UCalgary Nursing Alumni Committee
Students today, nurses tomorrow, alumni forever
Welcome!
Thanks for stopping by our page to find out more about us, what we do and how you could get involved. As one of the longest-standing volunteer groups at UCalgary, we are proud of all the work over the years to support our alumni and are continually looking for ways in which we can connect, engage, develop, and celebrate current and future alumni from UCalgary Nursing.
Following the UCalgary Alumni strategy Wherever Life Takes You which is aimed at engaging alumni by supporting them in five key areas: Career Aspirations, Life Stage Programming, Volunteer Engagement, Community Building and Philanthropy, we work hard to provide meaningful opportunities for our alumni in each of these areas. Whether you're a new grad, mid-way through your career, or entering the golden years of your nursing career, we hope to offer something that will meet you where you are through our Bronze, Silver and Gold level initiatives.
Our past events have included things such as the Spring Luncheon, Finance 101 for Nurses, Mock Interviews, NCLEX Jeopardy, and events such as the very popular Small Gardens - An evening with Kath Smyth held last year. In addition, we often collaborate closely for faculty led events such as the Pinning Ceremony for new grads and the annual Marguerite Schumacher Memorial Alumni Lecture.
If you are a nursing alum and are interested in joining or collaborating with our team, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We'd love to hear from you.
Executive Members
Leading the charge, our executive members provide guidance to the rest of the committee so that together, we can create meaningful programs, events and initiatives for our alumni.
Executive members have active roles at events and programs throughout the year, and make recommendations on our various structures and processes to effectively lead the committee.
Co-President
"I'm happy I joined the UCalgary Nursing Alumni Committee in 2019, initially serving as the bronze lead, and subsequently as the VP.
As president this year, I am excited to bring forth my zany personality, infectious energy, and steadfast leadership. I'm thrilled I will collaborate with my similarly dedicated and passionate committee members in shining light on the path in pursuit of our common vision & goal to engage our UCalgary Nursing alumni community.
Apart from my involvement with the UCalgary Nursing Alumni Committee, I work as a nurse clinician for the Children's Day Treatment Program at the Alberta Children's Hospital; and I have an insatiable wanderlust with an extensive travel bucket list that I dream of completing."
Co-President
"I have been a member of the UCalgary Nursing Alumni Committee since I was an undergrad, acting as the UNS alumni representative. I’ve since served as our first social media and communications lead and will serve as vice president this year!
As your VP, I am excited to collaborate with a dedicated team of committee members to create spaces and events that highlight, celebrate and engage YOU, our nursing alumni community! I look forward to supporting current and future members to get involved and strengthen connections with fellow alumni, undergrads and those just starting their journey in this profession we love.
Outside of my involvement with the UCalgary Nursing Alumni Committee, I work as a nurse on a Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplant unit as well as Public Health. Outside of work I enjoy hiking in Kananaskis, reading and spending time outdoors. I look forward to all the great things we have in store for this upcoming term!"
Social Media & Communications Lead
"Hello! I graduated the BN program in 2018, I have since worked all over the nursing spectrum and currently mainly work with adolescents with mental health and addiction concerns as well as general medicine. When I'm not working, you can find me doing any number of my hobbies and spending time with my loved ones. I'm excited to have the opportunity to join the committee and hopefully get my first mentee for Nurse Mentor this year."
Bronze Co-Lead
(Alumni 0-10 years after graduation)
"I graduated from the UCalgary nursing program in 2021. I started my career on an internal medicine / COVID unit, and I have now been working in a Calgary emergency department for almost three years. Outside of work, I love spending time with friends and family and enjoying my hobbies, such as painting, reading, camping, and softball. This will be my fourth year with the UCalgary Nursing Alumni Committee and my second year as Bronze Lead. I’m excited for a great year of connecting with fellow and future nursing alumni!"
Bronze Co-Lead
(Alumni 0-10 years after graduation)
"I completed my MN in 2019, with my thesis focused on exploring and improving the mental health and wellbeing of undergraduate nursing students. I currently work on improving student wellness and learning in post-secondary education. I look forward to engaging with our diverse alumni and strengthening connections. Outside of work, I enjoy discovering new desserts, learning about new cultures, and a good book!"
Silver Lead
(Alumni 11-25 years after graduation)
Leah Tellier is an Assistant Professor with the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Calgary. Her background includes 17 years of Emergency Nursing experience. She completed her Master of Nursing in 2018 and joined the faculty full-time to pursue her interest in academia and teaching. Leah has taught in all terms within the Bachelor of Nursing program as a clinical and theory instructor and simulation facilitator. She has a strong interest in simulation learning and pathophysiology.
General Members
An integral part of our committee, our general members help generate ideas, assist leads in various projects and initiatives and are active champions for nursing and our alumni in the community.
"Hi! My name is Yeny Lara, BN'17. I currently work as a fertility and in vitro fertilization nurse in Calgary, but I have been working in reproductive and women's health for the past 5 years. It is something I am very passionate about, especially in these changing times. I am volunteering with the committee because of the positive experience I had as a member of the community during my undergraduate degree as well as now through my graduate program, and I want to promote that feeling of community and welcoming with other alumni, staff, and students. I have two dogs that keep us busy and having time, and if you don't find me working, studying, volunteering, or watching Netflix, I'm probably swimming somewhere!"
"Hi everyone, I'm Shirley! I graduated in 2024 and have been part of the Nursing Alumni Committee as a student for the past two years. I'm thrilled to continue being involved with this amazing and fun group! Currently, I work in cardiology and general internal medicine, and I'm pursuing a course-based master's in nursing at the University of Calgary, starting with a certificate in palliative and end of life care. In my free time, I enjoy spending time outdoors, baking, reading, and making memories with friends and family. I'm excited to help foster alumni engagement and give back to our nursing community.”
Coming soon...
Ex-Officio Members
Our ex-officio members serve an important role connecting us to other campus groups and help promote collaboration on a variety of programs and initiatives.
Open positions
We are currently recruiting for a number of executive and general member roles in the committee. If you are an enthusiastic nursing alum looking for a way to give back to the faculty and support future and current alum, then we may have the perfect position for you!
Take a look below and reach out to us for more information or to apply.
Similar to the Bronze and Silver leads, the main role of the Gold Lead is to help generate ideas and lead initiatives meaningful to our alumni who have graduated more than 25 years ago. Together with ad-hoc working groups, the Gold Lead helps create meaningful programs and events, generating ideas and identifying potential hosts, speakers and panellists within their personal and professional networks, as well as within the broader community. If you are a nursing alum brimming with ideas and creativity, who enjoys the event-planning process, this might be the perfect role for you!
Otherwise known as a "member-at-large," this role provides support to the committee in the planning, evaluation, and execution of alumni programming and events. One of the key responsibilities is to provide perspectives on alumni relations topics during meetings. This role is a one-year term with a monthly time commitment generally ranging from 2-3 hours per month, though it may be less or more in the case when you are supporting a particular event or program.
Come and check us out
We are a very friendly group and always excited to have new faces join us. Whether you're just looking to dip your feet or are ready to take on a specific role, we'd love to hear from you. You can also stop by one of our monthly meetings (virtually or in person) or reach out to us by email for more information.
Sept. 16, 2024
Kickoff Meeting
5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Join us for the first official meeting of the 2024/2025academic year! We'll be doing an overview of the committee including goals, strategies and ideas for the year while enjoying a tasty dinner at Canadian Brewhouse in University District!