notes.